The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-02-16
Story of a Missouri School Master
A FORMER RUSSIAN OFFICER AND ESCAPED
CONVICT FROM SIBERIA.

CONVICT FROM SIBERIA.
The Kansas City Times tells the roman
I tic history of gentleman who is now
teaching modern languages in one of the
schools of .hat city:
Captain Van Atowitz was an officer
IN the Russian army in the Crimea. He
was a gentleman of noble family, iesid-
ing ia he Province of Aerouetz in South
erI Russia, and in the routine Of his
duties was sent to Sebasropol, and there
became attached to the staff OF the Prince
GorUschakoff, and regular staff
duty when he fell into trouble. The de
tails @: the t,ouble which sent him into
exile were not obtainable, but this much
/ is known: A brother off GER committed
breach Of discipline. breach OF disci-
! pline in the Russian army is serious
matter, even in time of peace. This Of
| Tending officer, WHO was "a captain IN the
+ Imperial army. was court martialed for his
! INSTRUMENTATION and sentenced to the mines
| Of Siberia for life. To be sent to that ice
/ bound region and to be sentenced to work
! III the subterrauean mines Is a fate worse
/ than death. So. when the offending off
Ger received his sentence fer otfense his
| brother officers did not deem serious, they
| murmured and complained. and finally ten
OF a dozen of the officers, of the Imperial
/
/ their condemned companion t. escape. He
escaped aud made his way to Galaty, in
| the province of Wailachia and from thence
| to Constantiuople. whence lie is supposed
tn have made his way H. England Prince
/ Corr schakuff had each aud all nf the ten or
twelve officers implicated in the escape of
| the Condemned captain arrested, aud they
were tried by couI t-partial, and each
ceived the same sentence as that of the
man hey assisted to escape banishment for
| life TO Siberia aud twelve years hard labor
/ in the copper mines they were each strip
| ped of their uniforms aud their property
! contiscated :,y the crown and sent con
vets TO Touiosk, in Siberia, where they
/ were held for lime prior TO thCil final as
signment to d lie labor.
But, fortunately, Captain Atowitz had a
! grandfather who WAS occupying Il very
! high position upon the Russian beuch-a
! sort of Supreme Judge--iu one of the pro
! vinces. This old gentleman had friends
| i'll Siberia who assisted line IN transfer
ring money to his doomed grandson, so
tina: it could be used to advantage. OF
course judges in America cannot Ge cor
| iupted, hut siberia is another country. So
when the exile received notification at
the fortress of Narm to be ready to make
| his escape when the opportunity offered,
lie did not forget the notification. The
| opportunity was soon presented, and all
u
! len of the party were afterwards recap
tureU and shot, two Of them escaped. One
of these is the Captain AIowirz now in this
city The story of his escape Is material
sufficient for volume. He made his way
southward TO the Uial River and from
thence across to the Noiga, aud dumesti-
Gated for time among tile CCsSacks. In
due time, after many narrow escapes from
identification aud carture, he mace his
tl,sA
a living. But the two tyrannical autocrats
had Ia force a law which required the turn
ing over or surrender of all political re-
fugees, so the Russian officer was obliged to
move He came to America and entered
the United States service and received q
commission in the Seventh New York Vol
uuteers, and served during the war. AT
the close of the war he went to Rochester,
n. Y, and went into business. 1t was
there lie met and became acquainted With
| Professor Greenwood. the present Superin.
teudeut of the Public Schools of Kansas
City. Rut desire to return to his native
land, aud j. possible recover portion ot
his couiiscaied estate, or its revenue, in
duced him to return To Europe. He went
I to Paris and there received sume assistance
from lis pareuts-his grand mother came
to reside in Paris; but discovery al
any will being rendered to the escaped exile
would result III the cUntiscatiun of his
grand parents estate, lie WAS obliged fC
leave again. In all this time he has la
I bored assiduously for pardon but til,
! Gar turns his face against any overture.
for pardon of an escaped exile frs'm Siberia
In despair of obtaining pardon, the fugi
= tive exile returned to America, and "A few
e months ago took up his abode in Kansas
j | City. His former acquaintance with Pro
D fessor Greenwood, superintendent of on
D public schools. has aided him somewhat il
a Obtaining pupi.s IN severa! class e. oilaneua
ges. He is close student, aud has uearl,
$ perfected a work entitled ''Ten Years Ex
rerieuce in America" He hopes to toe abl,
e to enlist Tie aid cf the Gland Duke Alexi
: in eifor. for pardon and a restoration o
y the confi~cated estate of his family. Blu
: whether he Sr,cceeds fails in his efforts
B, ! he will make n good American cit izen. ais,
e will be welcome among the people Of Tn
II go ahead uew West.
!, ANTIQUITY OF CHEEsE.-Cheese AM