Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1860-10-27
Carl Schurz.

A writer in the Easton Penn. J
Times, Of the 8th inst. gives an interes-
ting sketch Of the life of Carl Schurz.
He was born 80 years ago, in Boon,
Oh the Rhine, IN the Plussian domin-
ions. In l649 he joined the Constitu :
tlonal army, and sharing in its reverses,
was sentenced to death for high trea-
son. For three days and nights. after
the Prussians had entered Rastadt. he
lay concealed in q shed, on a beam or
rafter, just wide enough to conceal his
person from the eyes Of those who
stood below. A guard Of some kind
was stationed i'll the very house to
which this she'd belonged and every
night the soldiers assembled on the
floor beneath his hiding place, and
danced to the music Of the trumpet.
On the fourth night a heavy shower of
raiu gave him the first opportunity to
escape, and he jumped from the roof
upon chicken coop, which broke down
under him with a loud crash, though
without attracting the notice Of the
sentry who was, or ought to have
been only a few yards off. By the
assistance Of his friends he reached a
sewer, and thus attained the outside
Of the Notifications. Even here there
was a sentry, but, by following closely
behind him as he walked by, he man
aged to gain cover before the sentry
turned on his beat. He made his way
to Paris, and remained a considerable
time, in the vain hope of favorable
turn in the affairs Of bis native country.
In little book published by the chiet
spy of Bonaparte's police, he received
honorable mention as E'the most auda-
cious and the most adroit' Of the ex-
lies, who, while constantly active,
could never be ensnared into any act
furnishing any pretext even to the
liberal consie nee of q Bonaparte fol-
his tradition. At this time tn public
opinion Of Germany was much aroused
by the cowardly vengeance wreaked by
the Prussjan Government Oh Godfrey
Klnkel, toWnsmen Of Schurz'st a pro
fessor, who had joined the Constitu-
tlonal movement at the same time
with himself. This man, poet, OF
delicate frame, highly educated, and
accustomed to all the refinements Of
life, was imprison ed at Spandau, TWEEN
ty miles from 3 erin, dressed as con-
Wet, his hair cropped short, and forced
to work at wool carding, and to room
and mess with felons. Schurz, having
determined to rescue him, repair ed to
London, collected the means, and made
the arrangements. With a forged pass
port he travel led direct to Berlin, left
his papers with the police over night,
obtained q riSo for some other town the
next morning, and instead of proceed
ing, took lodgings in a boarding house.
There he remained for six weeks, going
to Spandau every day, and returning,
late at night, when the poIicemrn was
always SO obliging as to unlock the
door to his boarding house. All the
arrangements having been completed,
he CARED OF, Kinkel in q coach one
rainy night, together with his keeper.
Relays Of horses were in readiness
from station to station until they reach
ed the sea shore, where they were re-
ceived by piIot-boat stationed to re
ceive them. They landed at Hull of
Yarmouth long before the Government
had the most remote idea of the prison.
er,s whereabouts. Coming to this
country i'll 1851, he registered himself
as law student at Philadelphia, and
sojourned there a number Of years oc-
cupying his time, almost exclusively
with the study Of his country, its ma
terial and social condition, its history,
its institutions, and its future. Inl854
hesremoved to WatertowE, Wisconsin,
and entered into the practice Of the
law in Milwaukee.