New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
Kropot<ins Escape Staged Like a Broadway Melodra
Story of the Late Russian Prince S
Rescue Reads Like Piece
|, Of improbable Fiction

the authorities kept Kropotkin an
communicate. His friends sue
ceedcd in providing him with writ
ing materials, and in the dim light
Of his dungeon cell, it's walls damp
with the waters Of the Neva, he
fought insanity and despair by re-
constructing his botanical theories
and writing articles on the flora Of
Siberia.
| Kropotkin's friends in the Tschay-
kovsky group made no attempt to
liberate him as long as he was con-
fined in Petropavlovsk. They real
lied the futility Of any effort to
penetrate the solid masonry Of it's
walls.
Two years of this solitary con-
finement broke Kropotkin's health
to such an extent that finally it
became necessary to send him to a
hospital. His condition was so
grave, in fact, that he had to be
carried from his cell to the convey
ance which transferred him from
Petropavlovsk to a small military
lazaret, or prison hospital, in
quiet section of Petrograd.
Relief After Prison
The institution in which Kropot-
kin found himself after two CHASTITY
years at Petropavlovsk was a pleas
ant place compared to the fortress
dungeon. 1t occupied the space of
block between two narrow streets,
with large courtyard on one side
and small garden on the other.
Both courtyard and garden were
surrounded by high walls,
Across the street was the big
Nikolaievsk Military Hospital, its
entrance facing the courtyard gate
way.
When the fact Of Kropotkin's
transfer to the lazaret became
known it is probable there was a
hurried meeting Of his friends in the
Tschaykovsky circle. DR.. Carl Vel
mar, noted Petrograd physician, who
was member Of the radical group,
seems to have taken the lead in
planning Kropotkin's escape. 1t was
Imperative that the stroke be swift
and soon, for when Kropotkin's
strength returned there would be a
perfunctory trial, perhaps, then ST.
IBERIA and oblivion for life.
The first step was to make a sur
vey of the lazaret grounds. Al
ground plan of the garden and court
yard, showing the single gateway.
walls and surrounding streets, was
prepared, and over this diagram
the conspirators projected the vari-
Gus possibilities Of escape. The wall
was too high for Kropotkin to scale.
and even if the conspirators could
have flung a ladder down to him it
was improbable the prisoner, in his
weakened condition, could scale it
and gain the top of the wall before
the sentries caught him.
Bribed an Attendant
The paths of the courtyard were
patrolled night and day by armed
guards. One at time the prisoners
were permitted to exercise in the
yard under strict surveillance. BY
the time Kropotkin had recovered his
strength sufficiently to permit him to
take this daily exercise his compan-
ions had established communication
! with him. They had found one of
the hospital attendants. who, for a,
consideration, was willing to carry
messages in cipher to him.
A tunnel under the street was con-
sidered and rejected. It would be
too tedious and slow. The risk of
discovery was too great. BY proc
ess of elimination the various ave-
nues of escape gradually narrowed
to single possibility. That lay in
the courtyard gate.
While they were considering some
stratagem to open this exit at the
hour in the afternoon when Kropot-
kin should be exercising in the yard
an opportunity suddenly appeared.
The winters wood supply for both
the lazaret and the military hospital
was piled in the courtyard. Several
loaded carts appeared one afternoon,
while two Of the conspirators were
walking about in the neighborhood,
and the courtyard gate was left
open for few minutes while thew
were unloaded. Investigation devel-
oped that the hospital was laying in
its winters fuel, and ten or twelve
days hauling would be required to
finish the job.
Nice Calculations
Tracing the source Of the wood
supply, the conspirators estimated
l. Il.