The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-03

bringing LlDeIdIeu OoA-
victs to Enjoy New Free
dom Brought BY Over
throw of Government.
Cruelty Treated, They Tell
Horrible Stories of Life In
Prison Camps-One Gov
ernor Gives Charges
Farewell Flogging."
Tyumene, Siberia, March 81, via Pet
rograd,i April s-F1fty thousand
sledges, carrying victims of the old
regime back to freedom in the new
Russia from the mines and convict
settlements OF Siberia are speeding In
endless procession across the SHOWS of
northern Asia toward the nearest
points on the Transsi0berian railroad.
Their occupants range from members
of the old terrorists to socialists who
were banished by administrative de-
cree without trial or even known OF
Tense.
1t is a race against time, as the
spring thaw is imminent and the roads
even in the coolest settlements of the
Lower Lena will soon he impa ssable
Exiles who do not reach the railroad
within fortnight must&wait six weeks
or two months until the ice melts and
river navigation begins.
In order to witness this unprece-
denied migration a correspondent OF
the Associated Press came here In
company with member Of the duma,
NJ Rosenoff, and two members of the
former council of empire. The three
officials were sent by the provisional
government to explain to the natives
in these remote regions the nature of
the great char sc that has come to the
country. Their mission carries them
to some scores of thousands OF heather
Asiatic tribesmen, and they are es-
pecially directed to instruct voters in
regard to the coming assembly which
will decide the form of Russia's new
government.
The liberation of Siberia's prisoners
has barely begun. West of the Trials
the Associated Press correspondent
encountered only a handful Of exiles
who, when the revolution began, were
at or near the railroad. The first large
party was encountered when the ST.
berian express reached Ekaterinburg,
in the NUrals. 1t consisted Of $50 po3it-
ical convicts and administrative ex-
lies, including 20 members of the Jew
ish revolutionary band, mostly from
the Veryholensk district west Of Lake
Raikal. The exiles were travelling in
special cars and had been on the road
~ n H.
after they first heard of the revolu-
ton.
The cars were met by vast crowd
at the railroad station, which cheered
them tumltuously. The returning ex-
lies returned the cheers but they were
in "a deploraple physical condition
shaggy. uncouth, unwashed and ex-
tremely emaciated. Many were Grip
pied with rheumatism, two had lost
hands and feet from frost bites, and
one, who attempted flight a week be-
fore the revolution, had been shot in
| the leg when he was recaptured. He
was lying in a prison hospital when he
learned that he was a free man.
| The exileS had started west so hur-
riedly that they arrived in an extra
ordinary variety of incongruous garb
Some wore new costumes supplied by
sympathizers along their route, and
some had handsome fur overcoats
covering their hideous Jail uniforms
| Among those who wore this latter cos
tune was a young millionaire aristo-
crat from Odessa who was sentenced
for life 10 years ago for fomentine
| a revolutionary mutiny in the Black
Sea fleet. Others of the party wore
shaggy sheep and wolf skins ais a pro.
lection against the bitter Siberian
blasts. One man from the Irkutsh
city Jail wore the gold braided tunie
Of the dismissed governor of Irkutsh
under ragged and greasy overcoat
J All Ekaterinburg gathered to dc
honor to the exiles. A reception and
! dinner was hastily improvised, at
which a speech was delivered by So.
phia Vasneff, who spent seven years
In Siberna penal villages for posses.
sing revolutionary literature
AS soon as the news Of the revoIu.
tion spread through Siberia those ex.
lies that had the means started fol
the nearest railroad, travelling day an1
night In the Arctic cold on peasant
sledges or government post sleighs
/ An enormous number Of sledges from
Wldely scattered settlements converg
~ oa IL hulSh ana so cOngeSted the
4 trails that the movement was held ur
sometimes for hours Five DAYS aftel
the triumph of the revolution 5000
ex1les entered Irkutsk, but the vas
majority were unable to proceed west
ward because of the lack of rollins
stock. These camped about the towr
and along the railroad and it will b.
at least a month Before they can bt
sent home.
| The president Of the exile receptfor
committee in Eketerinburg gave tn,
correspondent a general picture O
the present conditions and prospects
| OF the exiles. He said there Wer,
probably 100000 persons in Siebris
who had been released under the am
nesty measure OF the provisional gov
eminent. This number compriset
offenders, including terrorists con
| v1cted after trial, persons suspected
of furthering revolutionary propagan
da and exiled without trial by orde
of. the secret police, gendhrmerie OF
the minister OF the interior; and final
| ly, some tens of thousands of peas
ants exiled without trial by DEGREES O
| the village communal councils. Man,
of the last will remain in Siberia vol
UNFAIRLY, where conditions Of life ant
work are excellent under the reform
| government.