The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-09-30
SIBERIAN HORRORS.

SIBERIAN HORRORS.
Experiences of n Chicago E'~daEoEuc Ex
He'd 40 Siberia nsd Compelled to WcT d
tn the Mines
Occupying humble furnished lodgings
in one of the large buildings in the heart
of the city, and earning a moderate
income as teacher of music and lam
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-aud was nurtured in the
life-giving atmosphere of the Alps. In
his youth he had a constitution of iron,
else he could not have survived the suf-
terings and privations which have been
his lot
The assassination of the Gar 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 o.
Assassination Well, it is an I'M
pleasant word, L admit, but it means
nothing more than bloodshed, and what
great reform was ever accomplish q
without bloOdshed 1t cost rivers Of
blood TO emancipate the slaves Of Amer
ica.
True, in that case, but the serfs of
RussIa We're liberated without the sacri-
tee 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 Car, whom
they call the Father, and he can dispose
of them as he sees fit. You have heard
of Siberia. Is a man free when, without
Just cause and without trial, he may be
banlshed to that place Why, even
foreigner loses mis- freedom the moment
he sets his foot on Russian soil. Do You
think all exiles are Russian subjects
No. l, Swiss, was in Siberia %
You in Siberia? An exile?"
"Yes."
How could that happen ?"
81 will tell You, because il will show
you how great is the power of the Gar
and how defenseless are the people. Ny
case Is one in thousands, and my suffer
lngs nothing as compared TO those which
many exiles endured
81 was n soldier in nv youth. and
served in many parts of the world. In
my last engagement L was severely
wounded. 1t Is nothing now, but for a
time was incapacitated for active mill
tary service. L had always had a taste
for music, and had received a good mu-
seal education. When | retired from
the army, therefore, sought to support
myself by teaching. st. Petersburg
seemed to present good field, so went
there. 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
L had thorough knowledge. Within
year L was well established and had
laid by little money. L had every rea-
son to congratulate myself upon my po-
sition.
"But an evil day came. 1t 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 / myself asked, but it was
many a long day before il was answered.
The police would tell me nothing. They
simply hurried me off to prison. No
formal charge was preferred against me,
there was no trial, but in two weeks l
was on the way to Siberia. 1t was win
ter, and the journey was terrible one.
Think of it Thousands of miles in an
open sledge / was taken to the Ouk-
1,r1lr nd int fha 1orlr h
ing poisonous exhalations, L worked
with convicts of the lowest class, while
q guard, armed with n whip, stood ready
TO lash us if we relaxed our efforts. This
lasted for six months. / could not have
stood it much longer. Already my
my strength was beginning to fail, al
though when / entered the mine was
as strong as three men. / determined
to escape, but before had decided how
or when, was transferred to Irkoutsk.
The government was building roads and
needed laborers. It was hard work in
the burning sun, but child play as COM
pared to the mine. After q while they
found 1 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.
Zone day / found an opportunity to
escape. It was in winter-my second
winter in Siberia. A courier was to be
sent to the Gar He was going in a
sledge, and was to be accompanied part
of the way by a guide. 1 had made
good use of my time in the engineering
department., and knew the route from
Irkoutsk to the frontier as well as it
could be learned from maps. resolved,
if possible, to take the place of the
guide. Fortune favored me. The courier
was to start early in the morning. The
night before, 1 found the guide, piled
him with brandy, and left him in q
drunken stupor. Before daybreak re-
turned and aroused him. He was still
intoxicated and very thirsty. A few
more drinks of brandy suficed to again
stupefy him. Then 1 took his clothes,
his horse and his sledge, went for the
courier, and in an hour we had lef
Irkoutsk far behind us. The courier
suspected nothing. He had never seer
the real guide, and had therefore no rea
son to suppose / was an impostor.
accompanied him as far as Omsk, wher,
he procured another guide and anothel
vehicle You may be sure was no
sorry TO part with him, for ct every post
ing house since we left Irkoutsk has
expected arrest. / felt that l would b,