The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-11-30
The Sentence Of Strousberg.

The cable announces that DIR. Strous-
berg's sentence was perpetual banish-
ment from Russia, and considering the
together with the fact that he is not a
native Of the country, we may presume,
says the New York Times, that the SEN
tence is not one that will particularly
distress him. DR.. Strousberg, who was
born at Neidenburg, Prussia, is now only
fifty-three, and there arc not many men
who have put more life into as many
years. Losing his father when boy,
he joined some uncles, who had settled
in London as commission agents, ord
soon after became member. His
family were Tsraelities. of the church OF
England. He did all in his power to
improve his education, and at an early
age became associated with some news
papers in London. When twenty five,
he came out to the United States and
gave German lessons. It might have
been supposed that he would have found
this fair field for carrying his vast con-
ceptions into execution, but this country
was not at that period the place for such
man as it was to become later. So
Strousberg, having realized some'money
by selling at a heavy profit o cargo of
damaged goods, resolved to return to
London. There he invested his money
in newspaper, and then went to Ber-
lin as agent for an insurance company.
Up to this time he had given no sign
of the magnitude of his future opera-
tions, but in 1861, having become ac-
quainted with some English capitalists,
he resolved to become railroad con
tractor, and within six years was at work
on dozen lines. His operations now
begun to assume colossal proportions
He had large factories in various place a,
ana employed at ono time over O hum
dred thousand men. He bought a
whole county in Poland, and an estate
for which he paid $4,00O,O0O, in Bo-
hemia. He had a great mansion in
London, and his house in the aristo-
cratic Wilhelmstrasse at Berlin was the
wonder of the Prussian capital. His
charities fully kept pace with his other
expenditures.
The glories Of this marvellous man
eliminated some six years ego, when q
grand fete was given in his Berlin home
to celebrate his silver wedding. Just as
the creme de la creme of London once
thronged Hudson's saloons at Albert
Gate-now the French embassy, while
Strousberg' S mansion in Berlin has been
secured for the English---so all the ce-
lebrites of Berlin focked to the million
aire of the day with their congratula-
tions. But presently came the war OF
1870, and found him up to his ears in
costly enterprises. The price of money
rose, and he had to pay rates for it
which ate up all his profits. It is now
said that if he could only have com
pleted his Bohemian iron works-the
greatest on the continent-he might
have pulled through, heavily weighted
as he was, and it was with this end in
view that he persisted in carrying On.
and thus gave dire offense to MANY OF
his creditors. There appears now to
have set in considerable sympathy for
this very gifted man, whose crime in
Russia seems to have been one in which
no cognizance would have been taken in
another Countrywide borrowing from
Moscow joint stock bank on made uuate
security, whereas the directors, who
have endeavored to make him their
scapegoat, were really the persons to
blame.
With more moderation, DIR. Strous-
berg might have been second Brassey
And here is where the latter showed
himself so remarkable. "I never" said
a friend, "saw Brassey thoroughly
wretched except ON Que occasion, when
Mrs. Brassey had set her heart on
house near Lady Palmerston's, in Plea
dilly." So hateful to him was anything
approaching to display or ostentation.
Yet at this time Brassey, paying rent
OF $4 1000 a year, was worth 1926, 1000, 900.
and conld have bought up the street.
1t may be hoped that DR.. Strousberg
may ultimately secure q solid and COM
Portable Independence after his very
sharp experience. His wife is said to
have signed away to the creditors al
most all that had been secured to her,
and sold her magnificent jewelsfor their
benefit.