The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-11-04
TILE TRIBUNE.
A STRANGE STOkY.
An Austrian Baron Found Carving a
HO0 n 9AleSburg. Ill.

A STRANGE sT0KY.
An Austrian Baron Foand Carving /,
H0d Il Galesburg, Ill.
From the Galesbsrg {IID Free Press, ~ th-l
How often has it been said and,writter
that truth is stranger than fiction ane
every day 4nrther veri6es and corropo
rates the axiom The elements OF actua
romance pervade everything around u :.
aud event and accident sometimes give
birth to occurrences and incidents TIL,
seem truly astounding. Every day mel
become poorer. With one flash of the
telegraph hundreds are ruined. and cou
sequently others become enrlcheh bu'
III no, or u pose to deal with genera
tiles and apecuiaiinns. but to narrate; a.
accurately rs possible, an event that has
startled our German citizens from their
usual propriety, and caused them even
for time to forget their church feud.
On thursday afternoon last, Colonel
Carr, the Postmaster. received heavy
sealed document at his Office, postmarked
vienna. and directed to Herr Carl
Won Vechter. Galesburg, Knox &C unity,
State of Illinois United States OF North
America. = Knowing that the massive
letter must be, of some Importance from
its crested seals and general official ap-
pearance. he dispatched Mr.. William
Post, the chef clerk of the Office, in search
of the Herr Won Vech.er Dir Post
made diligent inquiry of several, but
could not find any trace of the individual
wanted until he met with Mr.. John Lnos,
the well known saloon keeper On the east
side of the square Mr.. Loos knew a
Charley Vechter; he was working on
the new hotel building, and both walked
over there where they found Vcchter
about to ascend with had on his shoulder
When Mr. Post handed him the letter,
and he had read it, the delight OF the
hoffman knew no bonds. He threw his
hod full of b-ick away. and embraced Nr.
Loos and calling him his dearest friend.
Th.. letter contained draft for 81. 800 on
theFirst National Bank of Chicago AMI
he insisted on paying Mr.. Post $500 for
being the bearer of such joyful tidings as
the document contained, which, OF course,
Mr.. Post refused.
This morning, Herr Won Vechter. ar
rayed in suit of fashionable clothing,
and having passed through the hands of
/ he barber, called at our Office n compa
ny with Captain Henry Enrich, an at
tache of the FREE Press establishment.
No one could reconize, in the noble look
ing parsonage before US, the ex bod ear
rier; his manly and commanding appear
ance attracted general attention and re
mark, aud the ease and suavlty OF his
manner was truly remarkable. He clear
" and succinctly related to us the event
full chain Of incidents in his career. which
eventuated in has carrying hnd in Gales
burg. In the year 1857. Herr Won Vech
ter being then nineteen years old, AMI
of nobla family, entered the Austrian
army as Lieutenant, and. through .rada-
tons, in 1860 arrived at the rank of Ma
ior. In the Month of September of that
year he was grossly insulted at ieeve.
by the Colonel of his regiment. Proud
and gh-spirited, he resented the in Sult,
achallenge passed between the two officers.
They met-pistcls at ten paces-ant the
Colonel fell With greatd thculty Vechter
eludcd the authorities and escaped to
England. There he remained for a short |
time, and finding no suitable employ
mcnt he embarked for the United States, |
and on his arrival proceeded tc Chicago.
He arrived in that city on the day the |
intelligence of the fall of Fort Sumter
flashed through the country, and, his |
means being nearly exhausted, he enlisted |
in the Ninth Illinois, then being. organ
lied, The man who had worn the epan-
lette of an Austrian officer, for NOR, than
.hree years carried a muSket in the ranks
,f that battalion, and was severely woun-
led at the sanguinary battle of Plttshurr
Landing. When he was mustered out
le obtaine employment ofvarlous KIN IS,
i en- Ire NAV vi:issitlles in;, mt
o the lot Of laboring man. He feared
o write to his relatives, as the AlStrinn
Government might learn his Whereabouts
md cause his apprehension under the
eYtradltion treaty; aud so he suffered an't
toilei in silence, and finally he found
himself in Haesburg, carrying h'' on
the new hotel.
The packet he received vest erday. COT
tanned full pardon un,ler tbs sign naln
al Of the Emperor The Colonel h,
only been severely wounded, and frey
acknowledged that he alone had been IL
fault, and that the duel had been of HI
own seeking. BY the death of his unc't'
Won v inherits rich estate and the
title of Baron. Thus has the humble
hod- carrier been elevated and restored tn
his proper place, at the same time h.
lands in his native country, he will receive
his commission of Colonel in his old reg
iment.
Previous to his departure, on the go
train for Chicago, from whence he viii ~
to New York where he will embark to-
Europe-he made generous presents t.
many who had befriended him here.
CAPTAIN Enrich iuf rms u~ that a mar
rage in high life will take Mace l.; VI
emma shortly after the Baron's arriva
there.
Reader, this is an occurrence, and one
that truly demonstrates that truth l.
stranger than fiction, indeed.