Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1891 — CAPTIVES THREE YEARS [ARTICLE]

CAPTIVES THREE YEARS

AMERICAN SAILORS IMPRISONED IN RUSSIAN MINES. PnnUhed for Encroaching on Fishing Grounds-"-Forced to Dig Coal for Two Years and Ton Months— Terrible Suffering and Death—Given Up for Dead—Final Release of the Victims. [Boston dispatch.] One of the greatest outrages ever inflicted upon American citizens by the decree of a foreign power has been the imprisonment of four New England sailors—one of them born in Boston —for two years and ten months in a Siberian coal mine. One American died, after starving upon rice soup and being eaten by vermin. This seems also to have been the. fate of the twelve or fifteen Japanese who made up the rest of the crew. The first member of this litt!« party to reach home after being mourned as dead is Capt Joseph W. Morris, of this city. He had made one successful (expedition to the islands in Behring Sea,' and then he tried it again. The second time he had an experience which has effectually cured him of poaching in Russian territory. The schoeher made a successful run to the islands, secured a full cargo of,skins, and was headed for Yokohama, when a Russian man-of-war overhauled her. The man-of-war proved to be the Rasabouach. It took the schooner in tow and reached Vladivostock without incident. The trial wa3 conducted in Russian. They told their ■ stories in English, and they were translated for the benefit of the court, but were ignorant of the testimony against them. They were taken to the town jail, a small stone building with cemented floor. Their cells were 16x£0 feet, walled with stone and lighted with slits in the wall with bars across. When they reached Nicolaski they learned that they were sentenced to work in the mines three years. Capt. Morris was the first to go down, and he did not again see the light of day for two years and ton months. When Morris came out he found F. C. Crocker, of Soarsport, Me., one of his crew, had just been released. Together they walked 150 miles lo Vladivostock, the Russians refusing them transportation. An American vessel' took them to Nagasaki, where the United States Consul provided them with clothing, and they took their first hot bath in three years.