Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-24
PASSED BY THE CENSOR

i a copy of the Courier of Political Exiles,"
the official paper of those sent to Siberia by
the Car. 1t is printed In Russian, but for
obvious reasons is published in the capital
city of Russia's ally, France The Courier
contains the first authentic account of the
death of Dszheparid2e, one of the 100 Social
Democratic members of the second Duma,
who were exiled to Siberia for afliXing their
signatures to the famous viborg manifesto
a Russian declaration of independence
Laying aside entirely the pathetic human
side of the story, the account of the last
hours of the Russian sounds strangely out of
harmony with the honeyed words of the Car,
addressed to his Dear Jews" and My Loyal
Poles" In part, the Courier says:
AT o'clock in the evening the train
approached a small station Yamskaya, where
we were to change trains. An out, shouted
the head of the convoy, opening the doors.
Ds2hepardze rose together with the others,
but Immediately fell to the ground, crying,
l cannot. | am all in. Tzeretoli and Macha-
radze picked him up and placed him on a
dirty rug nearby
How dare you sit down. you dog?'
shouted gendarme, whereupon his
rades picked him up and carried him out of
the car to the station platform. We had to
walt fully an hour for the arrival of the
train for Kursk. Surrounded by host of
sendarmes beneath the open sky, in the hor-
rible cold and but the scant prison clothes
on our backs, we waited in the snow. shiv-
ertng, hungry and trembling for our lives
lest one of the gendarmes take a fancy to
shoot us. Dszheparidze alone was permitted
to sit down the ground. Beside him
stood his wife with her 2-year- old child in
her arms After our arrival at the Kursk
deDOt OH tho
All of u.s. As men in ALL were locked up
in a cell 12 feet by S. All a.ong the floor Law
the victims of Russian barbarism Not only
was it impossible to pass from one end of
the cell to the other, but it was impossible
Tor one to stretch out on the floor In a half
hour the air in the room became intoerable
one of us took a chance and attempted to
open a little window, but the soldier on duty
ordered him back to the floor. In an hour
Dszheparidze began to snore heavily. We
pounded at the doors and demanded that
some of us be transferred to another cell. At
midnight the warden of the prison. Kalmi-
koff, entered and ordered that members of the
Imperial Duma he given room in another cell
nearby. That night Dszheparidze died with
out having received any medical attention"
JAMES O'DONNELL BENNETT was the
- most vitrolc dramatic critic in Chicago
where he sat in theatrical judgment for the
Record Herald. He feared by actors
and managers alike, yet when it was learned
that he had been captured by the Germans
in Belgium and was threatened with death
as spy, even his enemies in the profession
We're sorry. OF course, he was released
hence this story.
The other night two actors who had felt
the sting of Benefits pen stood in front of
the Garrick Theatre discussing the war One
referred to Benefits visit to the scene of
conflict
Wouldn't 1t be awful" exclaimed the other
with heartfelt worry IF he didn't like the
way they fought"
TNHE original manuscript Of Arnold Ben
L nett's The Regent" also known as The
Old Adam" is now in this country, the prop
erty of Edgar SeIwyn. the dramatist How
Selwyn smugged the manuscript out of Ben
nett's house at Thorpe-le- Soken, in Essex
England, is interesting tale Mrs Ben
nett is the feminine Cerberus who guards
original manuscripts with a zest and care
verging on the fanatic. No manuscript has
ever been known to leave her possession be-
fore. Bennett and Selwyn were discussing
things IN general when the former offered the
desired manuscript to the dramatist.
But how will l get it past your wife?"
queried the American.
Here it is; just put it under your coat
and walk out" responded the Briton.
But it's a bulky package and she'll see it."
IF she stops you give her this" replied
Bennett. And seizng pen he wrote on the
cover of the bundle: This manuscript be-
longs to Edgar Sewyn and is the property
Of no woman"
And that Is how the manuscript snug
gled out of the Bennett home.
TT WAS In the Pocono Mountains the last
l weekend A number Of legal lights, mem
hers Of the Lehigh County bar, including
Judge Frank NJ. Trexler, were holding a
friendly debate on the fine points of the
law. Two men of the Poconos passed by.
Are all those lawyers?" quered the first.
Most Of them are" replied the second,
and the others are Judges"
TIME present attempt on the part OF Russia
l. 70 stop alcoholism in the army is not the
first Of its kind by any means. Gear Alex
ander made every effort 10 stop the drinking
habits oF soldiers and especially OF officers.
Whenever case Of inehriety came under his
observation the punishment was swift and
severe one evening an officer of the impe-
rial guards had dlned neither wisely nor
we'll. and was showing decided symptoms Of
intoyication. Knowing the fate that would
await him If caught, he took droshky TO
drive 10 regimental quarters,
suddenly to his undisguised terror he saw
apDroa ching the carriage of the Emperor.
Motionlng the carriages to stop the car ex-
claimed angrily:
"NIafor. what are you doing here?"
Your Majesty" replied the still quick