davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1923-02-11

that same night they were led to the
garage" !. Ever since that day
newspapers are withdrawn from the
prisoners of house No. II.
In the single cells at No. II Bolshala
Lubianka street were confined the
Left Wing Socialist-R evolutionists-
C~herepanov, Tamara G~asparian Cknown
in the party as Golubeva), Maria
Shapeleva Cparty name "Irina"). n
working girl from the P%etrograd
cartridge works. and Zhitkov. n men,
Der OF the People" group. I mention
these four names because even in the
bloody annals of the All Russian Chelta
these names occupy a unique place.
D. A. Cherepanov has left an inscrip-
ton on the wall Of his cell reading as
follows: Seized on the street by my
hands from behind by Lenlne's agents
on the 18th of February. 1920, When
he was arrested the death penalty had
officially been abolished. Nevertheless
he.-as well as Golubeva and Trina, were
murdered at the All Russian Cheka-
According to one report they are said
to have been choked to death, but In
the single cells of the prison at No. 2
Lubianka. Another version has It that
they were shot at the usual place-the
garage in Varsanofievski lane.
Cherepanov's stay at No. II has left
its lasting impression on the minds Of
the All Russian Cheka's battalion of
guards, for he refused to speak to
any one but DzerzhinsSy (the head
of the All Russian Chekn). and was
guarded with particular w~atchfuiness,
two soldiers constantly being posted
before his cell. with strict orders not
to take their Eyes off Cherepanov.
Just before C~herepanov. Golubeva and
Trina were taken away all the other
single cells were cleared OF their in
mates, who were taken put under the
pretext OF an examination. NJ
It is significant, as showing the
cowardice OF the Cheka officials. that
this institution invariably replied to all
requests for information regarding the
fate Of these persons: "Died of spotted
typhus on the way TO Yekaterinburg.'
Zhitkov. also. was put to death at
the all Russian Cheka. Thus the Che
ka avenged the death in 1918 of n
of its commissaries whom zhitkov. at
that time n Socialist-R evolutionist,
had killed when he attempted to ar
rest him. That happened in ono OF
the provincial towns of Briansk pro-
vince. Zhitkov also was murdered af-
ter the abolition Of shooting
Besides the persons mentioned here
the following revolutionary leaders
had occasion to $ through those
famous single cells at No. II Boil
shaia Lubianka: The left wing Social
ist- Revolutionists Ramkov. Ismailo-
vich and M~aiorov; the Socialist Rev
olutIonists Gotz. Timofeiev. Veden-
iapin, Gontcharov. Rakov, Tseitlin,
Artemiov, Olga Kolbassina -ChernoYa,
Kriukov. Shmerling. ZatonskI, Cher
nyshev and also a. L, Tolstoy "a
daughter OF The great novelist-Tr.
uote). Euskova and P~rokopovich.
No. IL BOlshala Lubianka street Is
, 1923-02-11

