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Peter "Lordly" Verigin - Doukhobor Leader Arrives
Manitoba Morning Free Press
On December
15, 1902, Peter "Lordly" Verigin arrived in Canada to assume leadership
of the Doukhobors after spending nearly 16 years in exile in Siberia. The
following article, reproduced from the Manitoba Morning Free Press
(Tuesday, December 23, 1902), details his arrival in Winnipeg, Manitoba
en route to the Doukhobor colonies near Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
Peter
Verigin, Whose Personality Sways His People, En route to Join Them From
Siberian Exile - Is Noncommittal - Russian Brutality
Doukhobor leader
Peter "Lordly" Verigin
For
three hours before the train from the east pulled in yesterday afternoon,
a number of people patiently promenaded the platform awaiting its arrival.
One of them, a woman, has been there since early morning. She was awaiting
her brother, whom she had not seen for fifteen years. She knew nothing
of the congestion of traffic along the C.P.R. (Canadian Pacific Railway)
and so kept steadfast watch lest the train might get in before its advertised
time, determined, no matter when it arrived, that her brother should find
someone there to meet him.
When
at a little before 3 o'clock the train drew in, there alighted from one
of the front coaches a tall, quiet looking man, carrying a black leather
valise studded with nickel bosses arranged in curious design. A dark blue
gaberdine reached half way to the knees, over his trousers were fastened
close fitting, dark grey leggings, piped at the edges with black cloth.
His headgear was a black fedora. Around his neck he wore a long cord fastened
to which was a heavy silver watch and a richly chased gold pencil. Alongside
the watch pocket was a fountain pen, secured by loops of the cloth.
The
traveller was Peter Verigin, newly come to Canada after fifteen years of
Siberian exile. The woman awaiting him was his sister.
In
the crush of Christmas travel it was some time before those looking for
the new arrival could find the object of their search. Accompanied by Interpreter
Harvey, who had gone east to meet Verigin, and by Ivan Ivin, Paul Planidin
and Semeon Rieben, three Doukhobors who had been deputized by the communities
to extend the Doukhobor leader a welcome on his arrival. Verigin walked
eastward along the platform.
A
Happy Reunion
His
sister saw him, standing half a head taller than the average, and ran towards
him, followed by the other waiting Doukhobors, with joyful cries. Verigin
dropped his valise, took off his had, opened his arms and cried "Anna!"
He kissed his sister and the others and quietly walked on toward the immigration
buildings, being introduced on the way to Mr. H.P. Archer, Crerar, of Yorkton
- both of whom of Swan River Immigration Agent have been for days in the
city awaiting his coming - to Mrs. Almanopsky, who acted s interpreter,
and the Free Press representative.
On
the party's arriving at the immigration buildings, Verigin was shown the
room set apart for his use. Here he spent a little more time chatting with
his sister and friends, enquiring after his mother, who is 86 years of
age and who lives at Poterpevshie village with his sister, whose full name
is Anna Vasilievna Verigina. Then, after the baggage had been packed away
and the foregoing domestic enquiries made, the party moved downstairs to
Acting (Immigration) Commission Moffatt's office.
Mr.
Moffatt greeted Verigin warmly, welcoming him to the west in the name of
the Dominion authorities. In answer to his enquiries as to his voyage,
Verigin said it was a long journey, good but rough. He had sailed from
Liverpool after crossing Europe from Moscow to Warsaw, and thence to England.
"You'll
be glad to be in a country," said Mr. Moffatt, "where there is religious
and individual freedom". "I haven't looked around yet," answered Verigin
through an interpreter, "so I cannot yet tell whether this is a free country
or not". "You know, however," said Mr. Moffatt, "that in Canada we do not
put people in prison because of their political or religious views". "Oh
yes," answered Verigin, "I know that". "People have been looking for your
coming for a long time," said Agent Crerar. "There are 300 Doukhobors at
Yorkton station, watching every train for you. And there is one person
very anxious to see you - your mother".
Wants
to See His Mother
Verigin
had up till that time been quietly courteous and dignified: but his manner
underwent a change, becoming alertly interested. "Did you see my mother;
yes?" he asked. "When did you see her? Was she well?" Mr. Crerar satisfied
him on these points, and then Verigin asked him when the train could take
him there. "I am in a hurry to see my mother," he said. "There is no train
till tomorrow, yes?" "I would go today if I could; yes!" Then he realized
that perhaps he might be taking up too much of the commissioner's time.
"Shall I see you again, yes," he asked, "You are perhaps now too occupied?"
Anastasia
Verigin, mother of Doukhobor leader Peter "Lordly" Verigin
Being
answered on this point, Mr. Moffatt asked him concerning his visit to Ottawa.
"I couldn't talk much business," he said, "for I had not seen the Doukhobors.
Of myself I knew nothing of their troubles; only of what I heard. They
told me the people would not take up their homestead lands". "Did you hear
about the pilgrimage?" asked Mr. Crerar, "and of the action taken by the
government to prevent the pilgrims from being frozen to death?" "I had
not heard any particulars," answered Verigin. "it was in print in Russian
papers. They said that 200 people were frozen to death.
Mr.
Crerar told him that this was entirely false. Pointing to the Free Press
representative, who was the only newspaper man present at the interview,
Mr. Crerar told Verigin that he had accompanied the pilgrims throughout
their wanderings, and personally knew of all the facts in connection therewith.
"Is that so, yes?" said Verigin. "I shall have much to ask him".
