AN AMERICAN'S RUSSIAN EXPERIENCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 298, 11 December 1908, Page 4

AN AMERICAN'S RUSSIAN EXPERIENCES.

The following facts have been elicited } ('•writes the St. Petersburg correspoudent of the Central News) with regard ' to tlie extraordinary (realinent incleil nut by the Uus.-ian'authorities to Mr, Adolp'h Fisher, a subject of the l'nited States, who ban been confined' in prison there for over six months wichoul any dclinite charge haviny been made against Ilim. Mr. I'hlicr arrived in SI. Petersburg | towards the end of last year. Soon afterwards he happened to be taking supper at a. restaurant, when it was raided by the secret police., the reason for the raid being thill a party of revolutionaries was holding a meeting in the place. There is nothing to show that Mr. Fisher knew anything of the revolutionary gathering, but he was informed, that "on account of his suspicious appearance" he, would be arrested, and lie was removed to prison. IiEUKVIXC A UK. Whilst awaiting'examination he was placed next to it pickpocket, who, seeing an opportunity to curry favor with the police, told the hitter that to his own personal knowledge -Mr. Fisher had as--1 sassinatcd a merchant at Samara. The unfortunate American was thereupon hailed before the secret police, to whom he protested his iunoceuee through an interpreter. The interpreter seems to have misunderstood him. and, nobody else (present being able to speak a word of English, it was decided to .send the prisoner to Samara. Jiefore this was done his baggage and all the money ,'n [ his possession, amounting to .C2U, were i taken from him. I JiAUliAliOt ;S TKEATMICNT. lie was then manacled, heavy chain.-, being placed on his arms in such a way i as to make almost all movement impossible, lie could not even raise food to his mouth, and his hands were badly brui.-ed and lacerated. I,'nder this inhuman treatment the unhappy prisoner almost 10-t his reason, shouting and shrieking thai he might be taken before the Coventor. His case was examined at Samara, but none of the witnesses called were able to recollect ever having seen him previouslv, and the (iovernor ordered his release' In spite of this the prison administration regarded Mr. Fisher as still the prisoner of the St. I'etersbiirg secret police, to whom they sent him back, lie returned in March last, and i- still in captivity. It is slated that it ha- been decided to expel him from the country as a foreigner of "bail conduct." although nobody is able -to explain in what way his conduct has been proved bad. The l'nited States Ivjibassv does not appear to have moved in the matter.