Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1911 — Trapped [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Trapped

But There Were Two Traps and One Neutralized the Other

By Delia B. Thoms

My husband and I had been working for some time educating the peasantry in Russia and had the good luck to escape the police. Our work was done by means of matter written, printed and distributed all la secret. So long as we had no traitors among os we felt comparatively safe. And since we were all doing the work as a matter of duty the only danger from traitors was that some spy should come among us for the express purpose of betraying us. The other dangers were that the police should get word of our depots of supplies or intercept the matter while leaving our hands. One day 1 went to the main depot to get some matter ready for shipment. The room was at the top of a business building, and I climbed the stairs with

the usual dread lest I might find the room in the possession of the police, for I knew that when they raided any place hostile to the government they were accustomed to keep out of sight that they might entrap any one visiting it, not knowing that it had been raided. When I reached the top of the last staircase I paused and listened for some sound in our rooms, since 1 expected that one of our society was there. The only sound I heard was the ticking of a clock. I put my hand on the knob, opened the door and was about to walk in when 1 stopped with a start. In the room were several officers of police. Immediately one of them was sent by his chief to go to my home with me. No time was wasted, because it was hoped to catch others implicated in the work we were doing, and at any moment such persons might bear of the raid and be prepared. I knew that if I led them to my home my husband would be caught with a large amount of educational printed matter in our chambers. It was my object, therefore, to delay going there as long as possible. “What is the meaning of this?" I asked one who seemed to be the chief of the party. “You know well enough what it means.”

“I know that I came here to meet a friend. I may have got into the wrong room.” “Yon go with this man and show him where you lire.” I was not sorry to be refused, for I could not have bettered myself bad he assented. I went down stairs with the man who had been assigned to tbe work of forcing me to Implicate others. but 1 had nothing to gain by doing so. since I was doomed, of course, to Siberia* in any event, and I was not likely to betray my own husband. I walked with the man who guarded' me all over the city. At last he stopped and told me that if I did not take him to my home he would take me to police headquarters. The man did not appear very confident when he made this threat, and I determined to try* to deceive him. I forced tears into my eyes, which was not very difficult considering the situation in which I was placed. 1 was aware at the time that tbe best way for a woman to get the better of a man is through tears. “I am sorry for you.” he said, “but I must do my duty.” “You don’t understand why 1 weep,” J replied. “Yon think it is because I fear to betray some one at home. What I fear Is my husband. He suspects me, not of disobeying the law, but of having a secret from him. When he sees me coming in under arrest he will consider that his suspicions have been confirmed.”

“I can’t help that,” said the officer. “I have been ordered to go with you to your home, and 1 must obey the order.” At that moment we passed a friend of my husband. Seeing me in charge of a police officer, he looked at me wonderingly. I did not speak to him, bnt gave him a look which told him to warn my husband. By the *yay he stepped out in the direction of my home I believed that he had understood me. If this were so. all 1 had to do was to keep my attendant walking till my husband had been Informed and had had time to remove all compromising matter. “Well,” I said to the officer, “if you have no heart I suppose 1 must take

the consequences. But ft will surety break Up my relations with my husband. Oh. dear! What shall I doT* I started op. but not in the direction of my home. My guardian walked silently beside me. I constantly giving vent to lamentations at the trouble I expected with my husband. At the end of half an boar, not seeing any end to our peregrinations, the man told me that be was forced to take me to the chief of police. “Give me one more chance," I said. “I have finally made op my mind to take you to my home, to face my husband and have an end to this matter. But what a misfortune I have bad in getting Into the wrong rooml" I was at the time quite a distance from our rooms, but since I kept a straight path, not turning corners, as I had done before, my attendant did not consider that I was deceiving him. At any rate, he said nothing, walking beside me stolidly. I was in terror lest my husband bad not been warned If be had been I did not expect to find him at home, but did expect that our rooms would be stripped of documents. Our home was on the second floor of an apartment bouse. 1 led my guard upstairs and opened the door of our living rooms with a wildly beating heart I was shocked to see my busband sitting in an easy chair reading. He gave me and my attendant a look of wonder as we entered, but I knew that it was assumed. It told me also, or, rather. I Inferred, that he had been warned and had remained at home in the hope that be might save me. 1 threw myself at his feet and begged him not to condemn me unheard; that the fact that I came In charge of a police officer would be explained: that I bad made a blunder which had resulted in very serious consequences In short, I recounted what I had said to the police officers. My husband took the cue readily, though I gave him plenty of time to understand by not leaving him an opportunity for reply, so voluminous were my excuses for coming home In charge of an officer. But when I paused for breath my husband raised me. took me in his arms and said to me;

“I believe every word you say. I confess I have been Jealous of this man. who has been trying to induce you to look favorably upon him. but I have perfect confidence that you would not tell me a lie.” Then on pretense of kissing me on the cheek he whispered: “Leave It to me.” “And. now, sir,” he said, turning to the officer, “what can I do to convince you that my wife is a loyal subject of the emperor?” “I must search these rooms,” said the man doggedly. “Do so. Go where you like. They are all on this floor.” But the man. though not very bright looking, was not so stupid as to let us remain in the living room while he went elsewhere. • “You come with me.” he said, including both of us. “Certainly.” said my husband. “We will assist you in your search. We will open up every closet, guide you to every nook, and when you are convinced of our loyalty I trust that you will report it so that it may reach his majesty’s ears.” There were but few rooms, and we—or. rather, my husband—led him through them aIL In a cabinet was found a number of pamphlets that my husband had published some years before embodying suggestions to the government as to bow to deal with revolutionists and profuse with expressions of loyalty. The pamphlet had been written when my husband first became lnterestetd In bettering the condition of our people and bad greatly pleased the government. But the suggestions had not been followed, and the author bad taken the work of education into bis own bands. I did not doubt that be had placed tbese pamphlets where they would be found, though be had done so. expecting that an officer of higher rank would examine them. The officer glanced at them, then put them under bis arm to turn over to bis superior. He poked his nose everywhere till finally my hnsband threw open tne door of a closet. The man entered, and quick as a flash my husband closed the door. The man knew at once that he had been tricked, put his foot In the opening and endeavored to force his way out My husband and 1 both resisted, but we were scarcely equal to the task. One thought of Siberia was enough to give us sufficient strength to hold our own, and, while my husband remained braced against the door. I, who am by no means a light woman, brought the heel of my heavy walking boot down on the officer’s toes. The pain must have been intense, but be held his foot in place. I looked about for something heavier than my boot aDd in a fireplace noticed the andirons. A few seconds’ absence was enough to bring one of them, with which I dealt such blows that they must have broken every bone in the man’s foot He withdrew it, and I turned the key in the lock. I, being dressed for the street, needed to put on no other clothing, and. my husband seizing his hat we were about to go downstairs when we heard the door below open and. looking down the staircase, saw three officers of police enter. Doubtless I and my gnard had been shadowed. The bouse was built in a block, walls at the sides, open front and rear. We rushed to a bedroom at the rear, locked the door, made a rope of the bedclothing and let ourselves down to the ground. Running through the back yard to an alley. I turned and looked back. The police were at tbe window through whifeh we had escaped. In another minute we were walking with apparent unconcern on a crowded street

MUST HAVE BROKEN EVERY BONE.