Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-04-03
100000 EXILES
OF RUSSIA FREE
Return of Vast Number Of Prisoners
From Mines Of Siberia Prescats
Pathetic Spectacle.
HAGGARD, SHAGGY AND RAGGED
Jnkempt and Poorly Clad Sufferers
Are Hurry Back TO Civilization
to Start Life Anew.

~ --+~A-e AffAA -Assh- re
Tyumen, Siberia. March 81. Cyia
Petr0grad and London April 8. 3 s.
q m.1-Fi1ty thousand sIedges. car
ryiug victims Of the old regime back
10 freedom IL the new Russia from the
mines and convict settlements of 81
oer1a, are speeding in an endless chain
across the SHOWS of north asia toward
the nearest points on the trans-Sibe-
rlan railway Their passengers range
from members Of the old terrorist So
cieries to e8iles who were bauished by
administrative decree without trial or
even known ofIense
II is q race against time as the
string thaw Is imminent and the roads.
even in the coolest settlements Of the
lover lena. viii soon be impossible
fEj4es who do not reach the railroad
U5t4in q fortnight must wait six weeks
or Two months until the ice ueIts and
river navigation begins.
In order towitness this unprecedented
migration a correspond of the As
sociated Press came here in company
with a member Of the duma N. R0sen-
off. and two members Of the former
council of empire, The three officials
We're sent by the provisional gov
eminent 20 explain to the natives ira
these remote Russian outposts the nal
ture of the great change which has
come to the country. Their mission
carried them 10 some scores of thou
sands of heather Asiatic tribesmen and
they are especially directed 20 instruct
voters in regard 10 the coming con-
stitueut assembly which win decide
Jle form of Russia's new government.
Liberation Barely Begun.
The liberation of Siberia's prisoners
has barely begun. West Of the Trails
the Associated Press correspo udenr
only encountered a haudEuI Of eEiles
who. when the revolution began. were
at or near the railroad. The first large
party was encountered when the Sibe-
rIan express reached Ekaterinburg in .
the UraIs. It consisted Of I50 political /
convicJs and administrative eEiles, iu-f
Guiding 20 members or the Jewish rev
band, mostly from the Ferk- +.
lulensEa district west OF Lake 8aika{. +
The aEiles were travelling IN special /
ears and had been on the read con +
tiuuouSly from March ii, five days aft
er they first heard OF the revolution. /
Crippled. Ragged and Shaggy
The cars were met by q vast crowd /.
al the railroad station which chee~ea .
them unanimously. The returning
eziIes returned the cheers but they
were in p deplorabIe physical Condi-
ton. shaggy uncouth, unWaSaeG and
extremely emaciated MANY were
crippled with rheumatism, TWO had
lost hands and feet from frost bites
and one. who attempted fight q weak
before the revolution, had been shot in
the leg when he was recapture6. He
was lying IN q prison hospital when
he learned that he was a free man.
Are Strangely Clad.
The exiIes had started west so hur-
riedly that they arrived III an extra
ordinary variety of inconsracus gar5-
Some wore new costumes which had
been supplied by svmpathtzers aIong
their route and some had handsome
far overeoats covering their hideous
Jail uniforms. Among those VINO wore
this latter costume was q young mil
5onaire aristocrat from odessa. W6o
lad been sentenced TO life 10 years
ago for f0DeutinE revolutionary
uutiny in the Black sea feet. Others
IF the party wore shaggy sheep and
WOODEN skins as q protection against
he bitter Siberian blasts. one man
rom the Irkutsk city jail wore the
gold braided uniform tunIc Of the dis
missed governor 0G Irkutsk under a
jagged and greasy OverCoat.
All start to Freedom,
As soon as the news Of the revo-
utfou spread through Siberia those eE-
les who had the means started for the
1earest railway. travelling day and
light in the arctic cold on peasant
;ledge5 or government post sleighs.
an enormous number OF sledges from
7ideIy scattered settlements conFerged
N Irkutsk and so C0ugested the trails
hat the movement was held up some
ines for hours. Five days after the
triumph Of the revolution 5000 eElIes
entered Irkutsk but the vast majority
we're unable 10 proceed west owing to
he lack Of rolling stock These en-
.amped about the town and along the
abroad and ST least monta VIII be
.aeded before they can be sent home.
100000 Freed.
The president Of the exile reception
committee in Ekaterinburg gave the
q general picture Of the
resent conditions and prospects of the
zf}es. He said that there were prob
b,v Altogether 100 GOO persons IN 81
.eria who had been released under the
4nesty measure Of the provisional
This number comprises
Optical offenders. including terrorist6
01victad after trial, persons suspected
6 furrhering revolutionary p~Opa-
.anda and exIIed without trial by or
er of the secret service. gendarmerje
Il me minister of the interior, finally
ONE tens of thousands Of peasants
Killed without trial by DEGREES of the
iUage communal councils. Many Of
ne latter viii remain in Siberia vol
ntarily. where conditions Of life and
-ork. are excellent under the reform
0vernmeut.