A RUSSIAN PRISON.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 29, 27 February 1909, Page 3

A RUSSIAN PRISON.

LOVE IN A CELL—A WEDDIXU IX CAPTIVITY. A romance was recently culminated in Xew York that is charged withsufficient dramatic interest to prime a highlypopular novel. From Southern Russia to 'the wilds of Siberia, through Continental Europe and across the Atlantic, il has wound its tortuous, secret way, involving 'high Uovcrnnrent officials aiid lowly peasants, a mad attempt of a beautiful girl to rescue her lover, followed by banishment to Siberia for bulh. a dramatically-performed wedding ceremony, escape, separation, and a happy reunion under the protection of the Stars and .Stripes. ■Samuel Lelf, twenty-three years of age, stalwart, handsome, a student and a worker, is uow living at Xo. Hi, East One Hundred and Third street, Xew York. He was born in SUrodubleh. iu the province of Ulna-nig, Russia. When he had completed his .studies in the lucul schools lie was sent by .his rather, Xathan, to the university at Saratuvj there to be trained for Jiis work as a chemical engineer. Every year the lad returned to his native city'to spend his vacation with his parents, and iu the summer of lUOU, when the massacre of the Jews in Hussia was at its height, lie was, as usual, at home with his family. The Jews lied to the small shelter of their homes, and the Cossacks rode madly this way and that. Young Lelf, knowing that'the Cossacks hair been sent to quell the riot, not to incite it, saw what he supposed was a body of militia. He raised his hands, and, being a man of commanding figure, attracted their attention.

"Do not shoot my people," lie shouted. ''Shoot those who would murder and pillage tlio innocent.''' Either the commanding figure or the niagiiDtiam in the man's voice brought the Cossacks to a halt, ami three men in particular laid down their arms and refused to obey the command of their superior officer to charge tin; crowd of trembling Jews. These three men lauded in gaol, and during the court-martial one of the men, threatened with death "by hanging, gave an accurate description of the youth who had brought his fellow soldiers to a halt. Within a few hours Left was thrown into gaol. In the cell with Left was a young student from the University of St. Petersburg, Simon Malotchik, who had been tracked to Starodubtch and thrown into prison for conspiracy against the Czar. To his less experienced cell mate Malotchik explained 'that the crime o't which Leff bad been accused, interfering with the performance of duty by the Czar's militia, meant eight years in Siberia. Leff, thinking of his now ageing parents and his brilliant prospects shattered by one impulsive act, was almost desperate. And then ente''ed upon the scene the woman in the Ettinger, one of Starodubtch's most beautiful girLs, and at heart a revolutionist. Her sympathies, however, had been skilfully veiled, and when she came to the prison bearing better food than the Government allowed, and other gifts from friends, messages of sympathy, fresh clothing, etc., the officials thought her impulse but the natural sympathy of inexperienced femininity. She was allowed to come and go almost at will, being popular with prisoners and officials alike. At the end of three months Mary Ettinger had given her heart to young Led'. ■ iMaJotehik suggested to Left and the girl various means of escape, so tli at Lett and Mary Ettinger could marry and seek liberty in the New World.' But they reiused to consider any move in which their loyal friend could not share their liberty. At last it was arranged that Mary should come very early some morning, bringing with her'clean towels for the prisoners, covering more towels supposed to be fool These towels, when joined together, would form a rope of liberty aiid happiness. Mary got past the men on dutv in the offices, but, alas! one of the prisoners had overheard the escape planned, and as notifying the officials of a fellow prisoner's plan of escape gives the informer bis liberty, the word was soon passed on to those in authority. These placed a guard of soldiers under the wall from which the escape was to be made. Simon Malotchik slid down the rope first, and was shot to death eve his feet reached the ground. Trfll was injured, and Mary Ettinger was overcome by guards within the walls. She and Left" wore then confined in separate cells, tried, and sentenced to Siberia. The girl was given live years, her lover a life sentence at hard labor. When the word went forth in Starodubtch the whole town, Jewish and Gentile, was in an uproar. All the world loves a lover, and the public clamorwhile it coiild not reduce the sentence of the. accused—at least made possible the periormaiice of their marriage ceremony before the dreary trial for Siberia was entered upon. And, indeed, it might ensure their being together in the terrible banishment, With, nearly the entire town as witnesses, and the Siberian vans in waiting, the world-old ceremony was performed, and, instead of congratulations and nee, this strangely-wedded couple were followed by the "tears and prayers of their families', friends, and townspeople. Over trackless wastes they went on their honeymoon with the moans and groans and cries of fellow-prisoners for wedding bells. But love heightened the horrors of the journey, and hope sprang eternal in their strong young hearts. For eight months Ihcv worked side by side in the untillnhlc fields on the side of Siberia, Irving to coax for the depicted treasury of tlie Czar money enough to pay for their alleged support by the Government. Then one day, eight months ago, they came into possession of a horse, and', better still, an hour tree from surveillance. With onlv t'hc rough prison do thing on their backs they moiiiiHl the horse and were oil'. After riding seven davs and nearly starving to death, they reached n town named Krasnyarsk, where, for the first time, their passports would be. demanded. But on the outskirts of the town they met friendly souls, humble peasants, willing to risk their liberty, and perhaps their lives, ill the blessed cause of the revolution. These men, many of whom were humble ore-washers, not onlv secured new clothing for the two lleeing ones, but forged passports for them and planned to smuggle them across the border. But just on Hie frontier, at Minsk, that same night tht' Governor received word of I lie. fugitives, and by I'm- mysterious frt-i----niasonrv strung among the revolutionists the informal ion also reached Mr. and Mrs. ]>ir. Immediately, with scarcely a caress, they separated, each heading towards diU'crcnl t'ontineutal ports, and each promising that nothing should prevent their ultima le reunion. Ml' reached America first, nor did he dare linger in any Buropeau port for the coming of his wife. At last the mail brought him tidings oi the progress of bis loyal wife through the Continental cities. "Wo will iinish our honeymoon iu New York!" cried 'lfeff joyfully.