Verigin's
Personality
Throughout
the interview Verigin said little, only speaking in reply to questions,
and allowing the others to do the talking. His manner was marked with a
natural courtesy and simple dignity that would single him out for notice
anywhere. His voice is low, and of singular sweetness. Physically, Verigin
is a splendid type of his race. Tall and strongly built, and of erect and
graceful carriage, he would attract attention among hundreds of good looking
men. His features are regular and his skin of an olive pallor. His hair
and beard, which is luxuriant, are black as jet. His eyes are dark and
thoughtful, and his whole expression that of a man who has suffered much,
and has triumphed over everything through the force of kingly courage and
constancy.
It
was evident that he would make no statement as to his future actions or
the counsel he would give the Doukhobors, who for months have been anxiously
awaiting his coming, till he had personally familiarized himself with every
phase of the situation. Mr. Moffatt, indeed, and wisely, did not attempt
to draw from Verigin any statement. "You will know all about the troubles
the government has had with the Doukhobors," he said, "when you get among
them. We all hope your coming may have a very good effect. We will do anything
possible to help you. You must be tired after your long journey. And you
must be hungry. So now I'll say goodbye to you, and wish you a safe journey
to your mother tomorrow."
Verigin
listened gravely, and when this was translated, rose and shook hands with
the commissioner. "I thank you very much," said he, "I hope my coming may
be good. I hope so indeed," and so went upstairs to his room.
May
Not Stay in Canada
In
a few minutes a message was sent down to the Free Press man, asking him
to join Verigin in the latter's room. The reporter found Planidin, Rieben
and Verigin's sister busy in preparing a meal for the traveller. Verigin
sat in an armchair, and, after welcoming the newspaper man, resumed his
conversation with Mrs. Almanopsky, asking many questions as to the location
of the different Doukhobor lands and communities. Before he had concluded,
Agent Crerar came up to ascertain if Verigin would stay long in Yorkton.
Representative Doukhobors from every village in the Yorkton and Swan River
colonies were there, and the government desired to have a list compiled
of all the Doukhobors eligible for homesteads, the number of those willing
to take up land, the number of those who had already made entry and the
reasons for not making entry on the part of those who refused. Verigin
said he did not want to delay to hold any such conference at the present
time; he wanted to get to the village where his mother was. "I may not
stay in Canada," he said, "I may go back to Russia."
"Could
all these people see me tomorrow night?" he asked. But it was explained
that the train did not arrive till late. "Then let it be in two or three
weeks," he said.
The
conversation drifted to Russian topics. Mr. Crerar said that he had heard
the Tsar proposed releasing all Siberian exiles at the New Year. Verigin
laughed heartily. "You must have read that in a newspaper," said he, "what
is said in newspapers is not always true. It is only the students that
are going to be released."
His
Exiledom
The
Free Press man asked Verigin to say something concerning his life in exile.
"That would be a long story," he said. "If I could talk English I should
much like to tell you. But you cannot always trust interpreters. But I
was sent to exile from the Caucasus for five years; when that was passed
I was sentenced for another five years, and when that, too, had gone, I
was given yet another five years. When I was allowed to go free I wanted
to go to the Caucasus to see my wife and son, but the government would
not allow me, nor would they allow them to come to see me. They might have
come to Canada with the Doukhobors four years ago, but they would not because
it would take them further from me, and I do not know whether the government
will give them passports to come to Canada, and perhaps I shall never see
them."
As
Verigin talked of his wife his voice broke several times. He sprang up
from his chair and paced up and down the room while speaking of them, and
it was some minutes before he regained his composure.
"What
did you do while in exile?" next asked the reporter. Verigin responded,
"I toiled, ate and slept, of course. I used an axe and carpentered and
built stores. We had all to earn our own living, for the Russian government
allow nothing for the sustenance of its exiles. Many times I asked for
a trial, but it was always refused. I was never condemned by a judge, or
by due process of law, but by an "administrative order" of the government,
which enables them to detain any person objective to it".
"Are
the reports of cruelty and ill usage of the exiles, of which we sometimes
hear, true?"
Russian
Brutality
"In
what way you mean, ill use?" answered Verigin, "the exiles are sent to
a village. They have to walk all the way. If they are tired and fall behind,
they are beaten. If they try to run away they are shot. If they go outside
the village boundaries they are punished; maybe sent down the mines. In
Irkutsk there were some student exiles. They said they wanted the limits
of their walks extended, that it was ridiculous to confine them in such
a small space. Soon after they were told to march into a building. Expecting
to hear a reply to their request they went. The building was surrounded
by soldiers. They fired a volley, wounding many of the students and killing
two.
At
Moscow, Verigin saw Count Tolstoy, who was rejoiced at his release. "I
wonder if the government hasn't made a mistake," he said, "you'd better
get to Canada soon for they may change their minds and give you another
five years."
By
this time Verigin's sister and the others had completed their preparations
for the meal. The kettle was set on the white table cloth - woven by the
Doukhobor women - (it was spotlessly clean and did not soil it in the least)
to use as a samovar. Bread with Cross & Blackwell's jam were the staples.
Loaf sugar was poured out on a plate and eaten as a relish. Verigin cut
a lemon in thin slices and poured tea, inviting the Free Press representative
to join him at his meal. During the progress of the repast, Verigin chatted
with perfect ease on general topics. He said he wanted to take a walk around
the city (of Winnipeg) that evening as his Doukhobor friends had often
written to him of its marvels. He looked with some surprise at the electric
light, when it was turned on, but merely remarked, "I am seeing new things
all the time."
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