The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-26
DRAMATIC ESCAPE OF GIRL
FROM RUSSIAN FIRING SQUAD
Miss Sonia Massel Russian Revoutionst, Rescued III
Meodramatic Style From Death For Plotting Against
The Czar-Reads Like Movie Thriller

An. those DAY ana nights. 1IiCS
are horrible Nightmares. We wonder
ed and wondered the day of our
doom as Russia keeps its prey IN
ignorance OF the time Of death. we
knew, though that We were 10 be
taken to the outskirts OF the Gitv
and that there in the forests the sol
diers would shoot us. That was the
custom. but ii was always done III
the daytime.
Miss Massel says that just before
| dayhreak one morning she was pulled
| from ner wooden pallet and told that
! she would die before the sun would
! rise.
''No, I was not glad to die" she ex-
| planned i had done nothing yet to
free Russia. My influence would be
nil after my death. | had to live to
accomplish nay purpose. do not know
that l said to myself anything about
being glad to give my life for the
cause l held dear. l do know that
| regretted that | was not to see the
dawn of new era in Russia, which
] was sure would eventually come
With her companions she was bun
died into prison van. She recalls
that the commandment wished her {.
pleasant journey She was greatly
| surprised to see that there were but
seven konSorts and al under officer
in charge Of the party, and that they
accompanied the prisoners. Usually
the konSortS hand the prisoners over
at the prison CRATES. But one man
would have been enough to guard the
helpless prisoners. as their fetters
were still OH. They would die that
way.
1T was still dark She resumed
with a touch Of sorrow in her voice
when we We're taken out of the val
at the edge of the forest. There Wer,
the soldiers in Waiting-forty of them
| / thought how horrible it was to hav'
to die in the dark--but even in tn
darkness the shining gun barrel
could be seen. making the picture al
i the more cruel. A yOuno man, whom
1 recognized as the secretary Of tn
Minister Of Police, stepped forward t
} the under officer. They Saluted. TIL
= secretary said something. Then
e saw the soldiers raise their gun
. and"
: Here Miss MasselI was so overcon
that for some moments she was III
- able to proceed.
20 "Ah, never will I forget tn
~ spectacle that presented itself to m
II when 1 opened my eyes, she sad
7 added. about me were forms Q
the ground. I could not understan
T how 1 had escaped. Then 1 felt a
G arm about my waist. Some or
" shouted in my ears: Hurry: cal
r yourself; you are saved l opened n
m eyes again. 1t was the leader Of IL
w. revolutionists. He had removed h
10 disguise as the secretary of the Mil
u lister of Police. 1 looked again.
le the ground were all the konsort
ly The soldiers were revOlutionistS di
We suised in the uniforms Of the Czal
n army"
Miss Massell says that while the
as letters were being removed in tt
re carts in which they We're being driv'
9Th alOns the plot was unfolded
us them.
nd THE Russian gendarmes give t
ng revolutionists credit for far mo
L. knowledge about the secrets of t
M government than they really posses:
ed, she explained. 80 on the night /
es- fore our liberation the revolutiona
Der leader called up the citadel on t
ed. phone and simulated the voice of t
pc Minister of Police. He told the col
q mandment the revolutionists had
I'M. come acquainted with the hour a
nd place Of the execution and he fear
rm an uprising. He instructed the co
ers lnandant to send the prisoners to
ry forest before daybreak under a SIN
18th escort where his secretary would m
by them with forty soldiers. The co
as mandant was not all suspicious
my cause he knew the revolutionists h
ed, attempted to rescue other prison
on execution day
she The party separted Miss Mas
For says, and she has been informed t
be- two of the number were afterwa
captured and shot. What became
:. l the others she never learned.
TRY travelled I'm carts from town to to,
)m- In the small towns the station m
aW. ter is the police force and he Ike
was track Of all visitors, so she did
orts dare to &C by rail. She always tr
bic. eled by daylight. outwardly show
ON great courage, but inwardly trembl
1 if for her safety
Had at any time BETRAYED
lsti- slightest dheasiness 7 would h
was been suspected" she eyDlai1
We consequently it was necessary to
be on what You Americans call a /
iers front"
cam The revolutionists helped her.