Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1893 — MORE SIBERIAN CRUELTY. [ARTICLE]

MORE SIBERIAN CRUELTY.

Horrible Story of an American Sailor—- • Eighteen Hundred Convicts YVe>;riug Ball and Chain. The Ganlic which arrived at San Francisco from China, Friday, brought A. Paradise, a sailor, who with another sailor named Wilson went ashore on tho coast of Kamschatka to fill water casks. A hurricane drove their vessel off, and tho men traveled inland,, until they were seized by Russian soldiers, and sent To Caradock as spies. Paradise tells of horrible cruelty inflicted on the prisoners there. Although Wilson and himself were roughly treated, they were not flogged as other prksoners. There were about six thousand convicts at the station,and every Wednesday those who had disobeyed the rules during tho week were given fifty lashes with the knout. A woman about to become a mother was knouted, and three hours later gave birth to a dead child. Of the six thousand convicts in camp eighteen hundred wore a ball and chain. Many men were too fceblo to walk, and were dragged along by their companions. Soldiers would prod them with bayonets to make them move more quickly. Tho convicts were fed with black bread and raw salt meat.; Finally Paradise and Wilson were taken to Vladiovstock. From there they were sent to - the Kara gold fields, a fifteen days’ journey. They suffered frightfully from hunger and fatigue. Wilson gave out and had tn tie carried in a wagon. The United .Statesship Marion arrived at Yladiov-... stock, and the commander, hearing of the fate of his counteymen, demanded theirreleaso. After some delay the inen were given up and taken to Shanghai. As soon as Paradise was able, to travel he embarked on the Gaelic for America.