Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-08

soldiers following the overthrow OF
the Car. 1t wa. to shan the men
into action that the battalion was
formed, but it was only partially
successful and only for a time. At
last the soldiers forced the women to
disband and Botchkareva retur. ed
to her home. She was by and by
= summoned to Petrograd by army Of
.ficers who were dissatisfied with
the way the government was Icing
: run and dispatched on a secret mis-
sion to General Kornilov. which she
successfully undertakes. On her re-
turn she is captured by Bolshevists
and held as an officer Of the old
remige.
"a AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
DETRUHKIN gave me forty rubles
= for expenses, as ] was penniless. |
thanked him and asked him to write
? q letter to my people, telling them
Of my whereabouts. We then took
leave of one another. Petruhkin and
Peter exchanged kisses with me. and l
again and again reiterated how much
& / owed to them, swearing that in any
: future emergency, whatever happened
I would always be ready to do every
7 thing within my power for them. We
all realized that many changes were
/, still in store for Russia. till she
4 settled down in peaceful pursuits.
Accompanied by my friends and sur
rounded by four armed guards, my
convoy, was led to an empty rail
way coach. attached to an engine. On
this train. consisting OF cattle.cars ana
my coach l was taken to Nikitino.
There I was brought before the com
; mandant with a request to provide
accommodations for the party on a
regular train. 1t was the same COM
mandant who had helped me so gen.
erously to get to Zverevo on the mu-
milton train. OF course, he did not
recognize the Sister of Mercy in
7 Botchkareva.
On the platform had another strik
ing encounter. The word that Botch
kareva had been seized and was being
taken to Moscow had gone around the
q station, and a number of Red Guards
3 and soldiers gathered abou- me, show
ering insults, curses and threats
!, Among these, in the foremost rank
s was that ugly creature of man who
had been in charge of the train OF
which / rode to Zverevo and who hao
proposed marriage to me!
~, The beast did not recognize me now
q He scoffed straight into my face, re-
peated my name syllable by syllable
z taking a peculiar joy in distorting il
! and railing generally at my appearance
ana reputation.
"The slut We have got her, the
81 harlot!" he raved. only l can't un'
!. derstand why they didn't shoot hel
: there Why bother with such one!'
could not help laughing. / laughed
long, without restraint. 1t was Sc
4 amusing. I almost had a desire tC
disclose to him how l had duped him
He still has no idea that Alexandra
Smirnova whose fictitious address a
q kislovodsk he, in all probability, cher
8 ishes yet, was Maria Botchkareva!
For three days / Travelled with my
g convoy from Nikitino to Moscow.
: was treated with consideration, bu
always as a prisoner. The guards
would get food for me and themselve
at the stations on the way. Upon ou
arrival at Moscow I was taken in al
automobile to the Soldiers Section o
the Soviet, housed in what was fol-
X merly the Governors mansion. NJ,
Il guards delivered me to a civilian, wit
y all thkehocuments of the case. and left
"Wffft coming from Kornilov?" tn
2 afficial asked me gruffiy.
mo, was going to take the cur
at Kislovodsk," I replied.
..Ah, yes. we know those cures
4 What about the epaulets? Why di
you take them off?"
Because l am a plain peasan
. woman. I have defended my countr
I pravely for three years. 1 am no
X guilty"
'.well. we will see about that later,
s. he interrupted. and ordered me le
y away to prison.
4, was locked up in a small cell, i
y which there were already about twent
prisoners. officers and civilians, all ar
!. rested by agents who had overhear
n than talk against the Bolshevik re
gimei A fine reincarnation of tn
q worst methods of Czarism.
"a The cell was in a frightful condi
z ton. There was no lavatory in
y and the inmates were noe permitte
"a, TO leave the room, The stencil wa
fndescribable. The men smoked in
3 cessantly. The prisoners were ne
~ even allowed to take the short, dali
4 promenade outside, which was granite
II by the old regime.
Apparently in order to make me col
z fess, was subjected to new form
torture, never practiced by the Car
&. 5ailers. ! was denied food! For thrt
III days did not receive even the nj
" xardly ration given TO the other pri
* oners. My companions were very nj,
TO me, but the portions that they r
AZ 9ceWeQ were Ddrely enough TO SuStal
lifs In their own bodies. So for thr,
DAYS and three nights 1 lay on II
bunk i'm a heap under cover, on Il
q. point of suffocation, starved. feveris
and thirsty, as not even water W;
allowed me. WA
During these days the commandal
OF the prison, a sailor, came in sever
times daily TO torment me with h
(, tongue.
what are you going to do to me
asked.
swhatg You win be shot!" was h
answer.
''Why?"
= 'Ifa. ha! Because you are frier
Of Kpgniloy's."
Those were the hours when hugg,
the pill given me by Petrukhin. In a
i f1cipafi0n OF a momentary order
fnce firing squad.
Soon one of the arrested officers, wi
! HAD been heard eursing Bolshevis
<|tile drunk. was SET fee. Befo
... FL