.. C . si "t . .,, , i c
in ff lt2V
1 i
mm v in.;
!
II II IE IE 31 II Ml IB I II 1 C
' i y n 1 1 j . ii ir
V?IrJr' . AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. ; '"?XlSr
Vol. VII. New Bloomfleld, PaM Tuesday, November 18, 1873. IVo. 4G.
II PUBLISHED BVKHT TUESDAY MOHNIMO, BT
, FRANK MORTIMER & CO.,
At New Bloomfleld, Perry Co., 1'a.
Being provided with Steam Tower, and large
Cylinder and Job-Presses, we are prepared
to do all kinds of Job-Printing tu
good style and at Low friues.
ADVERTISING 11ATK8I
TrantteuiH Cents per Hno for one Insertion
18 . '. . ' , ' two insertions
; , I 15 .'..' ' three insertions
Business Notices In Local Column 10 Cents
per line.
.For longer yearly adv'ts terms will be given
upon application. ' ' .
MY ADVENTURES IN RUSSIA.
riIHE French and English detectives
1 bave -always hud the fame of "being
the keenest and shrewdest officials in that
lino of business, but the oldest Bow street
ofliclaJ, or the keenest Parisian man-hunter,
is a more apprentice compared with a
majority of 'the,, spies encountered in
Russia. !)'!. -.!.').!:
.These. . Russian spies are- everywhere in
Russia, and are sometimes met with out
side of the couutry. Without doubt, all are
in the pay of the czar, directly or indirect
ly, ' for it Is only in his Interest that they
labor. .. Bad the . people no czar, there
would be no need of spies. ' Having a czar,
who has been led to believe that his posi
tion , is safe only so- long as the ' millions
stand in awe and fear, ho rules with a hand
of iron, and his greatest' cause of anxiety
is the foar that his rule is too lenient.
' A wealthy , citizen, emyloyhig, ten ser
vants,! realizes from the start that be has
ten spies in the house.' ' Each, servant
stands ready to pick up and turn over every
word and action of his master and mis
tress, and if he secures the slightest foun
dation for a case, he will hie himself to the
official) nod give them .notice. If the
words do not warrant an arrest, they are
written out, the date " is entered, and they
are filedj away to cbmo up as proof if tho
accused is over brought up on any other
charge.,. Tin informer' is rewarded with a
word of praise, a small piece of money, or
secures the promise of a regular position
as government spy as- eAA a ft' vacanoy
occurs.. And the ten servants are no less
interested in spying each other. One would
think that mutual grievances would unite
them against the common - enemy whose
yoke Uioy bear, . but, the poutnary JsAhe
rule." Every servant in this couutry is at
liberty to criticize the president, congress,
or . any. other official or body, and to talk
politics, national , finance, pr whatever be
wishes, but no Russian servant talks of
such .biugs more than once, , , uidcsa Jie
halts at every other word to put in, " God
bless our wise czar there is no ruler like
him And ,cvt 4hm It i: iC safe ;
brought before tho officials, they would
give him to understand that tho less a ser
vant hod to say about the government the
better for hira. . . . -,
.; IJ'MVV'1,' '(
JNo one landing on the shores of , Russia
is exempt from the operations of the spy
system. The American, ' Englishman, or
any other tourist or official, Is watched and
dogged from the moment bo lands until
the very moment of his departure. In the
case of the American, English Biid French
ministers, the espionage Is not bold enough
to allow of detection, but it is nevertheless
strictly maintained. Not many years ago,
an American minister who resigned his
position called upon a government official
for some books of record which he bud
loaned. t Similarity of size and binding
led him to carry away a book whose con
tent ' amazed and enraged him. lie did
not open it until on his way to America, or
he might have created a diplomatic moss
Commencing with the moment of his ar
rival, the book contained his name, ago,
height, gait, dress, and followed bis every
movement through eight hundred and
seventy-one days and nights,.,, The follow
ing samples serve to show the nature of the
eKpiOIUtge t .!'.
, "June KM. American minister walked
out in the morning'; , wrote ft little In the
afternoon ; read a book in the evening,' en
titled, ChrjUiUi Work in ludUf" wotired
tit ten. , , . '' "f
" June th. American, minister rose af
ight, light breakfast ; shaved himself,
walked out; wrote some ; talked some with
lis secretary ovci hauled some books.
