The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-31
Ilchmuller's Fate.
A New Yorker Executed In sIherIA.-NIns
Years Of EAile:-TriAl by a Military

hNtnue. Tic was energetic and enter
prising, and soon did considerable bust
ness. He accumulated in three or four
years about $4,000 and in 1860 hG be.
came citizen of the United States. He
married n young actress named Leah
Rebecca ThHnnheimer, who was ut
tNched to the Stadt Theatre on the
BOwery, and was respected by MI her
acquaintance. In 1862 Eichmuller be-
came homesick, and returned with his
wife to his native city in Poland, where
he purchased aninterestina large livery
stable and horse dealing establishment.
In tho following year the Polish iusur-
rection Of 1868 broke out, and among
the numerous persons who were arrested
IN Warsaw as accompliccs OF the revolu.
tionnry leaders was Ignatius Eichmul-
Ter. In the dead OF night on the 18th
Of February, 1868, he was dragged from
his bed, and, amid tho henrtrending
lamentations Of his young wife, taken
in irons to the citadel. Next morning
hc was taken before tho military tribu.
nal and asked whether or not he had ut
tended tho clandestine meetings OF the
conspirators. He denied it strenuously,
and did not wnyer in his statements
even when the Court ordered the lash to
DO applied to him. He manfully bore
the sixty lashcs that were inflicted upon
him by stalwArt Cossack, and, when on
the following day he was confronted
with police spy who pretended to have
seen him among the conspirators, he
told the man to his face that he was
either mistaken or wilful liar. Not
withstanding his protestations OF inno-
Ccnce, tho court martial found him
guilty Of high treason, with cxtenuating
circumstances, md sentenced him to
transportation for life to Siberia, with
out hard labor, however, and with per-
mission to engage in what business he
pleased at the place of residence tho
Government would assign to him in its
vast Asiatic territory.
Eichmuller produced his American
naturalization papers and appealed for
protection to the United States Ambas-
sador ut st. Petersburg, but without
avail. So, almost with despair in his
heart, and accompanied by his faithful
young vito and two little sons, the un-
fortunate man chained to another con-
Wet, SGT out on foot on the Cd of March,
1863, for Irkutsk, where he was to reside,
subject to the surveillance OF the police.
After n long and weary march, during
which Eichmuller and his family suffer-
ed untold hardships, and during which
his youngest child died, they arrived in
the Of middle June at their place OF dcs.
tination. A log cabin was given to them
to live in, and Eichmuller was told that
he could do what he pleased, except
that he must report every day ut noon
to the military Governor OF the city,
and must be ut home at seven o'clock
in the evening, and not leave his house
after that hour under any pretext what
ever.
Being IN excellent cabinet maker,
the convict exile was not long in finding
lucrative employment. The military
Governor OF 1rkutsk at that time wns mn
intelligent and humane man, Gen.
Istevinolf, who gradually took consider
able interest in Eichmuller, and intrust-
ed him with several important Govern
ment contracts, which the Israelite FILL
| cNl " lllb tutllG HWtlpANGlluu1 4Hub
Eichmuller lived nine years Mt Irkutsk,
and in 1872 he had accumulated con
siderable fortune. He applied for n
pardon to the Emperor Alexander H.,
and Gen. Istevinotf, his patron, promi-
sed to intercede warmly in his behalf.
Unfortunately for Eichmuller, the Gem
eral died very suddenly on the I'd OF
April in that year, and his successor,
Gen. Senelnikoif, tho new Governor OF
Irkutsk, was widely different man.
He treated tho Polish exiles with the
utmost hurshness, and caused several
OF them to be cruelty logged for slight
infractions Of the regulations, which
had never been enforced under his pre-
decessor. Eichmuller had at that time
n contract for the carpenter work on the
new theatre then in course OF construc-
ton, and one evening in November last
he came to the official residence of the
Governor in order 10 complain of the
dishonesty o, some Of tho Government
officials who had to furnish him with
lumber. Gen. Senelnikoff, upon seeing
the Jew, flew into passion. I'm
clean scoundrel, how dare you to be
out after the usual hour Of the night ?"
he called out to him in voice OF thun-
der.
Eichmuller wanted to explain, bat
the Governor not only refused to listen
to him, but, scizing very heavy cane,
began to belabor him numerically with
il. He dealt him several terrible blows
in the face, and Eichmullcr, stung by
the pain and the brutality OF the pun.
ishment, snatchcd the cane from the
hand of the General, and, breaking it
in several pieces, flung them in his face.
Uttering howl Of rage Mt this uncx-
pected resistance, Sonelnikoir ring his
bell. Two Cossacks made their appear.
ance, and Mt n hint from the tyrant
dragged the victim of his cruelty to
prison. Next day Senclnikoff telegraph.
cd his version OF the occurrence to tho
Minister Of War for instructions. He
wanted TO know whether lie was to pun.
iSh the offendorns matter OF discipline,
or whether he was 10 have him tried by
II military commission. The Govern
ment instructed him to persue the lat.
ter course, and on the the Ith Of De-
cember, Eichmuller, who had been
treated in prison with the utmost rigor,
and whose food, despite the inclcmency
Of the weather, had consisted exclusive.
~ of bread and water, wRs placed be.
fore n military commission composed
Of four army officers OF low grade. The
proceedings listed only an hour, at the
end of which the prisoner was found
guilty and sentenced to suffer death Mt
daybreak on the following morning.
The unfortunate man threw himself in
IN agony Of terror and despair on his
lNnae al t,,.,,1n,n1 L. l., -.