AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 119, 17 June 1909, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS.

THE RUSSIAN EXILE. Lately arrived in New Zealand is Dr. Boranol)', not only a jiroininent personage because he is a Russian exile, who escaped three times from imprisonment in Siberia, where lie was incarcerated and sull'ered all the tortures heaped upo'i every political prisoner, because of his opinions of manhood, freedom, and justice, but also because Dr. BoranofT lias just completed a highly successful tour of England, delivering brilliant discourses on his appalling experiences in Siberia, anil has arrived direct from London in the "Taiuiii" to tour i\e«' /.calami. Dr. Rnranoll' will appear for one night only in Hie Theatre Royal, tonight, l't may be interesting to know that there is no capital punishment in Russia excepting for political' prisoners, who are also brutally tortured. Dr. Moranol!', wlio is a graduate of seieice and medicine at the universities of St. Peitersburg, Dorpat, and Berlin, speaks English with a beautiful grace and fluency, and liis drama!« a'lil tiirilling discourses are of absorbing interest, in an interview in the Sew Zealand Times, Dr. BoranolV snid he was lirst arrested and sent to Siberia for being concerned in the production of a newspaper, lie had then just started to practise his calling. He was lodged in gaol. There was no trial; only a maximum of salt food, a minimum of water, ami continual questioning about his associates. Then came the lash, and Dr. Boranoff showed tile red cicatrices running down the spine.

lie- rolled back his shirt cult and revealed an arm into which deep furrows had oaten. ''The chains," he said with simple, directness. By night and day he was chained by his arms and legs to a barrow. Finding him unresponsive to betray his friends, he goes on to explain', they tried another plan, the crudest "' all. lie was ruthlessly chained to the wall and a woman was brought in and stripped to the waist. When she turned her face lie knew her. She was a friend of ids, and they had apprehended her—poor gcntlv gill —on suspicion. They fastened her to the wall, and on that bare hack the (,'ossack knout was set to work. Pile implored him not to sneak nor betray his friends, and her courage only kept him from doing so. She enjoined him not to utter a word. "It was brutal -terrible beyond words," says Dr. Itoranoli'. The box plan is at Collier's. There is a special concession for ladies, Colleges and schools may also arrange for concessions at the box office. J>, lioranali will be welcomed to New Plymouth by leading citizens at the railway station this morning on his arrival.