"June Vlth. American minister rose at
he usual hour, complained of headache;
Walked out before breakfast; he, has a
rotlier in New York and a sister in Bos
ton ; the sister has four children, and her
husband is a merchant ; minister wrote
most nil day ; wroto a letter to his brother;
he thinks Russia a dreary country."
In these three extracts were facts which
the minister would have sworn wore never
obtained from himself or staff. He did not
believe that a single person on that side of
the world knew how many children his
sister had, or could know what he had
written to his brother, but tho officials had
recorded exact facts. The matter was
brought to the attention of his successor,
and to that of the English and the French
minister, and though their statements and
protestations were courteously treated, the
espionage was undoubtedly maintained.
It seems to be the theory of all Russian
officials that all foreigners have a contempt
for the czar, and will endeavor to incite
rebellion, and bo they become enemies the
moment they land, and are looked' upon
and dogged about as such. Not that the
Russians are lacking in politeness or cour
tesy ; on the contrary, they are only ex
celled in these qualities by the - Frenoh.
The government spy who wrought my
downfall could not have been more friendly
courteous had I , been officially granted
the freedom of Russia in a gold box. Ser
vants are polite to masters, masters are
courteous to servants servants are courte
ous to each other, and yet each ono is
watched with the vigilance of the lynx,'
A number of years ago an uncle of mine
from political merit or political wire-pulling,
was appointed minister to Russia.
There was a consul at Cronsdadt, 1 and
when I asked that my relative should niako
his profit my profit, I was sent to Cronsdadt,
as a sort of second fiddle to the regularly
appointed consul a place undoubtedly as
high as my merits entitled me to till. ' The
oonsul, a Mr. Morrow,' cordially welcomed
me, and informed me that neither of us
would have much work outside of sending
off ' the slim reports and 'drawing salary.
The information pleased mo, strange as it
may seem. - I have noticed that almost
every: one 'employed by Undo Bam en
deavors to do as little as he can ' and to gat
as much pay as possible ; and it may be
said that the old chap never offers any in
ducement for one to do contrary by increas
ing the salaries of the vigilant and indus
trious, and cutting down those of. the idle
and shiftless. However, this bit of old
news was intended as a preface to explain
the statement that I had a good deal of
time ou my bauds after the first day. Mr.
Morrow had been there so long that Crons
dadt had nothing new for him'. He had
grown fat and lazy, and he read or slept a
good deal of the time while I was dashing
abouti" ! . ' ""' ' '"' '"
I want to give you a little advice," 'lie
said, on the second day ' of my arrival.
" Be careful what you say ; every word will
be' picked up and treasured, and spies wilt
dog your every step; Bay nothing about
the government one way or the other, and
praise everything you see." " ' " '
u And who is the czar that he should bo
above criticism ? I replied, indignantly. '
: "My dear young' man," continued Mr.
Morrow; lowering his voico, 1 "there is no
one in sight,' and certainly no one In this
room but you and I, yet It Is not certain
that ' your expression ' will not be recorded
at police headquarters within half An
hour 1" , .M'..:l'. t
, I saw that the man was. anxious and
frightened,, and felt a little sorry for my
rash words. Calling , me over to liira he
took down a book, and while pretending to
point out certain things on the page, he
whisperod words of warning, and related
the case of an American named Warner,
who disappeared from Cronsdadt throe
years before in a very mysterious manner.
after having uttered a less rebellious ex
pression than mine, I was sobered. for the
moment, but, unluckily fur me, was not
born a diplomat,,, and before the day was
over I felt as Independent as before. ,
What I then regarded as a very fuitunute
thing, . I found out after u while to be an
unlucky matter, I could epoak the Russian
language very well, having berthed with a
Russian sailor all through a whaling voy
age.' There were some idioms which I
could not get over, and some long words
which I could not pronounce, but I could
take a part in common' conversation ' on
almost any subjeot. 11 ' ' '
" Butter not let on that you know a word
of their lingo," com limed the consul.
'! You can go all over the city, make your
purchases and do any 1 kind of business
without a word of Russian. If it is known
that you speak tho tongue, tho spies will
suspect, you of having learned it for some '
evil purpose." i .
