Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-02
Grim Russian Prison
CdpitdL's Best Hotter


Z called not long ago one of the men who
Z caused the world war Pc was sentenced
under. the regime of Kercnsky for treach-
cry. having already passed three years
behind the bars at st, Peter and St
! Paul.
Sukhomllnon Is "A very tall man. with
/ gray hair and mustachc. We found iin
we'll preserved. despite his Imprisonment
I and his age--sevcnty-tivc.
How do you find conditions IN Peter
ard Paul under tn, present regime ~
he was asked,
Better than under the tzar." he re-
nlied instantly ~ Is as good as a man
like myself. who has spent fifty years in
the saddle. could expect
Conditions here were the worst while
Kerensky was in power. Then we were
unable TO receive letters from our
friends. Now I see my wife daily.
have papers and hooks Formerly
contributed $50 books to the prison
library; now | am here using those
same books"
The former Minister declared the food
served him was satisfactory. lie cN-
hibited bread which was really better
than that served 20 the general public.
Besides good meals, he explained. he
and other prisoners got tea three times
daily and We're permitted to smoke aud
choose their own work.
SEES no HOPE FOR CZARIsM
AS a politician l am a conservative
royalist." he added. but personally !
thank the dry when the Bolshevili came
into power ! am the goat of others of
the entire system of Czarism Despite
my monarchist convictions I do not be-
lieve Czarism has a chance Of being re-
viVed."
Then after pcnsirc moment he con.
tmued:
'rhe entire world is pcrishing Man
kind and culture are being DESTROYED.
Where viii salvation come FROM"
one of the visitors iuterjccted:
Why not try socialism"
Perhaps" Sukomlinoff answered
laughngly. Il do not know. | am nm
able to follow the world situation in
prison"
The spectacle of Suihomlinoff repent
art was one to create sympathy, Tho
former minister offered us cigarettes
and then returned to his work table lie
hesitated moment and then volun-
teered, with faint smile:
u am now also of the proletariat. NV
entire property has been connscated."
DOWNHEATTED MONARCHIST
The COL of Schenur, another of the
monarchists accused with Sukhomllnoff,
was next visited. lie was excited and
downhearted, apprehensivc over the or
deal of his trial. which is due very
soon. While in the cell soldier guard
brought us an invitation to visit NJ
kolikoff, who is suspected of having
engineered the murder OF Kokhshlin and
Shingareff. two former Kerensliy min
listers shot down fortnight ago.
We found kolikon a man of gigantic
size with deep-set piercing eyes. Abso-
lutcly ill.terate, he gave the impress
sion of Il strong. healthy animal
II called YOU to say that ] am inno-
cent" he explained. AS we stood in the
corridor We met the Menshevik Mimi
malisD Leader Voisinsld out taking his
constitutional. lie passed us proudly
by refusing to talk
AS we went on down the corridor
We met Ayskentieif. former provisional
Government leader OF the Social Revo-
lutionaries lie shook hands cheerfully
ad talked in German. As he left he
called back
"Adieu until meet you at the inter-
national Socialist congress"
TRoTSKY'S IDEAS SCOENED
Next we entered the cell of former
Foreign Minter Tercschenko. which Ter
cschenko shared with the former pro-
vsonal Minister of Finance Bernadtsky
We found Kerensky's former foreign
minister a tall, polished man. with
statesmanlike attitude and proud, clear
eyes. He Immediately launched into n
political discussion. IIc had Just read
Trotsky's second speech to the Russian
Pan-Soviet. in which the Bolshevik for
cign minister revealed the possibility of
separate peace Tereschenlio violently
t,iy -. ,.t. i,t
His policy Is absolutely against Rus
sian interests" he declared. 1T is illog-
lcal and impractical A separate peace
would be misfortune for Russia and
for the entire world. tried my hardest
to prevent this"
Both Tereschenko and Bernadtsky
were very pessimistic over the future OF
Russia
In the next cell we found NJ purish-
Sevitch. noted anti-Semitc leader.
aud reputed to be the actual slayer of
the Mad Monk. Hasputin. He was a
small, well set up man, with piercing
eyes and apparently was about thirty
years of age.
He greeted us in the corridor and
cheerfully invited us inside his cell
to discuss eagerly the political stu-
alton.
which do you consider the most Inn
portant cause of the revolution? the
correspondent asked,
PUTS BLAME on RASPUTIN
II will put it in one word-Raspu.
tin" he replied. "'rhe complete over
throw of the old regime was necessary.
The Car was surrounded by women and
children and madmen.
II was the first openly to attack
Easputin in the Duma for corruption
under the old regime. But, alas. my
criticism and my warnings came too
late"
Purishkevitch was likewise very pes
simistic over the peace situation.
Peace with Germany now will mean
the betrayal of Russia" he declared,
ut will mean a new war five or ten
years hence. The Slavs and the Ger
mans cannot rule side by side One or
the other must yield"
He expressed his personal respect"
for the German Kaiser, remarklng. "rhe
man is devil but he's man in COM
parlson with Car Nicholas"
Russia" he concluded mournfully,
'fs being split and ruined. our power
is lost"
lie laughed bitterly as we left.
Darkness had come over St Peter
and st. Paul as we stepped out into the
dim prison church, where a lonely sister
knelt over the marble graves Of former
Cars. Her prayers for their souls
went up from the prison they built TO
perpetuate their power--the prison now.
by strange caprice of fate, occupied
mostly by those who fought the Gar in
the name of the people but who are
now themselves called the enemies OF
the people,
DENIES QUARREL ON BRIDGE