tatorship felt, as their hold upon the
mechanism Of government Increased,
a growing necessity for turning the
terror into definite channels, to sub
1ect 1t to the control of the proper
authorities and, above all. to render
1t less noisy, less conspicuous on tho
surface.
Alone In its social experiments, I'M
recognized by the world Powers and
hopelessly separated from them by
h fiery curtain of the terror, this
Government had a p~remonition OF the
fatal consequences of its isolation and
was feyerishly looking for a way ont.
1t was then that the peculiar regime
OF the Soviet reign OF law"-thls Gym
ical, two faced Janus turning one face
insinuatingly toward Europe and the
other toward Asia OF the savage Mon
goians-was inaugurated. And in
the Collection of Statutes and Ordi-
nances of the Government" there APP
peared that travesty of n decree abol-
ishing capital punishment.
The terror a not passed. 1t has
only Withdrawn from the public square
n the blood soaked pavements
to the somber underground chambers
OF the extraordinary commissions. that
It may there, behind impenetrable
walls and far removed from human
conscience. undisturbedly continue its
CHASTITY work.
But we. living witnesses OF the ter
ror. who have every minute felt its
sitting breath. who have seen blood
and known death. We cannot yet speak
OF It with sufficient fullness. For that
which we a " seen and which we
know constitutes but isolated. dis
jolnted episodes, minute sand grains of
facts impressed by the maelstrom OF
terror upon our consciousness.
It may be. however. hat we ought
to speak and write of these casual
facts which have left their impress
upo u memory. which are true and
unvarnished by popular rumor.
These brief sketches should, there
fore, perhaps only be regarded us an
incomplete human document" from
accounts furnished by those awaiting
execution and by the involuntary wit
nesses OF their last days and minutes.
It will not be n history" OF the ter
ror. There has been no attempt t.sle
TO form any political or ethical estl-
mate. There are to be merely n few
little facts relating TO executions of
ordinary criminals in the torture
chambers of the Moscow Extraordinary
Commission and that only for the
brief period from the end of January
to June. 1921.
! have purposcly devoted them. not
to those who fall by the sword OF the
terror in battle for their political ideals.
but to those ordinary criminals and
handita who would be equally unnc-
ceptable to any political regime.
But perhaps the road TO Golgotha
Travelled by these very mon with n
mere glhnmer OF intelligence and n stu
dormant social conscience Will serve
to bring out in stronger and clearer
relief the enormity OF tho historical
, 1923-02-11
Boy, II. Once Cheka Agent,
In a Cell Doomed to Die

Here we have a boy of IT, who was
n detective" OF the Moscow Cheka.
He is confined in a single cell for hav-
ing beer ~overzealous in his work; he
had rnided the house OF an actress who
happened to be n friend of Roman
ovskl's and found there some cards,
tewelry and liquor. He conducted him
self at that house as he was accus-
toned to act generally during house
searches; he ~conhscated for his per-
sonal use n gold watch, helped himself
to some fowl prepared for the actress
and drank her cognac. But things
hat may be perpetrated with I'M
punity in the homes of ordinary Rus
sian citizens are by no means, of
course, to be tolerated in the home OF
a "votarcss OF art" enjoying the pro-
lection OF n Romanovski. The result
was n single cell at tho All-Russian
Cheka and the threat OF shooting.
One had to shudder stu more for
tho future OF our youth on beholdlng
another boy, also n Communist" ap-
pear in the Single cell room" in tho
capacity OF military guard. That was
n former pupil at a Gymnasium" "a
high school. who had voluntarily
Joined the Battalion Of tho All-Rus-
sian Chekn. Prisoner and keeper. ono
high school boy and another. one
awaiting execution and the other lead
ing him to it-all this would often
seem like some incredible, outrageous,
brutal game. like n queer Communist
~pcrverslon OF the innocent game OF
children playing "Cossacks and Rob-
bers."
Then there was the case OF the doc
tor arrested in the summer of 1920
on n charge OF having freed people
from military duty in the Red army
for n bride Tho main culprlt. the
chief clerk Of tho recruiting commits
sion OF tho Moscow military commits
s%HTlH', is halo II hearty to this day.
having escaped execution on the usual
condition OF becoming a stool pigeon
, 1923-02-11

