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EVENING PUBLIC . LEDGER PHILADEiamiA, FRIDAY, APRIL. I, 1919
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YASHKA SURRENDERS
, TO COMMANDANT
whTherc Is Much Jubilation Over Her Capture and the
Bloodthirsty Among Them Demand Her Instant
Execution Without a Trial
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(This story told by Jfnrl Botchkarova
and translated and transcribed by I'aar Don
Levine, is puonsneu ny me r reoeru-ii a.
Stokes Company under the tltla of
yashka.")
THIS STARTS THE STORY
In the summer of 1917 Maria
Botchkareva formed tho Battalion
of Death, a woman's fighting unit In
Russian army, ami n. peasant girl
thus stepped Into the International
hall of lame. This is her story. In
earlier Installments she told of the
hardships of her childhood, of the
brutalities of her married life and of
her wish to become a soldier. Sho
'told of battles fought and won and
of the demoralization of tho Russian
army following the overthrow of tho
Czar. It was to shame tho men into
action that the battalion was formed.
It was only partially successful.
When tho soldiers forced the women
to disband at last Hotchkarcva re
turned to her home. Some few
months later alio was summoned to
Tetrograd by officers dissatisfied with
tho way the government was being
run and she goes on a dangerous
mission to Kornllov. Sho is making
her return at the opening of the
present Installment.
AND HERE IT CONTINUES
DAT was breaking, but it was still
dark in tho woods. I nipt a soldier,
who greeted me. I answered gruflly
nnrt ho nnssfxf'nn. ovldrntlv taking me am innocent. I am Just a sick woman
for a comrade. A lltt.o later I en-l.t-cu atspr.ng.
countered two or three other soldiers, ,ere jg u ,etter from n frienj of mine,
but again passed them without being I my former adjutant, inviting me to
suspected. I pulled out my direct I come to the Caucasus. Surely you
ticket to Kislovodsk and the letter ! -Hoturder , -.ck :
from Princess Tatuyeva. These werei,he sake of mv foriorn parents."
my two chief reliances. After walking Several of the Red Guards present
for almost twenty versts I came in) cut short my pleadings with angry
view of the station at Zvereo. A de- "'."
clsion had to be adopted without delay.
.Loitering would surely land me in
tho head of tho investigation commit
tee, who was acting as chief In the
absence of tho commandant. Again
everybody emitted ejaculations of sur
prise at my unexpected appearance.
"Aro you Botchkareva?" tho young
fellow inquired, showing me to a seat,
I was pale, weak and travel-worn and
sank into the chair thankfully. Look
ing at tho chief, hope kindled In my
breast. He had a noble, winning face.
"Yes, I am Botchkareva," I nil
swered. "I am going to Kislovodsk,
to euro my wound In the spine, and I
lost my way."
"What has come oor you? Are
you In your senses? Wo are preparing
for an offensive against Kornllov Just
now How could you ever take this
route at this time? Didn't you know
that jour appearance hpie would mean
your certain death?" the young man
asked, greatly agitated over my fatal
blunder.
"Why," he continued, "I just had a
telephone call telling that a woman
spy had crossed from Kornllov's side
early this morning. They are looking
for her now You see the quandary
Into which jou have fallen!"
The youthful chief was apparently
inclined toward me. I thought it
worth trying to win him over com
pletely. "But I came mjself," I broke out In
tears, nunctuating them with sobs. "I
trouble, I considered, and so I made up
my mind to go straight .to the station,
"announce my identity, claim that I had
lost my way and surrender myself
When I opened the door of the sta
tion, filled with Red Guards, and ap
peared on the threshold the men
gaped at me as it I wero an appari
tion. "Botchkareva!" they gasped.
Without stopDlng to near them I
walked up to the first soldier, with my
legs trembling and my heait in my
mouth, and said:
"Where Is the commandant?
me to the commandant!"
He looked at me hastily, but obeyed
the order and led me to an oflice, also
packed with Red Guards, where a
young chap, not more than nineteen
or twenty, was introduced to me as
Kill her! What Is tho use of let
ting her talk! Kill her, and there
will he one slut less in the world!"
