Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-09-12
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND FRIDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER r. 1913


was used quite often by itself, as was
the letter A. Besides, when con-
versation was ended during the day
the last words We're two, and / was
not long In Interpreting them as good
by" This gave me nine letters, or
a third of the alphabet. Within a
few days l had 1t ALL but 1t required
practice to read. AS to telegraphing
myself, practiced at sending messages
to myself by tapping with my finger
on the wall Of my cell and soon be-
came quite proficient.
AS soon us | could read readily de-
termlned to take hand in the dia-
logues. Two men, both politicals, were
communicating the one a young man
who had been sent to Siberia from a
university; the other had been impli-
Gated In conspiracy to assassinate a
minister Of police. The latter was
much older than the former-at least
he talked more sedately-while the stu
dent was full of hope and enthusiasm.
He was discussing with the other plans
for escape. which his correspondent
discouraged as impossible and would
only bring down more horror on those
who attempted them.
The call signal learned at the out
set It was three taps at intervals till
the party to be called responded. When
was sufficiently practiced to hold a
conversation l gave the signal. A re-
ply came.
"What is II, PaulT
made the reply myself. / said that
was political prisoner, young girl;
that | had heard their conversations
over the pipe and had interpreted their
code. would be pleased to talk with
them when they were not engaged
chatting with each other. Paul, the
university man, asked me how long
had been In learning the code and,
when told him, complimented me on
my readiness. | asked him II he were
not afraid Of the prison authorities be-
coming aware that he was communi-
eating, to which he replied that the
prisoners all knew the hours when the
guards were due and were careful to
refrain from tapping when they came
round. He added that the latter were
stupid lot and, If they heard the tap
ping and suspected code. could never
learn II as had done.
Doubtless the principal deterrent
from insanity among prisoners is plan
ming escapes. Paul, who, | learned, was
In the cell directly below me, was full
OF these plans, which he had been
proposing to Alexis, who was In the
cell above me After came into the
trio Paul consulted me rather than
Alexis as to the practicability Of his
plans, but | had not been there long
enough to have any knowledge OF the
prison or the habits Of our guards and
cOIld be Of no use to him. Neverthe
my escape, with the assistance OF the
other two. which Alexis pronounced
feasible, though not probable No es
cape could be made without brlblng
the guard, and this could not be done
without his being able to make II APP
pear that he was lnnorcnt woman,
Maria, had charge Of the cells for the
woman prisoners. and | succeeded In
winning her sympathy. Indeed. she
became 50 fond Of me that she would
willingly aid me TO get away provided
she should not suffer for negligence or
abctting me In my escape
PauPs plan was for me to effect n
change OF clothing with him, to pretend
Illness, be sent to the hospital and trust
to luck 10 get back into wOmun's nttire
and go out MS an unidentified prisoner
There seemed to be no way to carry
out the initiatOry part OF the plan until
l proposed to do my clothes up In n
bundle TINT could be put through the
window bars and let 1t down to Paul
up his clothes by the same means. |
could make cord by tearing certain
articles Of my clothing into strips.
We exchanged the clothing without
difficulty, and the next morning when
Maria came around she found me IN
mans dress. offered, If she would
help me, to send her thousand rubles
from home. This she declined, but
agreed to assist me because she pitied
and loved Inc, though she would be
obliged 10 leave the prison and Kara
as well as ! II she did 80. She went
away, leaving my cell unlocked,
agreeing to give her couple Of hours
TO get AWAY. At the end Of that time
l walked out into the corridor till
saw Jailer approaching, then fell on
the floor. Coming TO me, he picked me
up and, not knowing who was, but
thinking me to be III, sent me TO the
hospital, where was put 10 bed.
The nurses were men, and had no
opportunity to appropriate woman's
clothes. But at midnight got out OF
bed In my nightelOthes and went out
into the prison yard. There / was
picked up by an official and, being a
woman, was taken to the wOman's hos
pital, the man supposing mo to have
come from there. Before morning !
had stolen the uniform OF nurse and
In this disguise succeeded In making
my escape.
had appointed rendezvous with
Marin and took her with me 10 Berlin,
where I communicated with my In.
ther.
All this happened twenty years ago,
and Mnrla has been in my service ever
since
heard some time after my leaving
Knrn that Paul had made his escape
and had gone b. America. have
lived since leaving Russia In Germany.
I suppose should sacrifice myself
again FOR the cause. but the prospect
" TINT horrible prison life deters me.