TT HE public by this time is
quite familiar with the
word "Cheka" as the APP
pellatlon almost universally in use
for the All-Russian Extraordinary
Commission for the Combating Of
Counter-Revolutlon. Next to the
Red Army. the Cheka is the most
successful and powerful institution
in Soviet Russia. Until early this
year the Cheka vas in virtual con-
troll of the judiciary and in entire
control of the Secret Service and
OF penal administration. At pres
ent 1t no longer enjoys the pre-
rogative of imposing the death PEN
atty. But the Cheka still accuses.
condemns and ~prescribes and exc
cutes tire penalty" These are the
words Of Maria Spiridonova. for
many years an outstanding figure in
the struggle for freedom under tho
Cars and now herself a victim Of
Checklist methods.
That is why "Cheka" is the ap-
propriate title for a volume Of
prison memoirs out of Soviet Rus
STA published in Berlin in tic Rus
sian language, extracts from which
in the very careful translation of
Mr.. Emanuel A%ronsberg appear
here. The authors of the various
chapters are not monarchists or
bourgeois, but Socialists who have
been caught in the Cheka dragnet
for counter-revolutionists.
Mr.. Victor Chernov, chairman OF
the Russian Constituent Assembly
dispersed by the Bolsheviki. in his
introduction to the original volume
for himself full RESPONSE
bility for the authenticity of the
documents. 1--WE are under the
necessity Of offering n guaranty
for the tr%uthfulncss of their state
mCnts.'' writes Mr.. Chernov, DE
cause we are unable at the present
moment 20 reveal their names.
Otherwise they would be in no need
of any casual guarantees"
The names of some of the con-
tributors to the volume are known
to the writer CT the present note.
, 1923-02-11

clare that in last summers trial of
would be no question Of bringing
the extreme penalty to bear. 1t
then proceeded to condemn twelve
OF the forty-seven accused to death.
The Soviet Government offered
guarantees Tor the safety of Mr..
Vandervelde (the Belgian S~ocialIst)
and other foreign counsel who
were allowed to undertake the de-
Tense of the prisoners. But Van
dervelde and his associates were
hooted and almost subjected TO
bodily violence as "counter-revo-
lutionists," were compelled to throw
up their conduct of the case in the
face of a hopeless situation and
had to go on a twenty-four hours
hunger strike to secure permission
to leave Russia
In name the Cheka is now the
G. p. u. a part of the Department
of tie INTERIOR: but. barring the
power to infIct the death penalty,
Its power survives. and It's spirit
survives in the prisons. Only last
September in the prison at Yaro-
slav forty political prisoners, So
cialists and non-partisans. were
beaten because they refused to
leave for Arctic Russia at twenty
four hours notice and asked that
they be given time to see their
relatives and secure the clothing
without which they would freeze to
death. 1t was a prerogative con-
coded to political prisoners under
the Cars.
Here 10 another characteristic
example of the Cheka spirit:
When at the end Of the trial in
Moscow last summer the prisoners
were brought back to their cells
the order came that all their
clothes be taken from them. One
OF the leaders. Gotz, protested when
a jailer started to remove the we'd
ding ring from his finger. He was
told that in the next world, where
they would soon find II emselves,
there would be no need for we'd
ding rings"
MANYA GORDON.
, 1923-02-11

and betraying all the rest. He is alive.
but about ten doctors, some of whom
were absolutely innocent. and hun
dreds OF youths. n vast proportion of
whom had been freed on perfectly
legal grounds. were shot. And these
unfortunates learned Of their doom
only. from friends they met while
going for their dinner. These friends
old them that the Izpestid had printed
that day n list of people shot in con
nection with this case. and hat their
W anne were also mentioned. Re-
turned to their cells, they looked up
the paper and there they found their
own names among those shot. And
, 1923-02-11

