Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-01

4 was about twenty years old when
the organizations which developed the
ate revolution began to exert an in
| nuence on Russian affairs. 1t is the
, young who are caught In such move
ments, and I was captivated especial
| ly by the secrecy assumed by the nihil-
lists. I applied for admission in q cir
Gle OF the brotherhood and was duly
received as a member.
The nihilists fulfilled the meaning OF
their name by assassinating those in
power who stood in the way of their
object. II person was TO be re-
moved the circle drew lots to decide
who should do the deed. / had scarce
ly Joined when it was decided to dis
patch the then minister of the interior,
who was leaving no stone unturned to
hunt out our members and send them
either to Siberia or the gallows. When
this move was decided upon and it was
announced that one of our number
was to be selected by lot to dispatch
the minister first fully realized that
1 had not got into a society of mys-
teries, but one Of death, and when !
me to become an assassin, in all prob
ability sacrificing my own life as well
as that of the man / was appointed to
kill, 1 saw that a choice of two meth
DDS of death was permitted me-either
to die doing my work or be hunted
down by an emissary of the society
and killed.
l managed to keep up a show of
resolution before my fellow members
OF the circle, appearing to accept the
duty that had fallen to my lot. / went
home conscious that I would be watch
ed from the moment left the meeting
to sec that made no attempt to shirk
my work. Once in my room began to
think what I should do.
All my nature revolted against COM
hitting what to me was murder. /
had Joined the society, as I have said.
not from desire to emancipate Rus
STA. but because I had been caught by
the mystery surrounding it. I resoly-
ed at once that / would choose death
rather at the hands Of my companions
than by being cut down as an assas-
sin. Hope is never extinct in youth,
and hoped to get out of Russia by
eluding those who were watching me-
If could do this might reach some
distant land-America or Australia-in
which, by changing my name and al
tering my appearance, might be dead
to the world.
To lay plans and take measures to
assassinate a government official of
high rank in Russia required time.
What decided upon was to pretend
to enter upon the preliminaries OF my
work as though my intention was to
carry it out. In this way I would at
tempt to disarm suspicion and have
father into my confidence. giving him
to understand that he was to divulge
the situation to, no-aae not even a
Of the family. He was, OF /
course, crushed by the news. but offer
ed me what needed-money to carry |
out my plan of fight and subsequent |
from the world.
He was of assistance to ne in an
other way / had a sister a year
younger than myself, who much re-
sembied me. My father secured a
passport for her to leave Russia on
he ground that he intended to send
Ter to Berlin to study music Our
plan was for me to pass the border
dressed in her clothes and under her
passport. i needed only to secure a
wig. which my father bought
or me. My beard was scant and of
% light a color that when closely
haved it was not noticeable. especial
Y under veil. Having purloined and
tut on my sisters clotheS-fortunately
he was Just my height-and bid my
ather an affectionate adieu. l sailed
orth in the middle of the afternoon
nd went by a roundabout route. do
ne some shopping by the way. to the
ai.way station, reaching it just In
me TO make a through train.
Knowing the watchfulness of the
lembers of the nihilist circle appoint
d to see that did not escape, ! fear
q every moment TO see some one Of
1em spying upon me. But my plan OF
ersonating my sister was an admira-
lie one. and / doubt not that though
" home was being watched when / ,
iade my exit the watcher was deceiv,
to think that it was she who was
ping out. l had no trouble in passing
lie border under my passport, but that
had chosen TO go through in the
ght gave me a great advantage. 1
'eathed freer when 1 found myself
Hing along on German soil, but real
ed that lifelong peril was in store
II me.
1 had no baggage with me. so on Il
aching Berlin | provided myself
18th some before going to n hotel. I a
'ught a portmanteau and filed it {
18th new clothes, telling the store J
'eper that they We're for my brother. II
ho was an invalid and could not 4
erefore come for them himself. Hav- is
g made my purchases. hired room | e
a hotel where l changed my up "
rel and walked out through .a>H le s
or without attracting any attenty b. "
iving my feminine garb in the room -
,ing straight TO "A railway stntion.
ok a train for Hamburg, whence I -
He'd for the United States. under the
me of Peter Mlctiaiowski. entering