Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1895 — SMUGGLED IN SNOW. [ARTICLE]

SMUGGLED IN SNOW.

Novel Ruse to Hoodwink the Czar’s Soldiers. Until within recent years the Russian frontier on the German boundary was guarded in a surprisingly weak manner for a nation so completely under military rule as the Czar’s great orapire. But now there is a strong cordon of garrisons only a few miles apart and a careful patrol service between them. The chief duty of these garrisons is to prevent smuggling and the introduction of Nihilist literature into Russia. 'i'ho duty is hard and monotonous, and the Czar does not like to have his best-trained and most effective regiments sent out along the boundary line. For the most part these garrisons consist of young recruits from the eastern and central provinces of Russia . They are seldom expert soldiers, and the lax dlsciplne they are under is further weakened by their excessive drinking. Their small pay is doled out to them twice a month, and every kopeck of it is Immediately expended in vodka, After the vodka is gone they employ their spare time in making raids across the boundary line into the German farm yards to supplant their meager rations. Along the entire boundary line between these two countries there is a series of greut open plains. Over these an icy east wind blows in winter. and the only way the soldiers cun keep alive on their patrol is by the building of wood fires between the posts. Even then the patrols frequently have their limbs frozen in their monotonous marches to and fro. Hence it is not at all difficult to smuggle across the boundary, und, indeed it is suspected that the soldiers often add to their small pay by making deals with the smugglers and turning their heads the other way when they press by. Two exceedingly novel attempts were made last the smuggling fraternity both of which provod successful. In one case late one night a band of men in Germany began snow balling some villgers on Russian territory, and the Russians returned the attack. In the snowballs thrown from Germany, however, yards of fine Brussels lace were concealed. This method proved most successful, for even the secret police did not discover it, and the guard of the frontier certainly had no idea of what was going on. Quite as efficacious was the bringing in of thousands of Nihilist proclamations, through Silesia under the very eyes of the garrison. These proclamations were in the hollow staves carried by a Jbody of men wbo passed themselves off as pious pilgrims entering Russia on a sacred journey.