RUSSIAN PRISONER IN CHAINS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 59, 10 March 1911, Page 2

RUSSIAN PRISONER IN CHAINS.

BOLD BID FOR LIBERTY

A most pitiful circumstance 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 up by the legs and hands, and is brought on deck in the daytime for exercise, heavily chained. Now and again he is allowed to move along the deck, and being able to speak English fluently he engages in conversation with visitors. The prisoner receives many little presents in the way of cigarettes, cigars, and so on. On Wednesday, February Bth, however, lie made a bold bid for liberty. The man's feet are boimd by an iron rope which is sused on board, but with great care and cunning he slowly unwound it strand by strand with the assistance of a nail, probably picked up on deck. Some think he may have received this from visitors, but it is unlikely. Having freed his legs, the Russian Avaited an opportunity to make good his liberty. He chose a time when the men were at breakfast. His hands were closely ironed. He escaped from the ship and hurried down the jetty. ,He hade his way up a path leading to the harbormaster's house, and eventually reached the mainland. Meanwhile his escape had been noticed by those on board the Finland. Those on the island who met the runaway j promptly evaded him. No one was' willing to risk a personal interview, i Sailors from the ship, however, I caught the prisoner and took him hack. It is regrettable that some international arrangement cannot be made whereby cases so offeifeive to British taste may be dealt with. As it isj the Russian must wait for months for his trial.