Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-02-02
Some Of Its Inmates Grant
Interesting Interviews to
United Press
BY Joseph shaplen
lUnited Pre., s.sff correspondentl

Petrograd, Jan. 81 - (Delayed)-
Grim Peter and Paul fortress, mystery
prison of the old departed days OF
czarism, today is alleged "the best
hotel in Petrograd.N
Some of its inmates themselves told
tho United Press staff correspondent
this in interviews which the Bolshe.
wiki government permitted three Swed-
ish sts-Messrs Grimlund Mes.
sen and Hoegland--and myself to have
in their prison cells today.
Cars Particular Prison
The Fortress of SITS. Peter and Paul
was the czar' s own particular prison
spot. Only the most important polite
al prisoners entered there. Few emer-
ged. The place was shrouded in mys-
terry.
But the Bolsheviki governments s po.
litical prisoners-sixty in all-find the
prison well lighted by electricity, tho
cells large and kept serupulously clean
with plenty Of windows and air. Not
only that, but the prisoners of the new
regime ore given many liberties. They
rise and retire as they please. They
wear their own clothes, are permitted
to receive visitors and allowed to send
letters and books without censorship
restrictions.
Old General is There
General Sukhomlinoff, former min.
lister of war under the ear, was the
first of the prisoners to whom our. par
ty was introduced. 1t was Sukhomlin-
off who was called not long ago one of
the men who caused the world war, He
was sentenced under the regime Of Ke-
rensky for treachery, having already
passed three years behind the bars at
Saints Peter and Paul.
Paul Sukhomlinoff is very small
man with gray hair and moustache.
We found him we'll preserved despite
his imprisonment and his age-75.
I" How do you find conditions in Pc
ter and Paul under the present re-.
|gimeS'' he was asked.
"Better than under the czar," he
replied instantly cit is as good as a
man like myself, who has spent so
years in the saddle, could expect.
"Conditions here were worse while
Kerensky was in power. Then we were
unable to receive letters from our
friends. Now / see my wife daily. l
have papers and books. Formerly l
contributed $50 books to the prison Ii
brarv; now ! am here using those same
books"
Food is Excellent
The former minister declared the
food served him was satisfactory. He
exhibited bread which was really bet
ter than that served to the general
public. Besides good meats, he ex-
planned he and other prisoners got tea
three times daily and were permitted
to smoke and choose their own work.
GAS a politician, / am a conserva'
tive royalist,'' he added, "but per-
sonally i thank the day when the Boil
sheviki came into power. ] am the
goat of others, of the entire system OF
czarism. Despite my monarchial con-
victions, / do not think czarism has a
chance of being revived. "
Then, after pensive moment, he
continued:
An Old Mans Opinion
"The entire world is perishing. Man
kind and culture are being destroyed.
Where will salvation come from.
One Of my co-yisitors interjected:
"Why not try socialism,"
"Perhaps. " Sukhomlinoff answered
"I do not know l am un.
able to follow the world situation in
PRISON.
Despite his crimes, the spectacle of
rcpentant was one to
create sympathy. The former minister
offered us cigarettes and then return
ed to his work table. He hestated
moment and then volunteered, with a
faint smile.
az am now also of the proletariat.
Nv entire property has been confis'
,ated'
We bade the general good bye.
Another Monarchist Visited
The cell of Sehenur, another of the
accused with A;ukhomlin-
,ff was next visited. He was excited
md downhearted, apprehensive over
The ordeal of his trial which is due
very soon. While in the cell a soldier
yuard brought US an invitation to Wis
t NJ Kolikoff, who is suspected of
,aving engineered the murder Of
Kokhskin and Shingareff. two former
Kerensky ministers shot down a fort
right ago We found KolikOff a man
# gigantic size with deep set, pierre
na eyes.
Absolutely illiterate he gave the i'm
preston Of n strong healthy animal.
Other Interesting Prisoners
"T called Won t0 say that am in
loeent. - he explained. As we stood in
he corridor we met the Mensheviki
'minamalist leader) Voisinski out TAX
ing bis constitutional. He passed US
proudly by. refusing to talk. As we
vent on down the corridor we met
Avskentieff. former provisional gov
srnment leader IF the social revolution
ary party. He shook hands eheerfully
and talked in German. As he left he
.alled back:
Adieu until ] meet you at the in
socialist congress.
Next We entered the cell Of Former
Foreign Minister Tereschenko which
shared with the former
provisional minister Of finance. Bar
nadtsky. We found Kerensky's former