The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-03-05
In SIBERIAN EXILE.
An American Citizen Doomed to a
Lifelong Imprisonment.


Wisconsin, is pressing before the
Department of State at Washington
most singular case-the release OF
an American citizen of German
birth, now, a prisoner in the Russian
iron mines of Siberia. Mr.. Deuster
has taken an earnest interest in the
case, as he was personally acquain-
ted with the prisoner in Milwaukee,
where both resided and knows many
of the circumstances connected with
the romantic affair. 1t seems from
the papers which Mr.. Duester has
laid before the Department of State,
that Franz Spiegel was born IL Ger
many, and came to this country in
1850, being then fourteen years of age
His parents settled in Milwaukee
and young Franz was placed in the
Badger Iron Works to learn the
boiler-making trade. From the out
set the boy took a deep interest in
his work, and soon became most
skilful workman. His great hobby
was sheet iron and its manufacture,
and the fact that the United States
was so far behind Russia in this
branch Of industry worried Franz
terribly. Mr.. Cummings, the pro
prietOr of the iron works, says he
never saw a young man SO complete
amOnOmaniac on any subject as
Franz was on that of sheet iron and
he often said in the shop that within
ten years he would solve the great
Russian secret or die in the attempt.
His comrades who liked Franz very
much, tried to turn his mind from
the subject, but without avail. In
1856 he left the Badger Iron Works.
He had saved up some little money,
and when he left he told his shop
mates they might say what they
pleased.and think what they pleased,
he was going to Russia, and he was
going to learn the Russian secret of
making sheet-iron before he came
back. He also asked Mr.. Cummings
if he, Franz, learned this secret, and
could make the iron here as well as
they aid in Russia, if Mr.. G. would
furnish the capital to establish the
manufacture of the iron in Milwau-
kee. Mr.. Cummings, after endeav-
oring in every way to turn Franz s
mind from his appar ,ntly foolish
project, 4sSanted, and Franz went
away seemingly very happy. At the
time Franz Spiegel left Milwaukee
he was
ENGAGED TO A YOUNG GIRL
OF German parentape. in that CITY.
For three years the lady nor any
body else heard word from Franz,
and then came letter from the adj
venturer. 1t detailed his trials and
sufferings in Russia; how he had
toiled and worked. and even begged
to sustain life. He had failed to &C
complish his end. Che manufacture
or Sheet-iron was in the hands of
the Russian Government, and the
workmen are all life prisoners. Once
they entered the terrible mine they
never left it until death released
them; and the secret was so we'll
kept that it seemed unfathomable.
Franz did not know whether he
should succeed or not, but he was
as firmly determined as ever to push
his work to the end, even to death,
or what was even worse, life in
the terrible Siberian mines, stared
him in the face. He said that he
had brought all his wits to work,
but they had failed him. There was
now nothing for him to do but to
simply join party of life prisoners
going to the mines, get into the
works as a prisoner, and remain I'M
til he learned the deeply hidden Sc
cret,and trust to luck to escape with
his great prize. He babe the
girl wait and hope and pray for him,
and not give may to despair.
Within the ten years that he had
promised he would have the great
secret and be on his way to Milwau-
kee, and then there would be wealth
for their enjoyment. This
was sad blow to all the hopes of
the yOnng girl. She could see that
the chances were strongly against
any such plan as Franz proposed
succeeding, aud she wrote him, beg
ying and praying that he give up
his worse than foolish scheme and
,ome home. He was skilled work
nan, and could make his fortune
mere. She never heard from Franz
again, and within five years worried
herself to death for her lover. To
he last she insisted that Franz was
PRISONER IN THE SIBERIAN
MINES
And suffering all the tortures that |
he worst task-masters could infiict. |
t is believed by Franz's relatives
md friends in Milwaukee that he |
lad, in his wild efforts, died. In
Iuiries were made through Official |
;ircleS, but nothing was heard from
he young man, and he and his
Wild scheme dropped from the mem
Try Of all. Something like three
rears ago there came strange ru-
nor about Franz Spiegel. How it
vas set on foot nobody could tell. 1t
vas that Franz had carried out his
'roject after everything else had
ailed-had mixed up with a PARTY
# political prisoners on their way
o the mines to serve for life,and was
hen in the mines, but unable to es
ape. The rumor was thought to be
he overlooking Of some imaginative
rain.But following the rumor came
line from Franz himself, saying
L l.