I decided to adopt tho advice until I
found it advantageous to let out the secret,
but it was betrayed in a manner least ex
pected. Mr. Morrow had advised me to
employ a guide in my first day's ramble
around the city, and one stood at the door
as I stepped out. ' ' '
" Which way go?" he asked, in broken
English.
" Down among the shipping," I replied
caring more for the sight of a big ship than
for any spire or tower. '
" I wish you would speak Russian," he
said, in his native tongue, as we started off.
" I can use only a few English words, and
you speak Russian well." ..
"I no understand," I replied, after the
first shock of surprise. "
" Beg pardon, but you speak our lan
guage well," he oontinucd. "You were at
St. Petersburg two weoks, and you used
tho tongue every day."
" You must be mistaken ; you probably
refer to my uncle." '
"I am not mistaken," he went on.
' For Instance, three blocks from the hotel
down street, at noon on the third day of
your arrival, you asked tho man who keeps
the little shop with red doors if he had any
chewing ' tobacco, and you' purchased a
pound 1" '''" ' ' ' ' ' ' ",'
I made no : reply,' owing to my surprise,
and ho continued : ' "' ' ' !
" At the hotel you asked the clerk in
Russian what ' time tlie train started, and
you used the tougue in many other, in
stances. I see' no reason why you shoujd
deny it."
. , .. .' "j i i; .. I 'i. '
Nor I," I replied, in Russiau, laughing.
" But I'd like , to know how you ; collected
your information ?",.;,,. ; . i -i ;
... He pretended not to have - beard the
query, aud Idld not press him. We went
down to the quay, wandered among tho
shipping; and it was half a day beforo I re
turned to my quartersv If the counsel had
warned me on the setting out that the man
was a spy as well as a guide, it would have
saved me much -peril and aflliotlon in days
to come. As I did not so regard the man,
he worked into my oonfldence without my
knowing it. A young man of twenty cannot
be expected to exorcise ' the prudence- and
discretion of his father, though he should
know . enough to look at a trap before
walking into it. The fellow ' was a great
flatterer, and he soft-soaped me neatly and
beautifully. He soon '. knew what I had
come for, bow long I intended to stay, the
standing of ray relatives, and such bthcr
information as he wanted. ' ' ' ' ' '
' On tho other hahd, he told me a': great
deal of news about himsolf, and gave mo
much information in regard to the manners
and Customs of the people. 1 Iu a word)
that was the ploasantest ; day I 'passed in
Russia. The spy, whose name was Vlitchy,
did not once speak of the government,' and
I could hot 'remember ' tbat I let fall any
imprudent expression except when " I was
speaking of the condition of some', very
poor and lowly people encountered on the
i-' ".. ';.;,..,.
" "They are a miserable set, not' knowing
enough to write their names or to read a
printed ukase," explained Vlitchy, as ' we
stood looking at a group.' ' '
"Born in slavery, thoy have bad no op.
portunity.te' educate themselves," I replied.
"There is not that chance in Russia for the
poor ' which is bold out iu America.-
Wherever you find kings, there look, for
ignorance and vice." ' .
The fellow shrugged his shoulders and
laughed, and he remembered my words to
my cost. The same guide attended me
next day, and thou I found lilm a great
politician. He sharply criticized the czar's
financial plans and most of his laws, aud
seemed well pleased whon J, agreed with
him iu his criticisms. , Not until I had
been pumped dry did Mr, Morrow say c
" Dear me ! I forgot to caution you about
saying anything before the guide; ho is
said to be the keenest government spy iu
Cronsdadt,".., , . , , ,. ., ,, - . .. r
The arrow had been launched, howtver,
and I could not take back what I had said.
I did not soe the man again for a week,
but on the fourth day of ,,iny stay in the
city I saw some one else. Mr. Morrow was
ailing at homo, aud .1 was in the office
writing letters to friends iu America, when
a Russian softly entered and saluted.
"Does the' gentleman ' intend leaving
Cronsdadt to-morrow ?" he asked after ho
had seated himself. " ' ' ' '
"Not that I am aware of," 1 replied.
