The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-09-30
SIBERIAN HORRORS.
Experience of n Chicago Pedagogue-Ex
lied To siberia and Compelled tn Work
an the Mines.

He'd Ia Stberta ana Sompeiieo IN W Ork
an 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 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 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, L admit, but it means
nothing more than bloodshed, and what
great reform was ever accomplish d
without bloodshed? 1t cost rivers of
blood to emancipate the slaves of Amer
lea. :"
''True, in that case, but the serfs of
Russia were liberated without the sacri-
flee of a 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 Dody 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
foreigner loses his freedom the moment
he sets his foot on Russian soil. Do you
think all exiles are Russian subjects
No. L, a Swiss, was in Siberia p
You in Siberia? An exile?"
eyes"
How could that happen
81 will tell you, because it will show
you how great is the power of the Gar
and how defenseless are the people. My
case is one in thousands, and my suffer
inSs nothing as compared to those which
many exiles endured.
81 was soldier in my youth. and
served i'll many parts of the world. In
my last engagement L was severely
wounded. 1t is nothing now, but for
time l was incapacitated for active mill
tary service. / had always had a taste
for music, and had received good mu-
seal education. When | retired from
the army, therefore, L 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 1 had
no difficulty in obtaining l'upils of high
rank. At first l taught usic only, but
soon found that could materially add
to my income by teaching the English,
French and Italian languages, of which
1 had a thorough knowledge. Within
year L was well established and had
laid by little money. 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 l myself asked, but il was
many long day before it 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 i
was on the way to Siberia. 1t was win
ter. and the journey was q terrible one.
Think of it Thousands of miles in an
open sledge I was taken to the Ouk-
bouI mine, and there in the dark, breath
ing poisonous exhalations, L worked
with convicts of the lowest class, while
guard, armed with a 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 1 was
as strong as three men. / determined
to escape, but before I had decided how
or when, L was transferred to Irkoutsk.
The government was building roads and
needed laborers. It was hard work in
the burning sun, but childs 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.
Zone day found an opportunity to
escape. 1t 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 guide. L had made
good use of my time in the engineering
department, and knew the route from
Irkoutsk to the frontier as well Is 1t
could be learned from maps. Iresolved,
If possible, to take the place of the
guide. Fortune favored me. The courier
was tc start early in the morning. The
night before, L found the guide, piled
him with brandy, and left him in a
drunken stupor. Before daybreak re-
turned and aroused him, He was still
intoxicated and very thirsty. A few
more drinks of brandy sufficed to again
stupefy him. Then took his clothes,
his horse and his sledge. went for the