IN A RUSSIAN PRISON.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1234, 16 September 1911, Page 11

IN A RUSSIAN PRISON.

Lurid statements have been circulated as to tho possible fato of Miss Malecka, and dark hints of forturc havo been made. As a matter of fact' life in a Russian for-tress-prison, as a rule, is said to be by no means as bad as it is sometimes painted. A correspondent, writing to Ihe "Manchester Guardian," says that friends _ of his who wel-e imprisoned in a Russian fortress, were kept in not unhealthy rooms, allowed a short time for pxerciso every day, and were permitted to have books from the library. One of (hem, Nicholas Tchaikowsky, spent his time in writing a treatise on the advantages of chemical manures, with a view to giving some guidance to peasant farmers. Another "political" learnt English while in prison.

But Miss Malecka is a delicate and nervous woman (adds the correspondent), and the solitariness of prison life is telling on her health. I hear from a friend in Warsaw that slie is suffering from sleeplessness and neuralgia. She is, however, kindly treated, and is allowed to order food from outside at her own expense. It would lx> a mistake, however, to imagine that torture never takes place in Russian prisons. It is not part of tho Russian prison system, and is, indeed, forbidden by law, but it may easily become systematic in any prison. ■ Some yeaTs ago the governor of "a Siberian prison .was tried for torturing the prisoners under his charge in the most diabolical fashion. lie was finally condemned for undue laxness. Tho verdict, as far as it wont, was just. lie had allowed the prisoners unlimited vodka and cigarettes. Ho had Jet them receive visitors and even put up friends in their cells for (lie night 'Concerts and private theatricals had been encouraged. Rather naturally, tho prisoners got out of hand. Thereupon tho kind governor became a fiend and flogged and tortured right and left.