WAR- CHRONICLE

een made by the Embassies in question, the German Government
set its prisoners at liberty, while the corresponding German gentlemen
were only released after 5 weeks and very strong reminders.
The officials suffered dreadfully owing to the suppression of
all news from home, only being made acquainted with the lies
circulated by the Russian Press, which added to their torture.
Added to all this, they had the dreadful fate of the other civilian
prisoners constantly before their eyes, who in as far as they had
no private means, were sent to the most desolate parts of Russia
without food or sufficient clothing, and there exposed to a slow
and cruel death.
Some of the prison officials, who were particularly vicious,
hinted to the prisoners that their release was near, so as to enjoy
watching their disappointment. For instance, the captain of the
railway gendarmerie station in Petersburg congratulated Consul
Hâring on his arrival from Ufa, on his having regained his freedom
and sent him, accompanied by a police officer (as he said) to the
Finnish railway station, for which drive he demanded 4 rubels,
but in reality it was to the prison in the Schpalernaja that he was
sent, where he was detained for a further 6 weeks without any
explanation.
The conduct of the officials was especially devilish in the case
of Vice-Consul Ehrt, whose wife was not allowed to see him. They
demanded of her to write to him, that her condition and that of
her three boys and little daughter was desperate, he should tell the
authorities what had passed in the Consulate latterly, the Imperial
Bank would then place a large sum to his credit, but in case of a
refusal he was to be shot within 24 hours.
Families were separated on principle. Frau Fischer was im»
prisoned in the Petersburg female prison and then one day, devoid
of her belongings, money and papers, simply set on the street,
where she aimlessly wandered about, until by a lucky chance, she
was found by her husband.
Consul Schônstedt in Saratow was treated with exceptional
cruelty, although he had been in hospital seriously ill for several
months before the declaration of war. With several other gentlemen
he was dragged about to different incredibly filthy prisons,
where they had to sleep on wooden benches, or on the ground
until finally sent off to Orenburg. Although he experienced great
difficulties in walking, he was not allowed to keep his stick. Here
Schônstedt together with three of his colleagues was confined in a
room furnished with wooden benches, which they were only allowed
to leave three times in three weeks, so as to go and bathe *. They
were then brought to the Gouvernement prison and confined in a
small room, which was quite dark, owing to its sole window being
* The four Consuls were obliged to go on foot to the baths, marching
through the town, accompanied by 6 soldiers with fixed bayonets.
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