Sixteen years in Siberia

F ESCAPE-THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SHOW

wife; and so well did she play it as even to soften the heart of the Public Prosecutor, who witnessed this moving scene of meeting between such a young and loving pair. He left us alone for a moment, and only when the first emotional greetings were over did he warn us that we must speak German; but his

th seem able to speak German quite w

ances like mine, he wants to speak freely. We cannot talk of family affairs in German. But," I continued, "if you insist about 31this, though

t being in any way bound to do so, yet if the professor chose to do us such a favour, we might then be permitted to speak Russian. Of

said Herr von Berg. So he and Frau Bulìgin

photograph (which of course strongly resembled that sent from Freiburg by the police), and asking where I was. From this my friends concluded that the Russian Government was already on my track; they feared that if my imprisonment lasted much longer my real identity would certainly be discovered, and they therefore begged me to try and effect my escape. We talked over every chance, and tried to work out a plan, Professor Thun taking the warmest interest, and making many suggestions. But, as I said before, absolutely no plans w

but whenever we laughed he smiled indulgently, as if amused at us. I cannot imagine what would have been the feelings of this painfully correct and stern old gentleman if he had

k Russian, and asked him how soon he thought I should be released. I think he told her that he believed the case would be concluded in a few days, mentioning the date. In

r. The sight of Frau Bulìgin had aroused keen longings for liberty; fancy painted joyful pictures, my thoughts dwelt on my friends and my work. Mentally I lived through many scenes of welcome, and saw our circle setting to work with redoubled energy at our "League for the Em

ke on a certain May morning with this thought in my mind, and instantly

Prosecutor," said the warde

his word. Strange that the judge has been so quick in pronouncing his dec

; beside him was a young clerk, and the ta

ment was to be given on your case. Before I inform you of the verdict, I mus

Bulìgin, of Mos

aloud in dry, business-like tones a communication, apparently emanating from some Moscow official,

ay to this?" asked

ere trembling; but I pulled myself together at 34once, and be

of communications with the Russian Government was justified, and it was now a fight fo

their rooms. Their houses are watched, and everyone who visits them is seized. Whole families are persecuted in this way, and think themselves lucky if they get off at last after untold annoyance. Quite innocent people are often in prison for months. When I came from democratic Switzerland to constitutional Germany, with no intention of contravening German law, little did I expect to meet with an experience which shows me that, at any rate as regards foreigners, there is not much to choose between Germany and Russia in some of their dealings. I find to my cost that without any legal formalities the police may arrest and imprison w

n Russia, (though not in Germany,) would have started their usual game in the town whence I really come. My people would have been subjected to annoyance; my brothers and sisters, who share my views, would perhaps have been found possessed

"that you are Bulìgin, but that you do not come from Mosc

for the reasons

said Herr von Berg, an

Emperor of Russia, through their representative in the dominions of His Highness the Grand Duke of Baden, demand the extradition of both the aforesaid persons. And at the same time His Majesty's Government consider themselves bound to draw the

decades have passed since that moment, it seems present to me this day.

he dry question of the Public Prosecutor

ous effort I c

was induced in this way to deliver up a certain Katz, who was then immediately exiled to Siberia by 'administrative methods,' as is said in Russia, that is, without any judicial process. Evidently they are doing just the same in my case. The best proof of this lies in this document itself. You see there that the Government not only demands the extradition of Deutsch, but also of Stefanòvitch, although the latter was long ago arrested in Russia and sent t

ered. Following the Russian Government's warning as to my having often broken out of prison before (as a matter of fact I had done so twice),[18] a special warder was now posted at my door, with instructions not to s

escription of Russian judicial proceedings; and he then continued, "It is possible that an injustice is being done you in ascribing to you the crime spoken of in the communication of the Russian Government, and I am prepared to assist you in defending yourself. You mu

some opportunity of escape. So I gratefully accepted the Public Prosecutor's offer, and begged him to let me have an opportunity of consultation with my lawyer and the official translator, as I myself had no acquaintance with 38the forms of German law. Meanwhile, I said, I could tell him at once how I hoped to prove I was

request lay with the Minister of Justice, to whom he

w what was going on. Now, however, things went faster than I cared for. The next day I was again called before the Public Prosecutor. This time, with Herr von Berg, his clerk, an

"I am the Deputy Public Prosecutor in the Petersburg Court of Appeal. My name is Bogdanòvitch, an

the pleasure of knowing you," I answered quietly. And

is Deutsch," said Bogdanòvitch,

re that I am

ogdanòvitch," said Herr von Berg

are 39giving the Russian Government another opp

people to Siberia," sa

ard of the judicial murder of an innocent boy, the student Rozòvsky, which took place there. Perhaps you were concerned in the case. He was hanged, in s

said Bogdanòvitch, smiling at the Public Prosecuto

ag, and take part in your legislation; but according to the views of a Russian law-officer, and of the Russ

Prosecutor from the Petersburg Appeal Courts rather imposing. From time to time his glance rested on the glittering order worn by the official; in addressing the Russian his voice took on an affability hith

ment of your country in the most lurid colours. But whatever 40you may think of it, it is to that Gover

inly!" Bogdanòvitch h

thought, and my brain was always busy with plans of rescue. I counted on the time that must necessarily be absorbed in making out the terms of my extradition, and concocted a long letter of conspiracy to my friends, hoping t

at you shall be brought before a regular tribunal, and only prosecuted on the count of the Gori

ed me that I was to start for Russia that very day. As I left him I remarked th

nder; "it would be a contravention of the

ith, as it was now hardly likely to be of any use, and would be hard to conceal; so I broke it in two and threw it down the waste-pipe of the closet. The other things I managed to secrete in such a manner that I should be able to avail myself of them if I had occasion on the journey. The warder at the cell-door never let me out of his sight; yet I managed to hide them in my clothes so that there was a chance of their escaping the searchers. All this was l

sked myself; and the answer was dev