o while ever sincerely oblIGtng. Be
sides, in spite of the fact that he, too,
is as taciturn as the others, he always
make a difference in his treatment of
political" and "non-politlcaT" prison.
ers.
The commanding figure at No. II,
Bolshaia Lubianka, is Maya, the Lett
with n brutal, churlish face, no longer
young. He seldom speaks to the pris-
oners; the only time he breaks his
silence is when he has to swear nj
threaten, a thing of frequent occur
renee against the "non-politicals."
Maga's threats are sinister, and one
Involuntary shudders at them, reallz-
ing that Maya is the chief executioner
of the All Russian Cheka, the chief
actor in that shooting garage On
holidays, when there is nothing to do.
Maya wander dejectedly about the
cells, as If unable to find n place any
where. On days preceding nightly
executions. however, Maya becomes
unusually lively; by this liveliness OF
the eXecutioner the victims often
guess correctly hat they would now
have to face the sight" de. the
sight attached near the muZZle of IA
revolver or gun.-Translator's note).
Now for n brief Characterization OF
three CEeka Investigators - Kozhev-
nikov. Lutzki and Kraft.
K~ozhevnikov. who had charge" OF
Socialist cases, had been
n Petrograd workinGman and a Boil
shevik already before the revolution.
His distinguishing traits are treachery
and unscrupulousness. There is nos a
single foul means that he will hesitate
to use as long as It will serve to
st1aW.IFf I'll C--E-NF-# Observation-Disclosures
Lutzki is a former lawyer from
Snrutov. in charge of "malfeasance In
Office and "banditry" cases. His
usual method IS to break down the
resistance of the offender by wearying
and abusing him to the point of utter
exhaustion. He would generally i'm
provise for the half crazed victim ex-
aminations in mathematics. Russian
literature. history; he was particu-
larly fond of grilling the prisoner in
Jurisprudence.
Kraft wac in charge of %counter
revolutionist' cases. The favorite
method of this investigator is provo
cation Cstool pigeon practice). He
would place one of his women In the
prison of the all Russian Cheka,
where she would recruit member OF
anti-Soviet plots. Many operations
"'HAN pS ONN ~ N"i ~
sopally, and he would often resort TO
theatrical make up Oh such excur-
Sions.
A few words more concerning an
other star IN the constellation of
Cheka Investigators, Iva Denissevich.
a sister of the late Leonid Andreiev's
wife, having had some relations once
upon a time with Socialist revolution
list party circles, young and pretty,
Iva DenIssevich acted in 1920 as a
stool pigeon for the all Russian Cheka.
The inmates of the all Russian Che
ka prison represent a motley variety
of clements. There are Socialist v
]iutionlsts and bandits; titled, iIlustri-
GUS nobility ruhs elbows with ordinary
w~CrkinEmen arrested for striking; for
mer leading capitalists of Moscow.
side by side with humble peasant sack
~peddlers, and lawyers with a talent
for promotions and combinations of
dubious schemes share their cells with
Cheka Judges and Investigators
caught in briberies and extortions.
, 1923-02-11

- -. - : - - --VTT--
ESo uhai nan u NNo ' ~
world war fighters have clainYu
- the Victory medal authorized
bv ,bo coyornmant In r~ecornition or
-
'"e' any -
lea, according TO the service division
of the American Legion.
Tho LEGION "a urging that nil ex-
80 an
Is also asslsuhB inc government
through the 1900 Legion posts to OBJ
tain the addresses of thousands OF
y.+or,, Mo have ,,,lto5 for thc
, 1923-02-11

eyes dimmed by things that ore
OF past generations never knew and
saw. things which. in reading
their textbooks of history. long lines
OF u distant posterity will only
vaguely surmise.
Bolshevist terror has already a his
tory OF its own. If the BolshevikI
were found during the first two years
following the November revolution. to
assume the defiant pose Of a Robes
pierre: IL their home made Marats
clamored insatiably for more and moro
blood. and g their terror during those
years was blatant, crude and elemental
in Its nature, the inspirers of the dc
, 1923-02-11

But during those painful and deeply
tragical months, amid hat enforced
silence and dull despair, there was
raised the alarm cry OF an outraged
popular conscience. compelling for a
moment the whole world to turn its
eyes upon the boundless despair and
Unsuitable death which had comesto be
a regular feature OF daily Russian
life.
Leo Tolstoy rose to his full. gigantic
stature n gave utterance to those
ever memorable words about the
lathered rope of the hangman and his
own readiness to share the fate of the
crucifed nation.
, 1923-02-11

n Of those houses where human de-
spair n mortal agonies often reached
proportions that defy description, and
many future generations will remem-
Der that hous in the heart of Moscow.
A house accursed. n house OF infinite
human martyrdom and of unparalleled
outrages against human personality:
in very truth a "house of red terror
Another Prisoner Gives
Graphic Story of Horrors
II.
There are facts in life of which It is
painful to think and still harder to
write, for u thoughts recoil from
, 1923-02-11

