The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-26
RUSSIAN EXILE
RELATES TALE
ABOUT SIBERIA
Alex. LOchwitzky Tells of
Punishment and Horrors
of Life in Wasteland of
Country.


Nights can be found a parallel to the
thrilling life story narrated by Alex
NJ. LOchwitzky before an unusually
large audience at the chautauqua last
night. Before being exiled to Siberia,
Mr.. LOchwitzky was a Count, a lieu
tenant colonel in the Russian war de-
partment and son of one of the most
prominent bureaucrats in the country.
He spoke for more than two hours
but held his audience up to pitch Of
breathless interest while he caused
to play before them the kaleidoscope
of his life. What do you think of a
country" he said, that sends each
year 100000 of it's citizens into exile?
These condemned to living death
may be any member of a family.
According to Russian standards,
had good education.
Fights Two DueIs.
owing to my rising social ambi-
l was severely reprimanded by my
father. Because he was afraid
might ruin my career by too much So
ciety, he had me transferred to the
war office, where was given charge
OF a department, the business of which
was to ferret out grafters. In Russia
private soldier gets forty-three cents
4 month.
During one of the six years of my
married life l was granted leave of
absence for sixty days, which l spent
on one of my estates. 1t was during
this time that l came in touch for the
first time with the Russian peasant.
Also at this time, l became acquainted
with q girl from Geneva University
and through her, met for the first time
i ~,N1~ h
these, we organized little social club
which advocated free press, free
speech and the establishment of free
schools.
Find Friends Letter.
Shortly afterwards, l was in my
residence at st. Petersburg when one
night a group Of gendarmes came to
my residence. They searched my
house, tore up my pillow cases, tore
up my fine Oriental carpets and even
took the upholstering off my chairs,
hunting for letters that would convict
me of being Socialist. Toward
morning, they found letter which
was signed by one initial. 1t was from
my friend, the young woman of Gene
va University. The gendarmes took it
as a suspicious document and on the
strength of it put me into the fortress
OF st. Peter and Paul.
MY cell was sound proof.
after several months, l was taken
in a closed carriage to the chief of the
Russian secret police. Two officials
sat in the carriage with me holding
all the time.
Held in Prison.
"1n this solitary confinement l was
kept sixteen months. During fourteen
months of the time, ! didn't see a hui
man face and l was not permitted to
sing or talk. At the end of that time,
the present crazy Car sent me to ST.
IBERIA for sixteen years, four years of
which was to spend in hard labor.
My estate was confiscated, my wife
was legally declared widow and my
children orphans. My ankles were
chained and was sent to Siberia on
q prisoner ship that contained 994
crimina S, but because | was suspect
ed of Socialism, | was kept apart from
the rest.
Il was taken to the prison and put
into a room with three hundred MUIR
derers. A Siberian prisoner once a
year is given the privilege of talk
with the governor. When l couldn't
endure being there with all those MUIR
uCItIb, lily II6ul VI SCClH 8
the governor. Unfortunately, the gov
ernor was on his vacation but l was
permitted to see the vice-governor.
He took a notion to me and while he
could not help me in any other way,
he gave me revolver and a box of
cartridges with which, if the worst
came to the worst l could blow my
brains out
Escapes to u. S.
when my four years Of hard labor
were up, l CHANGED to run across an
English professor on a tour of eXplo-
ration. He took me along with him
and gave me a letter of Introduction
TO firm Of coal dealers in Vladivos-
stock. There l obtained position.
One night l managed to get aboard a
Japanese steamer and for 500 got
away to Japan. Later on, I went to
Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, l later
came TO San Francisco and now,
thank God, l am an American citizen.
But that crazy little Gar who
rules the Russian people seems deter
mined that even here | shall! not es-
rape his wrath. In San Francisco
was shot at. Three times l have been
poisoned. But am not afraid of him
am going all over the country telling
my story that the people Of the United
States may know what are the condi.
IL .l H. H~I<