Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-02-24
"VATIGIF A On"

A Romance OF the Pest House-An
Heir to Russian Millions on the Box
ofthe SMALLPOX Van.
From the Chicago Herald.
1t is not often that one sees the small.
pox ambulance on the street, but when
1t does come in view the disposition to
dodge around the corner is almost ire
sistible. People never have any GU
riosity to stand and look at a smallpox
van--they let It 60 its way and give it q
wide berth. 1t is because they scarcely
ever give the wagon a second look that
so few ever see the driver or notice him.
IF they did, despite their repugnanee to
his surroundings, they would be apt to
give him second look. fthey did they
with dignified bearing, sitting on the
box of the hideous vehicle, straight as
grenadier and as contented with his
surroundings as though he were toolinQ
proski on the boulrvards of Moscow.
The MISUNDERSTANDING driver of that
frightful pest.cart is an employe Of the
pest house, at $50 month, and he has
father in Russia worth $40 00O, 900 rubles,
OF course he has history, about
which he is more or less silent, but it
exists, nevertheless. His name-his
real name, TOOLS Otto Gutteknecht,
and his. father is enc Of the richest
manufacturers of refined sugar in south
ern Russia. Indeed. he has monopo-
iy Of the sugar trade H. that section of
the empire. He has immense sugar re-
fneries at several ports on the Baltic,
lives on an immense estate, employs
thousands of workmen, sails fleet OF
ships, has reared several palaces, en-
dowed Libraries, and in his long life OF
of eighty years has become one OF the
most noted men in southern Russia. He
has two children, and it is understood
Chicago's best wagon-driver is bis only
son. Otto Gutteknecht is about forty
wears of age. AS to the direct causes
which have led to his present career be
is silent, nor do the Russian officials
here, who know his family well; reveal
his secret. He will talk about his early
life, his career in the Russian army,
where he rose to the rank of captain,
his career in the university of Moscow,
and talks freely of his family, but as to
why he will not go home and reinstate
himself in his social rank he makes no
sign. That he really is what he claims
to he is proved by the fact that at the
German consurs office in this city js q
standing letter OF credit upon which he
can draw to practically an unlimited
amount, yet he very rare ly aValls him.
self of it. Once he went to the consul
and got $25, and at another time $40, but
that is all. IN his daily life he is thor
ough Bohemian. He draws his pay at
the end of the month, spends 1t in a
week, and lives the rest ofthe month no.
body knows how. He does not drink &c
excess indeed, is not intemperate IN
anything. His chief characteristic seems
to be Indifference to fate. His favorite
at his hideous calling is "Vat l gift a
d--n." So to anything that is said to
him in depreciation of his life or habits
the invariable reply comes: "Vat gil
d---n" He will handle the most horrid
case Of small pox with an Indifference
that is sublime. He will pick up the
most loathsome corpse in his great strong
arms and handle it IS tenderly as he
would sleeping infant. Wat / git
d-n" would be his only utterance. He
once lad mild attack Of yariola; but
apart from that he seems to be proof
against the dread disease.
OF what specially induced Gutteknecht
to come to Chicago, and of his immediate
career before coming here, little is
known. Louis Merki, the chief clerk OF
the health department, says he came
here about five years ago. He then lived
and travelled like gentleman. He had
between 800 and 1000 rubles about
him, and spent money like water. He
went out in the neighborhood OF May
tract of land for hunting privilege. He
hot,Ubf uyol1 do1c CAVIAR.
al blooded horses, magnificent hunting
equipment in the shape of arms, ETC.,
and, taking fellow Russian as shiftless
and eccentric as himself with him, they
went out there and lived in bachelors
quarters. That lasted until his money
was gone. Then, being either too proud
to send home for more or from some
other cause. he determined, and
as an additional eccentricty, I.
to 60 to work. lie resolved to become
an expressnlan. Selling his guns AMI
Requirements, giving away his dogs,
arc shipping his eccentric companion
tho Lord knows where, he bought AT
express wagon, got license, and put
ting his best horse to it went about the
streets soliciting work, 1t was in that
business that. in the smallpox panic Of
Of last year, he attracted the attention o1
the health department. He was the
only expressman who could be got &c
haul the dying to the pest house and the
dead to the grave. "Vat gif d-np
was even. then his favorite remark. He
came to be known as the Dutch ex-
pressman" who didn't ''gif d-n!" for
smallpox. His stoicfsm, his GOODNESS
and impentrability, bis stalwart frame
and kind and tender manner to the
sick, and al owe all, his
nVat I gif o d-n" made him g
great favorile about the health Office, and
SO it comes to pass that, inasmnch a.. his
services to the city had rHineG his bust.
ness, Dir. DeWolf offered him a perma
nent D. kition as driver of the c;ty's
small pox ambulance. He accepted it.
did this heir to millions-this great
tender-hearted giant, born to wealth
reared in luxury and no doubt spoiled
and petted scion of a famous house-he
acce oted it perhaps in the hope that
some day out of his ghostly calling death
might extend its hand and rescue him
from the awful memory of some hideouf
and hidden grief of which his tongue
win never whisper. "Vat gifa d--n,"
may rouse in the thoughtless spirit OF
merriment, but who knows what awful
sorrow may not be repressed by the
90 roIaoa and rock1aSc co ptirnnnt2