" When I get ready to go, I shall know I'm
going at least a day beforehand." '
" I think I would go If I were the gen
tloman," lie continued: ' "The people aud
the country are distasteful to you." '
"I've seen cleaner people than Russians,
Willi, IIMIIII.mi. 9U W I .'.WW I
and better weather than this," was my re
ply," "but I have no thought of parting
company just yet. I'll send you round
word if you are anxious."
I had no idea who he was, nor did I care.
His insinuating way annoyed me, and I
forgot that I was in Russia. He frowned a
little over the words, and then, as ho rose
to go, he asked :
"Then the gentleman wont go to-mor
row?"
" Not if I know what I am about," I re
pliud ; and he bowed himself out.
That evening, when Morrow came over,
I related the incident, and he began to
sweat before I was half through.
"You will have to go," he said ; "the
caller was a police official, and you have
been saying something against the govern
ment. What is worse, you insulted him."
" Suppose I don't go?"
" I don't know what would be the conse
quence," he replied. " Your position here
as a representative of the American gov
ernment saves you , from wrest and sont
tenco, but they will dog and annoy you
until your patience is exhausted, and you
will loavo Cronsdadt iu order , to secure
peace." , . , ,
Ten years more of experience would have
beeu a good thing for me just then, but as
I did not bave it, I 'repiied that I would
cure them of seeking to annoy me, and
soon forgot Morrow's advice. He was not
sick, but had indications of typhoid fever,
and during the next week stuck ,by bis
house and left all the business to me. The
very next morning after the call of tho
police 6(licial another man frora the same
department was admitted, no sat down
And waited until I ', had sealed up some
letters, and then he asked, with a pleasant
smile: """ ' : ''J'",' ':' '
"pid the gentleman intend leaving
Cronsdadt to-morrow?,' ,' ' '
"No, I did not. Why do you'ask ?" I
replied, not yet understanding what he was
coining at..!
" I was so iu formed by a police official,"
he said with a very low bow.. , . , . ,
' "Will you do me a great favor?" I
asked, now seeing tho drift, aijd as mad as
a hornet.' , . 1
" With pleasure," ho replied.",'"
"Then tell that police official aud all
other police officials to go to Texas 1"
" Wbore is Texas ?" he innocently asked.
' " Perhaps you will understand better if
I give you another name," I replied: ' And
I mentioned a certain mythical location
which gave him a sudden start. , "
' "Ah I all I O I" lie exclaimed,' putting on
his hat; and he loft tho room without
another word. ' ' "' ' " ''
' It is natural enough tfiat when ' Ameri
cans aro abroad they should regard their
own as the most powerful nation in the
world. They think that the mere pronun
ciation of the word "Amorican" ought to
make 1 everybody stand back-, ' including
princes and kings. ' I thought so then.
The American flag hung at the door, a steel
engraving of the reigning president was
on tho wall, nnd I felt that ' Uncle Sam
would speedily avengo any Insult thrown
at mb,' his representative abroad. ' Feoling
thus, I did not repent of what I had said,
not even when Morrow lamented, and bis
wife seemed strangely anxious. '
That evening, in whispered words, the
lady gave me such information about the
spy system as has been givei above.; .' She
had resided in the country nearly , four
years, and knew, partly from experience,
of, what she asserted. During the first
month of her arrival she paid no heed to
what her tongue aid about the strange
manners and was waited on ouo ,day and
frightened nearly to death by a police offi
cial, who asked her such questions, as I had
been asked. One of her female servants, the
one who had played the part of informer,
left her service, a day or two after tho visit,
and being arrested for theft, discredit; was
thrown upou her ' former statement, aud
Mrs. Morrow was not aunoyed again. " It
was worse than a hermit's life, the one they
led there. Where one has to weigh every
vVoid and guard every look, it is about as
well to see no faces aud hear no voices..
The counsel and his wife were frequently
invited out and , went, but they never took
any pleasure in going. ',',' ,
. " Siberia" ' is a word .which a Russian
scarcely ever mentions, above a. whisper. .
The knout or capital punishment has no!
such tenor for him as a sentence to that
sterile drcarv country., Wben a prisoner,
goes to Siberia, lie or she goes for, life.
