The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-09-29
SIBERIAN HORRORS.
Experiences Of n Chicago Pedae- Sue FIX
lied to siberia and Compelled 10 Work
In the Mines.

Experiences Of n Chicago Pedae sue Ex
lied to siberia and Compelled 10 Work
In the Mines.
Occupying humble furnished lodgings
in one of the large buildings in the heart
of the city, and earning a moderate
income as a teacher of music and Ian
guages, is an old man, counting by years,
though his eye is SO bright, his frame so
robust, and his step so firm that a stran
ger meeting him for the first time would
never suspect that he had passed mid
die life But he comes of hardy race
the Swiss-and was nurtured in the
ife-giving atmosphere of the Alps. In
his youth he had constitution of iron,
else he could not have survived the suf-
ferings and privations which have been
his lot.
The assassination of the Gear was an
event which had the effect of loosening
his tongue, and during a discussion of
the causes of the tragedy he narrated an
interesting incident Of his life.
"What good can ever come Of an as
sassination ?"
ASSASSINATION Well, it is an un-
pleasant word, I admit, but it means
nothing more than bloodshed, and what
great reform was ever accomplished
without bloodshed It cost rivers of
blood to emancipate the slaves of Amer
ica"
"True, in that case, but the serfs of
Russia were liberated without the sacri-
Gce of single life"
do you think the people of Russia
are free to-day? No. They can not be
bought and sold like merchandise, but
they are slaves all the same. They be-
long body and soul to the Gar, whom
they call the Father, and he can dispose
of them as he sees fit. You have heard
of Siberia. Is man free when, without
just cause and without trial, he may be
banished to that place Why, even q
foreigner loses mis- freedom the moment
he sets his foot on Russian soil. Do you
| think all exiles are Russian subjects +?
No. I, a Swiss, was in Siberia p
You in Siberia? An exile ?"
eyes"
elbow could that happen p
81 will tell you, because it will show
you how great is the power of the Gear
and how defens eless are the people. Ny
case is one in thousands, and my suffer
lngs nothing as compared to those which
| many exiles endured
''I was soldier in my youth, and
served in many parts of the world. In
my last engagement I was severely
wounded. 1t is nothing now, but for a
time 1 was incapacitated for active mill
tary service. I had always had taste
for music, and had received a good mu-
seal education. When I retired from
the.army, therefore, sought to support
myself by teaching ST. Petersburg
seemed to present good field, SO I went
there. I was well supplied with letters
of introduction, which procured for me
the influence of some of the most i'm
portant personages in Russia, and had
no difficulty in obtaining pupils Of high
rank. At first taught music only, but
soon found that could materially add
to my income by teaching the English,
French and Italian languages, of which
I had thorough knowledge Within q
year I was well established and had
laid by little money. I had every rea-
son to congratulate myself upon my po.
sition.
"But an evil day came. It was sit.
ting alone in my little library one even.
ing when two agents of the police en-.
tered and placed me under arrest
For what cause?"
"For what cause? That was the
question 1 myself asked, but it was
many long day before it was answered
The police would tell me nothing. They
simply hurried me off to prison. Nc
formal charge was preferred against me
there was no trial, but in two weeks
was on the way to Siberia. 1t was win
ter, and the journey was terrible one
Think of it Thousands of miles in ar
open sledge! I was taken to the Ouk
boul mine, and there in the dark, breath
ing poisonous exhalations, / worked
with convicts of the lowest class, while
guard, armed with whip, stood ready
to lash us if we relaxed our efforts. This
lasted for six months. I could not have
stood it much longer. Already my
my strength was beginning to fail, al
though when I entered the mine wat
as strong as three men. determined
to escape, but before had decided how
or when, was transferred to Trkoutsk
The government was building roads ant
needed laborers. Is was hard work IL
the burning sun, but child's play as com.
pared to the mine. After while they
found was an engineer, and that they
could make better use of my head than
of my hands. From that time my stu
alton was much pleasanter.
"One day found an opportunity te
escape. It was in winter-my second
winter in Siberia. A courier was to bt
sent to the Gear. He was going in 6
sledge, and was to be accompanied part
of the way by guide. 1 had made
good use of my time in the engineering
department, and knew the route from
Irkoutsk to the frontier as well MS il
could be learned from maps. resolved
if possible, to take the place of the
guide. Fortune favored me. The courier