A NIHILIST’S STORY

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 460, 5 April 1890, Page 5

A NIHILIST’S STORY

TERRIBLE TRAGEDIES IN SIBERIA.

Two letters have just been received at London from Zotoff, a Nihilist murdered in Siberia. They tell of tragedies most horrible. “We were thirty prisoners huddled up in a barracks in Yakutsk,” he says. “ Our treatment was almost unbearable. The work was very hard, and on starvation diet. Upon the least pretence we were placed in a dark cell for weeks at a time. But that might have been borne had not Governor Ostaschkin, in February, 1889, issued an order denying us the privilege of receiving money from our friends and allowing us but five pounds of baggage. The prisoners remonstrated and asked the Governor to rescind his order. “ The Governor considered the petition in the light of a rebellion,” continued Zotoff, “ and he ordered every one of us to be put in irons. A few hours later we were again called into the yard, when Lieutenant Plesoff and a strong force of soldiers marched us into the police building. When some of us said that we were to wait for fianal decision from the Governor, Plesoff thundered, * What! you refuse to obey orders ?’ “Plesoff then gave the signal to the soldiers, who immediately surrounded the helpless band of prisoners. The commander of the soldiers was Lieutenant Karanchin, and, together with Major Mjaschiff, marched the prisoners back to the prison yard. ,_. , “ ‘ Give it to them, boys, Lieutenant Karanchin said. Immediately the soldiers attacked the prisoners with their bayonets. Several, including two women, were pierced through. The women were on their knees begging for mercy when the soldiers thrust their polished bayonets through them. Then a volley of shots was fired. “We tried to break through their ranks, bub most of us were killed, although we cried for mercy. Comrade Schur fellon his knees before the Lieutenant, and Karanchin fired two shots into his brain, holding his victim’s head with one hand so that he°would nob miss.”