RUSSIAN PRISONER IN CHAINS

Evening Star, Issue 14497, 23 February 1911, Page 7

RUSSIAN PRISONER IN CHAINS

BOLD BID FOR LIBERTY. A most pitiful oiroumstance associated with the ship Finland, now at Victor Harbor (South Australia) loading wheat, is a chained prisoner who is awaiting his trial for alleged attempted murder. The man is carefully tied by the legs and hands, and is brought on deck in the day time for exercise heavily chained. Now and again he is allowed to movo along the deck, and being able to speak English fluently he engages in conversation with visitors. Tho prisoner receives many littlo presents in the way of cigarettes, cigars, and so on. On Wednesday, tho Bth inst., howover, ho made a bold bid for liberty. Tho man's feet aro bound by an iron rope which is used on board, but with great care and cunning he slowly unwound it strand by strand with tho assistance of a nail, probably picked up on deck. Some think he may have received this from visitors, but it is unlikely. 1 Having freed his legs, tho Russian waited an opportunity to mako good his liberty. Ho chose a time when tho men were at bresJifast. His hands wore closely ironed. He escaped from the ship and hurried down tho jetty. Ho made his way up a path leading to the harbormaster's house, and eventually reached tho mainland. Meanwhilo his escape had been noticed by those on tho Finland. Those on the island who met tho runaway promptly evaded him. No ono was willing to risk a personal interview. Sailors from the ship, howover, caught the prisoner and took him back. It is regrettable that some international arrangement cannot be mado whereby cases so offensive to British taste may bo dealt with. As it is, the Russian must wait for months for his trial.