The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-10-07
SIBERIAN HORRORS.

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
gr1ages, 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 a hardy race
the Swlss-and was nurtured in the
life-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 p
ASSASSINATION Well, it is an un-
pleasant word, admit, but it means
nothing more than bloodshed, and what
great reform was ever accomplished
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-
Ace 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 Gear, whom
they call the Father, and he can dispose
OF them as he sees fit. You have heard
Of Siberia. Is q man free when, without
just cause and without trial, he may be
banished to that place Why, even a
foreigner loses his freedom the moment
he sets his foot on Russian soil. Do you
think all exiles are Russian subjects ?
No. ], Swiss, was in Siberia p
You III Siberia? An exile?"
eyes"
How could that happenP"
." will tell you, because it will show
you how great is the power of the Gear
and how defenaeless are the people. Ny
case is one in thousands, and my suffer
ings nothing as compared to those which
many exiles endured.
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.
C For what cause?"
For what cause? That was the
question / myself asked, but it was
many long day before it was answered.
Sc was soldier in my youth, and
served in many parts Of the world. In
my last engagement / was severely
wounded. 1t is nothing now, but for q
time l was incapacitated for active mill
tary service. ] had always had taste
for music, and had received q good mu-
seal education. When / retired from
the army, therefore, L sought to support
myself 10y 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 inn
portant personages in Russia, and I 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
. 4AatNN a. hllONlGuRG. w lLllQ a
year / was we'll established and had
laid by u Little money l had every rea-
son tocongratulate myself upon my POI
sitiOn.
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. Tt was win
ter, end the journey was a terrible one.
Think of it Thousands Of miles in an
open sled9e / was taken to the Ouk-
boul mine, and there in the dark, breath
ing poisonous eXhalations, [ worked
with convicts of the lowest class, while
q 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 / entered the mine [ was
as strong rs three men. i determined
TO escape but before had decided how
or when, / was transferred to Irkoutsk.
The government was building roads and
needed laborers. 1t was hard work in
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 to
escape, It was in winter--my second
winterin Siberia. A courier was to be
sent to the Gar. He was going in
sledge, and was to be accompanied part
of the way by guide I had made
good use of my time in the engineering
department., and knew the route from
lrkoutsk to the frontier as we'll ;ss it
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, | found the guide, piled
him with brandy, and left him ir.
drunken stupor. Before daybreak I re-
intoxicated and very thirsty. A few
more drinks of brandy sufficed 10 again
stup2fy him. Then I took his clothes,
his horse and his sledee, went for the
courier, and in an hour we had left
lrkoutsk far behind us. The courier
suspected nothing. Hehad never seen
the real guide, and had therefore no rea-
son to suppose was an impostor.
accompanied him as far as Omsk, where
he procured another guide and another
vehicle. You may be sure was not
sorry to part with him. for at every post.
ing house since we left Irkoutsk I had
expected arrest. I felt that I would be
safer without him. There was one diff
Guilty, however. / had very little money
scarcely enough to keep me in food
until I should reach the frontier. But for
tune agaiufavoreame. Amerchant bound
for Perm, required a conveyance and a
ouide and as professed to know the coun-
try he employed me. 1t would take too
long to tell you all the incidents of the
Journey. We arrived at Perm, not with
out some difficulty, to be sure (fol was
very uncertain of the route and was
well paid for my services. From Perm
proceeded alone, and although / was
without passports or papers of any kind,
managed to complete my journey.
II shall never forget the day I ar
rived in ST.. Petersburg. It was still
winter, and was pennlless, hungry and
in rags, but was happy. Ihad formed
the intention of presenting myself at
the Swiss consulate. and claimino Aha