"Now wait a minute!" the acting
commandant interrupted. "Sho has
come to us of her own volition and is
not one of tho officers that are oppos
ing us. There will be an Investigation
first and we will ascertain whether sho
is guilty or Innocent. If she be guilty,
we will shoot her "
The words of the chairman of the
investigation committee gave me cour
age. One could seo that he was an
educated, humane chap. Subsequently
I learned that he was a university stu-
Take dent. His name was Ivan Ivanovitch
Petrukhln.
As he was still discoursing a man
dashed in like a whirlwind, puffing,
perspiring, but rubbing his hands in
satisfaction.
"Ah, I Just finished a good job! Fif
teen of them, all ofllccrsl Tho boys
got them llko that," and ho bowed and
mado a sign across tho legs. "Tho
first volley peppered their legs and
throw them in a heap on tho ground.
Then they wero bayoneted and slashed
to pieces. Ho, ho, ho! Thero wero
five others captured with them, cadets.
They tried to escape and the good fel
lows gouged their eyca out!"
I was petrified. Tho newcomer wns
of mlddlo height, heavily built nnd
dressed In nn officer's unirorm, but
without tho epaulets. Ho looked
savage, and his hideous laughter
sent .shudders up my spine. Tho
bloodthirsty brute! Kvcn l'etrukhln's
faco grew palo nt his entrance. He
was no less a person than tho assist
ant to the commander-in-chief of the
Bolshevik army. His name was Pu-
gatchov.
Ho did not notice mo at first, so
absoibcd wns he in tho story of tho
slaughter of tho fifteen officers.
"And here wo have a celebrity,"
Petrukhln said, pointing at me.
The assistant commander mado a
step forward in military fashion,
stared at me for an Instant and then
cried out In a terrifying voice:.
"Botchkareva!"'
He was besjdp himself with Joy.
"Ho, ho, ho!" ho laughed diaboli
cally. "Under the old roglme I would
hao gotten an award of the first class
for capturing such a spy! I will run
out and tell tho soldiers and sailors the
good news. "The will know how to
take care of her. Ho. ho. ho!"
J arose thunder-struck. I wanted
to say something, but was speechless.
Petrukhln wns deeply horrified, too.
Ho ran after l'ugatchov, seized him bj'
tho arm and shouted'
"What is the matter' Have you gone
Insane? Madame Botchkareva came
hero herself. Nnhodv captured her.
She Is going to Kislovodsk for a cure.
Sho Is a sick woman. She claims that
sho lost her way Anyhow, sho never
fought against us. She returned home
after we took over the power."
"Ah, jou don't know her!" exclaimed
Pugatchov. "She is a Kornilovka, the
right hand of Kornllov"
"Well, wo are not icleaslng her, arc
wo'" parried Petrukhln. "I am going
to call the committee together and
havo an investigation of her story
made."
"An Investigation!" scoffed Pugat
chov. "And If you don't find any evi
dence against her, will you let her
go? You don't know her? Sho Is
a dangerous character! How could wo
afford to save her'' I wouldn't even
waste bullets on her I would call the
men and they would make a fine kasha
of her I"
Ho mado a motion toward tha dt.or,
Petrukhln held on to him.
"But consider she is a sick woman!"
he pleaded. "What Is tho Investi
gation committee for Jf not to Investi
gate beforo punishing? Lot tho com
mittee look Into tho matter and take
whatever action It considers best."
At this point tho commandant of
the station arrived. He supported
Petrukhln. "You can's net like that In
fcuch a case," ho said; "this is clearly
a matter for tho Investigation com
mittee. If she is found guilty we will
execute her."
Petrukhln went to summon the
members of tho Investigation com
mittee, who were nil, twelve in num
ber, common soldiers. As soon as ho
broached tho news to each Juror, ho
later told me, the man became threat
ening, talking of the good fortune that
brlught mo Into their hands. But Pe
trukhln argued with each of them in
my favor, as ho was convinced of the
genuineness of my alibi, In such a
manner ho won somo of them over to
my Bide,
Meanwhllo l'ugatchov paced the
room llko it caged Hon, thirsting for
my blood.
(CON'TIXUKD TOMORROW)
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