, 1923-02-25

and these little ines told how groups
of children on their way from or to
high school would be taken and shot
at the front, under the pretext OF
fighting espionage.
1t is due only to Zakharov that
these remaining children were finally
taken out of the prison. But Zakha-
row had his hands full with other
worries besides these. In this over
congested and filth reeking prison
Spanish influenza, recurrent and
spotted typhus were now beginning 70
spread rapidly. The papers in the
cases of many prisoners had either
gone astray or else they were in. such
a chaotic condition that 1t was i'm
possible to collect them. Still, it was
urgently necessary to relieve the con-
gestion of the prison. And nov a
strange thing happened: this same
man, Zakharov. who in the course
of n casual talk had boosted of his
revolver. which had done for many a
White Guard in the cellar without
missing fire once, displayed great hu-
thanksgiving from one institution to
another to intercede and to seek lost
documents, transferring and releasing
prisoners without to any Of
fetal formalities. often at his personal
risk and responsibility.
Patients With Typhus Sent to
Hospital Only to Be Robbed
To be sure there was need of haste.
for prisoners as we'll as the admin
istration were down with spotted
typhus. Prisoners were sent to the
neighboring general prison hospital.
TIar. a. -aNIaaN- -
starved without any attempt at con-
cealment. The entire medical staff
was stricken with the typhus. The
hospital was built to accommodate
only 400 patients, yet there were now
700 typhus sufferers. Tho only ply
sician still able to attend to her work
was the woman doctor, Bayadjieva.
There was no possibility of helping the
patients: the barracks were not
heated. the water supply did not func-
ton. the care Of the patients was left
entirely in the hands Os the ordinary
criminals who had already been down
with typhus, and here was neither
time nor people to classify the pa
tents. And yet every day more and
more already delirious typhus patients
were being brought in from all Mos
COW prisons, These patients, filthy.
unkempt, were laid out like logs OF
wood. one next to another, frequently
on the bare, filthy floor. as there was
no supply OF beds and linen. There
could be no thought of distinction, OF
course, as there was neither heat nor
water. Often the corpsos were left
lying for hours and ever days side by
side with delirlous and convalescins
patients. Needless to say that all pa
TENTS, 10 n man, no matter on what
diagnosis they may have been sent to
the hospital originally, were stricken
with spotted and %recurrent typhus,
Tho mortality was stupendous! The
morgue was %chockfull OF stiff. stark
corpses, as there were not even
enough makeshift collins.
This final horror of unknown and
Unseen death from hunger and cold
on the asphalt floor of the hospital
barracks was 10 be thc last p~urgato9y
through which l saw the prison pass
during that year Of 1919. My prison
term came to an End. And now, when
ever l hear md read stories OF the
prison horrors I recall those three
periods to which these memoirs arc
Observation-Disclosures terror and cpl
denies.
As in the old Tsarist p~riyons--only.
I believe. sim moro extensively, openly
and rcynically-death IN those three
'crms. ;hls Iimc 'Ecd Death" &cgq5
T3gysi"g dow, rs v.ut.nls,
tSI8ncdl :'Aurarp,,r
Cout'rued nest Sunday.