"ESCAPED FROM SIBERIA."

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10504, 12 July 1910, Page 4

"ESCAPED FROM SIBERIA."

Into the short 27 years of Mr Koonin's life many startling experiences have been crowded, and Oamaru people are to-night to have the opportunity of hearing some of these experiences recounted. Mr Koonivi can give descriptions, gained by personal experience, of the tyranny and persecution which even in a land so distant as New. Zealand have created a feeling of horror. The lecturer was present at some of the massacres of the Jews which have shocked civilisation, includiing the fearful "Red Sunday." Arrested as a political prisoner, lie was condemned first to the copper ; mines of Siberia and then to. a more merciful death, but he escaped in a marvellous manner from his Siberian prison, evading the secret police of Russia, gained protection -and . safety.by . becoming a naturalised British subject. ,;Now lie is devoting,.his life to the betterment of the downtrodden and long-suffering people of his native.'land. With such a story to tell, itiis little wonder that Mr Koonin has attracted large houses to his lectures. Describing his lecture at Christchurch, the Lyttelton Times says:—"Fifteen hundred, people, sat in His Majesty's ■Theatre last evening, behind doors, that were closed' to several hundreds' of others who were unable to gain admission, and listened to Mr Koonin's story of conditions that prevail in Russia at the present time. He gave a wonderfully interesting story-of his ;arrest, imprisonment,. and escape: Hold-' ing in his right hand! a copy of. Kuropatkin's 'Terror in Russia,' "he told in unpolished' yet sincere English a. .story that was followed with keen interest throughout, and was frequently interrupted by. bursty of hearty applause."