RUSSIAN PRISONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2080, 15 May 1907, Page 1

RUSSIAN PRISONS.

| The stories that have been published from time to time regarding the torture of political prisoners in Riga are confirmed by a young Lett, who has recently escaped from prison, and who lias related his experience to the London Tribune. Criminals, he deolaj-ed, have been tortured for years in Riga,the practice reaching its highest point when Ivoschko was Chief of the Secret Police. He used a “flogging wheel,” and began in April, 1905, to flog political prisoners. When the Czar’s manifesto was published, however, he fled from Riga, fearing assassination. He is now one of the Court Police in St. Petersburg. One barbarity, related the escapee, consisted in allowing the prisoners nothing to oat for two days, and then giving them a salt herring without water to drink. Other tortures generally began late in the evening, and were carried through the night. The police would ask tile first prisoner whether he had anything to say; if, not, they would stop his mouth with a wet rag, and maltreat hint until he lost Consciousness. Then they flung him back into his cell, and went on with the next ‘case.’ When the first had recovered a little the jiolice would torture him again. For tho flogging the victim was laid naked on tho bench and strapped down. Tho Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department and his assistant would be present and would ask the victim if he desired to confess. If he said, “I liavo nothing to confess,” as the Tribune’s informant did,he would be flogged. The wounds anc\ bruises caused by tho flogging are bathed in salt water to increase the pain. The floor of the cells is of asphalt; each cell is small, and sometimes twentyfive or thirty persons are put in it. There is a plank bed in one corner, but most of the prisoners have to sleep on the floor, which is covered with vermin, 'flu; prisoners get twopence a flay for food, but as the warders take part of the money, and give in return only a little bread, there should he no need for other torture, A “refilled” form of persuasion is. to keep the prisoners fasting and then make them watch the officials as they enjoy a good meal. Finally the escapee declares that those prisoners who cannot be condemned to death and who are crippled through the tortures are taken to spine lonely village and there shot, and the official report, ironically truthful for once, records that they have “escaped.”