And now. after this long procession
of years we have lived through. ruth
less Death once more reigns supreme
in Russia, and again the nation. help
less and crucified, is bleeding to death.
But no longer are the ~voices~of an
aroused popular conscience heard
from end TO end of the Russian land
No longer are those giants of the
spirit to be seen who dare call to
Death an imperative Haiti"
, 1923-02-11

them and human speech is powerless
and Iwoefully inadequate in the face
Of the greatest tragedy unfolding it.
self day after day almost before our
very eyes.
Once. at the moment of the col
lapse of the first Russian revolution,
autocracy celebrated its victory by an
orgy of punitive expeditions and ex-
ecutions. The whole country shud-
dered at the horror OF those cruel
, 1923-02-11

~

Memoirs of Those Who Suffered From
the Cheka Give a Vivid Account of
the Reign of Terror-This Article
Tells of Happenings in Shooting
Garages and the Shooting Cellars
of Moscow.
, 1923-02-11

Continued Next Week.
, 1923-02-11

Copyright. 1875. BY Tho Ne" York u'Flla'
, 1923-02-11
Victory Medals

r Ess than half of the five million ,
world war fighters have clalnyS
- Tho NIctnrr, n,ndnI nnIhnrfznd
, 1923-02-11

MANIA GORDON.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-08
Birmingham Planning Summer
 Piaytime At Resort s

Motor trips will be taken by many Birrninghamites, some planning to take in the beauties of tho Lellow- stone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon and the incidental rugged grandeur of the Rockies.
 A few of the local people enjoying vacation travel are:
 Mir and Mrs. W. A. Beckwith, who will leave the latter part of this month for Atlantic City, to be gone for a period of several weeks.
 Mir. and Mrs. Hal Marshall Of Orrsville were in this city Wednes- day, en route to New York city, where they will enjoy a six montss visit, and also stop in Washington on their way home.
 Mir. and Mrs. Frank Smith, accom- panied by Miss Birdie Brown of Colnran are touring through to Huntsville and Chattanooga in their car.
 MT. and Mrs. J. G. Brown Smith of Selma are stopping in this city prior to a trip to New York city, where they will sail for Europe to be gone six months.
 Mir and Mrs. J. A. Rountree will sail for Europe the latter part Of the month. While there they will visit France, Germany and England and other points of interest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-08

Inviting and alluring vacation pos ters of the railroads, setting forth the charm of the ideal bathing beauty taking her annual rest by the sea, are beginning to inspire the restless feeling in Milady and Daughter Birmingham which ends in Dad sending them off to bask in the warm sands under Tyhee or Mobile bay skies, the while the gulf or At lantic waters lave their feet
 Groups of Birmingham citizens have already hied themselves to teaches where cooling breezes blow. Others have booklet upon booklet in a miniature reference library on summer resorts. Still others, con sfident in the security of bathing pools of the district. are planning one round after another of week end parties to the Warrior. to various creeks and to the more metropolitan gcom bination of pool and dance pa ,Nilion, within a few minutes reach by motor.
 Q New England and the northern {. tier of central states are popular refuges from the heat waves pre- .paring to launch an offensive here. Longer trips are being made this year, railroad and steamship booking s.officers report.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-08
MISS GAINES, BRIDE-ELECT HONOREE AT SHOWER