. There are rare .Instances w hero royal
pardon has been granted, or an escape
elfoctod, but thine is uo foundation to build
hope on. " It, is not quite so bad as slavery,
after ono gets there, but its main features
are horrible enough. A man is torn from
his family, allowed no time to settle his
business or say a farewell word, and is on
the road almost before his wife has heard
of bis arrest. If ho lives to reach Siberia
be must settle on a spot indicated, and
marry some femalo prisoner; and report
himself to the local authorities just so
often. Old ties are broken, new ones
formed, and any hope of pardon which he
may have foolishly entertained soon dies
out. '
Trial are mere farces in Russia,' where
tho prisoners aro charged with an offence)
against the government. In the case of a
noblo, he might be allowed a lawyer and
given some show to clear himself, but the
common man would bo granted no privi
leges. I saw an instance of this during my
second week at Cronsdadt. I had my at
tention attracted one day to a curious cane
which a laboring man was carryingand
took a sharper look ' at tho man himself
than I should otherwise have given. Half
an hour after be had passed me he came
back in charge of a policeman, handcuffed
and weeping. '
"You have been' speaking treason !" I
heard the officer saying. "
" I only said that the pay of the soldiers
was too small and our taxes too high 1" re
plied the man.' ' " ' '' "'"! ''"
But be had said enough. He was taken
before some " government official, ordered
to stand up, and was ' Sent to prison ' for a
long term.' The ' statement of the police
official was not even supported by an out
sider,' but it was all that was needed. " ' ' '
The poor Poles are the worse sufferers.
They are ' singled "out, and' annoyed, and
dogged, until they must quit the place or
give utterance to some word which can be
taken as a pretext to send them to Siberia.
Mrs. MorroW hnd one in her employ for a
short time. : She was a tidy active woman,
and knowing that her personal safety de
pended upon her silence, she seldom spoke
of anything out side of her work. " The
woman had never seen a photograph, and
her astonishment was great : when Mrs.
Morrow allowed hor to'inspect her ' album
one day. She had in ' hor box a' sketch
portrait of her grandfatlior, an officer of tho
Polish army who had given the Russians
cause to bate him. The officer7 had ' been
dead twenty years, within three hours after
exhibiting tho sketch the girl was ' attested
on charge of entertaining treasonable senti
ments. The sketch was seized and destroy
ed, and the' girl disappeared fronr Crons
dadt, either sent to prison or Siberia.
There Is anotlior matter which goes far
towards compelling the pcopl&'tb submit to
the iron' rule of the emperor, and to bave '
h due regard of what they say. lii most
cases, any witness who came forward and
attempted to swear the prisoner free Would
be looked upon as an accomplice, and the
sentence of the one would be the' sentence
of the other '' ' " " ' ' ' " ' '
1 Mr. Morrow was right in his' belief that
the Cronsdadt officials would give' me an
noyance, as I found out the first day I
started1 out on a walk; Continuod next
week. -''" " ''" ""'I'' "
,. , , . Lost All. ; .... "', . i !,
, An avaricious old farmer named Ilig
ginson, residing near , Toledo, ; has., bad
(11,000 in the bank for several years.
Some foolish neighbors worked upon, , tho
old roan's fears, am) be resolved to draw
out bis money. ; He took it from a real
place of safety, and took.it home, hiding it
in a bed lick, . The following night ho was
wakened from a profound slumber by a
sense of something oold pressed against his
templo,. aud opening his eyes, found three
masked men in tlio room all armed, and
one of them holding a , pocked: pistol, de
manded the money, threatening,. to blow
out his brains iu one minute in. ease of re
fusal. The old man surrendered the mon
ey, and the robbers departed in high glee.
Now the farmer wishes be ,:had left .It' in
the bank, and refuses to be comforted. n'
Such transactions will be quite common
all over the country. .Poople who have' no
use , for their money will find it much the
safest plan to leave it in the bank or loan'
it to some responsible ba-ss man. i.'.n .
EST A singular circumstance, one doubtt
less without a parallel in the history of. the
country, is recorded in ,Schuykill coinyt
111, , A man named ,H. M. Whoelor, of
Birmingham, iu that county, , enlisted , in
the United States Army in Missouri, under.
General Lyon,, in 1801 ; was wounded cap
tured, and paroled, and by some strange
oveisight was not discharged from service
until a few duy ago, when the proper pa
pers were . made out, and his back pay and
pension, amounting to near, 1 4,000, wen
paid him.