Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-02
A SINGULAR HISTORY.
A Sad Life and a Tragic End

A Sad Life and n Tragic End.
From the Kalamazoo Gazette, Oct. 2l.l
In the year lS48, during the revolution
in Baden, lieutenant in the Prussian
cavalry (who was son of a Prussian
baron, and pensioned general of the
station), became enamored of girl
whose rank and station (she was an
actress) was so far beneath him that
under the conventional rules governing
the social relations of that country, he
could not marry her and hope TO retain
his family and social standing. lmpelled
by his blind infatuation, in an evil hour
he fed with her to America In New
York he had opportunity to fully realize
the unhappy consequences OF his Illicit
amour. Without money, without friends
and without influence, he soon learned
that he had done rash and foolish, not
10 say o wicked act. BE had ruined
himself. and what was still worse, had
ruiuod a trusting and cop6ding girl, whose
nassion for him was such that she had
been easily induced to accompany him
10 America, where she fondly hoped
tbere would be no social or other OBJ
stacles TO a marriage which was next to
impossible 10 her native land, but pov-
erty among strangers and foreigners
soon brought them 10 Fopble; Starva-
ton stared them in the face, The noble
man also found that, in addition tG the
displeasure of his family, he had incur
red the severe penalty which the military
law of his government inflicts upon all
soldiers Dabsent without leave." This
offense in an officer was, under the law,
nothing less than "desertion," and pun
ishable by death.
Shortly after his arrival in New York
he learned from the German papers,
which had soon followed by mail, that he
had been promptly published by the mil
itaYy AUTHORITIES Of Prussia as deserter,
and the sevsgest penalties Of the law
we're held in readiness 10 be visited upon
him should he return. Filled With re-
morse for the ruin he had brought upon
the girl, and seeing no prospect of her
escane from starvation should she remain
Win him, he, by the aid Of the Prussian
consul sent her back to her friends and
native land. lie dare not accompany
her, but hoped in nMe, and BY influences
which he Doped W V'ink ~ hSef SHiou j
his parents upon the mllltary bowels, =
be permitted to return 70 his home, per
haps to his profession of arms.
Meanwhile hunger compelled him 70
look for the means of sustenanee. By
some influence not known, in 1852 he
was led into Canada. There he applied
for employment on a railroad then in
course Of construction. The contractor
TO whom he applied was German. and
a man known in this section OF Michigan
as railroad builder. He was engaged,
and his first labor as a railroad hand was
shoveling earth.
Thus the scion Of noble house and
the officer of high rank was reduced by
his own folly to the necessity Of daily
labor for bread. But his appearance,
conversation and manners soon revealed
10 the discerning that he had had the
breeding and education of a. gentleman.
For n long time be was silent as to his
or;s;n and history and studiouslv. ever
Ia5gbt;Iv renelied Xerv attemnt to
naas.rate ,ba mvsterv IN wh;ch fe on.
Pei".-s Penss. L.. ,a,-'o. n, a,,--.e, I,ovv