Miss Elizabeth Gaines, a bride elect, whose wedding will be an event of June 16. was honoree at a pretty shower on Thursday afternoon. when Mrs. Frank Dotzheiner was hostess.
 Sweet peas and Dorothy Perkins roses were used In the house deco rations.
 As the guests arrived, they were served punch by Misses Helen Dotz- heimer and Corinne Lee. Later they registered in the brides book, kept by Miss Florrie Webb.
 The gifts were taken al the door by Mary F. Yam and Master Dotz- heimer, and later brought In beau tiful basket to the bride.
 A musical program was rendered by Miss Louise Collins, Mrs. R. J. Brad ley, Mrs. Hubert Lacy, and Mrs. F. B. Vann.
 Late in the afternoon delicious ice course was served.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-08
Thompson Barclift Wedding Euent Of
 Yesterday

One cf the prettiest weddings of the season was solemnized Wednes- day evening at o'clock when Miss Annie Margaret Barclift became the bride of Walter Glenn Thompson.
 Tiv ceremony was performed at the home of the brides mother, Mrs. M. A. Barclift, by Reverend Dill. The entire lower floor was thrown open and handsomely decorated with palms, ferns and white and pink roses.
 The bride decended the stairs with her brother Frank E. Barclift, who gave her in marriage, and her bridal party. They were met at the altar by the groom and the best man, Wal ter Calhoon and the groomsman Clarence Patterson.
 The bride was attired in a lovely creation of Duchess satin and Span ish lace. A long veil of tulle caught and a lovely bouquet of white Brides roses and valley lillies completed her costume.
 Miss Martha Blackwood attended as maid of honor. She was dressed in pink crepe trimmed with silver lace and ribbons. The bridesmaid, Miss Louise Arnold, also wore pink crepe embellished with silver lace and ribbons. Their flowers were shower bouquets of Columbia roses.
 Miss Dorothy Barclift, niece of the brides. dressed in a pretty little frock of pink crepe de chine and white tulle, carried the ring in the heart of a white rose.
 Misses Katherine and Jean Bar clift also nieces of the bride, were flower girls. They wore pink and white and carried baskets of pink roses, which they scattered in the | path of the bride.
 After the ceremony, punch was served by Mrs. Leon Huff and an elaborate bridal cake was cut by the bride.
 The bride and groom left later in the day for a wedding tour and upon their return will be at home ir Charleston, W. Va.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-08
INTER SEE CLUB GIVES FINAL DANCE OF SEASON

The members of the Inter Sc club
 Contributed a most enjoyable event fof the weeks calendar. when they entertained with their final dance
 Of the season last evening in their .club rooms on Eleventh avenue. A special orchestra furnished a esplendid program of music for the dancing, which was enjoyed from g
 o'clock until the wee sma hours. q. The club colors, yellow and black,
 were artistically carried out in all decorations. and masses of roses, snap dragons and potted ferns and l.plants adorned the rooms.
 e About 75 of the club members, and ltheir friends were present.
 The club officers are: President,
 70. H. Dricell; vice president. A. H. Saunders: secretary, Brown Hoskins ; treasurer. Clayton Stotreck; and J.. r~ P. Lewis, chairman of the board of directors
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-08
MIGHT HAWKS GIVE HOUSE | PARTY AT PINENIFW BEACH

'. Pinetiew beach will be the scene -of jolly times this weekend when
 .the Night Hawks arrive for their l.house party They will leave with their guests today at noon and re- < turn Sunday. During that time, ' swimming, dancing and boating will :, be enjoyed and camp meals will be < served.
 The house party was originally announced at Longview but later /. .changed to PinevieW. All who re-
 ceived invitations to Longview are -expected to be present.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-08
MONTGOMERY GIRL WINS
 SCHOLARSHIP IN MUSIC

It will be interesting to friends in Birmingham to know that at a recent contest In Andalusia, where five in- structors from the Cincinnati Con servatory of Music have opened a summer school Miss Juliette Burke of Montgomery was awarded scholarship. Friends throughout Ala bama, who have enjoyed her music and know her graciousness in meet ing requests to play, will rejoice ever the honor Miss Burke has just re- ceived