The Detroit times., 1914-04-15
EXILE TELLS
OF ASSISTING
| NOTED WOMAN
SAYS He Aided Nine. BreshkOv-
skaya, woman Russia Fears"
to Escape {.
FLIGHT FROM SIBERIA
NEARLY SUCCESSFUL
Man Himself Reached New York
by Going Through Man
churia 10 Yokohama

NEW YORK, April 49, Word came
! four months ago from the bleak yil.
lage OF Kirensk in Siberia, MP under
the Arctic Circle, that Nine Catherine
Breshkoyskya, the little grandmoin.
er OF the Russian reyoluuonists had
made a second unsuccessful attempt
10 escape from the perpetual exile
, 10 which she was sentenced u March.
I 1910. She enjoyed a brief freedom o.
four days and was then oyertaken by
the police and returned 70 The penal
settlement
Some days ago little Russian, ner-
vous, furtive, aud intensely alert, sat
In the front parlor OF house on
West Broadway and told group OF
newspaper men how he had tried 10
aid Nine. Breshlovskya ia her ILL
fated Attempt To elude the vigilance
OF the Siberian police.
The little Russians name is Michael
SmArnoff He says he is forty-tnree
Vi ears old and watching one narrowly
land noting interrogatiyely raised brow
he adds:
YES, know I look little older
than that, only remember that | have
been in Siberia was eIiled there
for hfe-and escaped.
And then he lights fresh cigarette
with a hand that trembles slightly
and he remains silent for time
While he gives one time 10 weigh the
Hesaaning OF VIM ile has 5ust told.
= Sma9otf was born In Simferopoh
which he explains is in the southern
part of Russia near Odessa. He grad
uated from a technical school there
and for five years was employed in
/ the construction department OF a rail
road.
His father was a business man in
Simferopol Smirnoff gave up engi-
neering after FIVE years and went TO
Switzerland. TO Zurich and Berne,
where he studied at the University.
Many Russian youths go to Berne
TO study and while there TO join the
Letuchi Boyevoi Etryade which may
be freely Translated as the fy rs
fighting division He acquired a great
deal of revolutionary" or sediuous
literature in Switzerland and carried
IL back to Russia with him.
In December, 1908, he was arrested
on the German Russian frontier lie
was in prison ten months and as soon
as he was liberated went back TO
Switzerland, collected more 'litera-
ture" and returned with 1t to his ma
tive land
The second time he was taken into
custody by the soldiers OF the Gar
was in Odessa. That was in 1907 lie
does not know the date. He knows IL
was December and that the day was
one OF sanguinary riots He recalls
that in a clash between the citizens
and the soldiers he saw. his father
slashed To death lie is not sure what
happened after that, except that an
hour later he found himself in custody
with seventy others.
He ianguished in prison FOR year
was tried, for what he does not know,
and for the same good and all sufti-
cient reason was sentenced TO four
years at hard labor in the military
prison in Khersoh.
In Khersoff, he SAYS. the prison
guards woke the prisoners at 6 clock
in the morning, marched them into a
long corridor, where basins OF water
were provided with which they were
supposed to perform the morning Of
fee OF washing their faces.
A man is apt TO be a little feverish
when he is aroused from the ittul
lslumber permitted by the meagre pro-
portions and other things OF Russian
military prison cell" says Smirnoff
"As the cherries and disheartening
daylight filters in through the barred
windows man with "A throbbing
brain may be pardoned IL perhaps he
becomes enthusiastic over the pros
pect OF dashing a little clean cold
water over his beating temples.
The first time / tried that I natu-
rally spilled some water On the floor.
lSplashing is one OF the joys OF wash
ing. you know; but IL you ever find
yourself in Khersoff prison don't
splash when you wash. II you do q
big guard will come up 20 you as he
did TO me and strike you across the