The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-12-08
An In1pfovised
Weapon
By EVERETT P. Clarke


at the medical school at Moscow when
the revolution came from which Rus
STA suffered so much and gained so lit.
tie. was heart and soul for the cause
of freedom and became active IN try
ing to force the government to grant
the people constitution.
1t was not long. before l was arrest
ed and sent to Siberia. Shall ! ever
forget that long, dreary march?
And yet this long march to me was
preferable to work in the mines at
Kara, for in the former case we were
In the open. while in the latter we
were in the bowels of the earth. For
five years toiled with the others:
then a change came.
Our condition was so miserable that
many of US were constantly Ill, but
there was a period when our food was
so bad and our quarters so poorly kept
that an epidemic of disease broke out
among us. Unfortunately for the gen
eral good, but fortunately for me, sew
eral of the physicians on duty at the
station were taken i'll. My name was
down on the prison register as q ply
sician, and one day L was conducted to
the office of the governor. who. after a
few questions as to my fitness, direct
ed me to go to work among the sick.
Naturally while on this duty / medi-
tated upon whatever chance for escape
there might be in 1t. l was young, and
my strength had not been especially
impaired. l therefore considered plans
which would require me to fight rather
than to resort to subterfuge. But had
no weapon, and | knew that every
precaution would be taken to prevent
my obtaining one. However. having
access to the medical store, ! was able
to appropriate an arm that not every
one would have thought of as such.
This was syringe.
So much for a weapon. must next
lay my plan. But this l found impos
sible at least could not carry out
any specially arranged pan. ] could
only take advantage of any happening
that gave promise of success. My OPP
portunity came one night when all but
those who. were on duty as keepers
were in bed. | was called upon t.
visit a prisoner who required my ut
tention. To get what medical nipple
ments | needed for him entered the
supply room and. among other things
took a syringe and q quart bottle of
aqua FORTS. Fortunately | found 2
spatula. which appropriated also.
Having done my duty by the patient
left him. ostensibly to go to my room
for so long as | was on duty as physi
clan | was permitted to occupy a room
in the surgeons quarters. But instead
of going there | walked out of the
building and made straight for the
inner gateway. There stood sentry
who blocked my egress. l had filed my
syringe with the deadly liquid and, sud
denly drawing it, gave him n charge in
both eyes. AS had expected, he sent
forth a cry that would arouse the
guard, but before they could respond !
was at the outer gate, a quarter of a
mile away
Here the guard, having heard the
signals and coming on the run, lev
eled his piece at me and called on me
in stentorian tones to halt. l knock
| ed his musket aside, and before he
could recover his aim l had put an
ounce of aqua forts in his eyes.
Had either of these sentries been
pierced by bullet he might possibly
have been instrumental in my capture.
But, besides the excruciating pain they
suffered. they were blinded Indeed, sc
intent were they on themselves that ii
| Is quite likely some time elapsed before
those who Joined them could learn
from them what had happened. Al
any rate. l was wen out on fields OF
snow before l heard any one coming
in pursuit.
There seemed to be but one chance
for, me. That was to leave the road
penetrate the forest which lined it and
! hide In the snow till the search for me
should be given up. So long as / KEEP
the road ! would leave no visible
tracks, for the snow had been beaten
hard. but there was danger when
struck the loose snow. ran like the
wind. taking my chances on STUN
bling. till l heard shouts behind me
then. choosing point where the road
was much higher than the ground be
side it, l ran swiftly to the embank
ment. jumped as far as l could anC
landed in a snowdrift.
Scattering the snow about me, dart
ed to the forest, few hundred yard
away. There l hid in a drift till til,
following night. when. not hearing an.
further sounds of those in pursuit.
continued my way westward. guided
by the north star. which ] kept Owe
my right shoulder.
had no provisions. Indeed, the onl,
article had provided myself with. be
sides my gun and ammunition. was {
box of matches. Being attacked by {
single wolf. / gave him a charge o
aqua FORTS In the eyes and Drained
him with a billet of wood. ther
skinned him with my spatula and Gu
from him sufficient meat to keep nj
alive for some time. Though his ski
was untanned, 1t served TO keep m,
from freezing to death on several oc
casions during my. journey for free
dom. was obliged to travel alon:
the southern shore Of, Kara bay. On,
day. coming to a rowboat. appropri
ated it and pulled till saw a shil
near enough for me to attract the at
tention of its crew. They took nj
aboard and carried me TO Sweden.
am now a practicing physician Ii
the United States.