Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-26
REDS LOSE LIBERTY
WHEN THREATEN LIFE
One OF Their Tx

Boston, Jan. 25.--The action of
some Of the Is alien radicals now at
Deer Island awaiting deportation in
passing a sentence of death on one. OF
their number caused their confinement
i'll cells today. For the first time
since their arrival at the house of
correction, Master George N. Harlow
said. they were not allowed to mingle
with each other and, were required to
eat behind the bars. They resented
the disciplinary measures and ratified
mess dishes and utensils against the
bars, then dropped them to a lower
corridor, but became quiet when told
that food would be refused them if
the disturbance was repeated.
The radicals would have been yirtu-
ally in solitary Today but for the fact
that Isaac Shorr of New York came
as their counsel to arrange for the
completion of passports delayed by
their refusal to sign. With the expec-
tation that the attorney would sue
coed in completing the papers by to-
morrow, Commissioner of immigration
Henry j. Skeffington announced that
the men would be sent to New York
by special train next Monday and de-
ported on a steamer sailing about
February 1.
Demetrio Iwankiw, who was the man
marked for death, was removed to an
other part of the institution today. A
well educated man. Mr.. Harlow said,
lWankiw, who was arrested at
Youngstown. O., apparently had unde.
gone a change in his radical views and
voiced his opinions among his fell
lows. As a consequence, according to
the master, they charged him with be-
ing a spy q committee was. called to
consider his case and the death SEN
tcnce was declared, The committee
binding itself to see that it was car
ried out as soon as the party reached
Russia.
Such meetings of the radicals were
possible under the former conditions
of their confinement: in fact, interior
government of the group was encour-
aged AT one time. Master Harlow
related. they had'a Soviet set up with
in the prison walls. But the previous
deportationS thinned the Soviet adher-
ents of whom .Iwankiw was one and
left the anarchises in control. The
Soviets were ovefthrown. their op-
ponents assumed dictation of the
group and have since administered its
internal affairs. Differences between
the factions contributed to the con-
demning of Iwankiw, the master de-
clared
The prisoners governing committee
has apportioned labor among them and
served as governing board in mat
tiers of policy connected with their
status as federal prisoners awaiting
deportation. Its actions have not al
ways been consistent, Master Harlow
said. Recently the group was aug
mented by the addition of Il Canadian
without radical connections, but like
them, the subject of deportation pro-
ceedings. After being voted a mem
Der of their body he was Immediately
assigned to the labor of cleaning the
entire cell block. THAT was hardly
a sharing of the common conditions, -
the master added.
Master Harlow said that most of
the men want to return to Russia as
soon as possible. saying they liked
that country under present conditions,
but they were not going to stay there,
they said; instead they expect to
come back to the United States in a
year or two. explaining in answer to
the masters question, that they in
tend to make "a revolution here"
Iwankiw in reporting sentence
passed upon him and threats by other
prisoners, told the authorities that
one man had pressed knife against
his side. Search for weapons in the
cells and the baggage of the men was
made by immigration officials but none
were found Razors and scissors that
We're taken from the men were re-
turned. =