Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-24
PULAsKrs POOR HEIR.

Terrible Life-TaIe of Russian Claim
ant for American Justice-A Wretched
Survivor of Siberian Inhumanity-A
Claimant for the Fortune the United
States Government Owes the RevOIu-
tiOnary HERDS Heirs.
A direct descendant of Gen. Pulaski,
the great Revolutionary soldier, says the
Philadelphia Press, is now in this city
actively engaged in pushing his claim to
the money and estates voted to the Polish
General by the Continental Congress, and
which Pulaski never lived to enjoy. CAST
mir Suffczynsh is the name of the claim
ant, and he is PulaskPs grandnephew.
He has led life that would be worth
writing about, even though he had no dis
tinguished ancestor. He was a Polish
insurgent, but, with many others, was
made prisoner by the Russians and con-
demned to pass the remainder of his life
in the Siberian mines. In 1877 he was
liberated through the efforts of William
NJ. Evarts, then Secretary of State, and
allowed by the Russian Government to
come to this country for the express pur-
pose of claiming the Pulaski property.
since then the machinery of the law put
IN motion by Suffosynski's ATTORNEYS to
get him the estate has been going SO
slowly that its motion has been hardly
perceptible, but now there seems some
chance Of the case being settled.
Pulaski was Brigadier General, at
salary of Sc, 900 a year. He earned this for
four years, but never drew it. In addi-
ton to the money, he was granted 800
acres of land, which he was allowed to
select from a region not then occupied.
The ground which he chose was in the
centre of the site on which the city of
Columbus, o., now stands. 1t is prOba-
bic, however, that the right of his heirs to
this land has lapsed. 1t was never really
When he died the sum of $24. 900 remained
to the credit of his heirs in the United
States Treasury, and this, with interest
added, is still on the books at Washing
ton awaiting the disposition of Congress.
Casimir, the claimant, was born in Po-
land in 1888, his father being the son of
Pulaskis brother. Casimir was gently
reared and enjoyed an income of %, 900
rOubles. When the revolution of 1862
broke out, he abandoned everything to
patriotism and went with his tOWnsmen
to fight against the tyranny of Russia. In
the second engagement be was captured
with 500 comrades and immured in dun
geOn at Warsaw. He remained there
eight months. At intervals during his
and dashed with the knout until he became
insensible.
SENT TO SIBERIA.
In the fall of 1868 he was sentenced,
with the other prisoners, to Siberia. He
applied for permission to make use of his
horses on the way, but this was denied
him, and he was told that not only his
horses, but all his property, had been con-
tiscated by order of the Car. His sister,
who was incOnsOlable at his misfortune,
determined to accompany him to his des-
tinatiOn. She provided herself with a
team, but the wretched Casimir was never
allowed to make use of it. With his legs
and hands chained, he limped along on the
frozen ground, keeping as near to his sis
ter as possible. Occasionally, through
the brutality Of the guards, he was driven
away from her and did not get the benefit
of her consolation and encOurag cement for
weeks. The journey to Irkutsk took two
years and ten days. On the way the eX-
lies were allowed ten kopeks, or five
cents, day with which to provide them
selves with food. They subsisted chiefly
on bread and melted snow. To some eX-
tent they were dependent on the charity
of the peasants of the villages through
which they passed. Casimir Jared so well
at their hands that he was frequently
able to save up his allowance for a few
days and then indulge in some luxury.
When the party reached Irkutsk, CAST
Mrs sister was compelled to turn around
to Poland. The unhappy patrlot, now
ever. was obliged to tramp on and on Tor
a thousand miles more, until he reached
| a snOt almost near Alaska, where there
! were soft coal mines. He was then taken
I 500 wards underground and given pick
/ and shovel. He claims that for fourteen
years he remained in the bowels OF the
/ earth. and that during that time he never
| once saw the sun. Some OF MS fellow
workers were chained to trucks and
| forced to do the labor of beasts of burden.
/ All of them had their hands and legs tas-
| tened together with irons which bent
! them double.
Starvation and sickness existed in the
/ mines to q terrible extent, and one by
one the eXiles, many Of whom had, Ike
Casimir, been delicately reared, dropped
off. The average duration OF lie was 9ul
n few wears. Casimir, however, had
good constitution, and stood the hardshlpS
| in a way that astonished the guards
Sometimes they would discuss the ques-
/ ton of how many more years he cOulC
! endure, According to his statement, thu
! prisoners were ordered to be shot for TIT
| slightest offense. One man was muir
dered for asking for a glass OF clear
water because he was sick and could no
I
given him.
EATING THEIR COMRADES.
But the most terrible part of the story
and one that adds a new horror to tn
: already long list that can be made on
when one writes Of the Siberian mines, l
} Casimir's statement that the death of
| prisoner was hailed with joy by his com
: rades. They fed off the remains. so III
tie food was doled out by the officials tha
| a corpse was torn to pieces and devOure
2 almost before it had got cold. Caslmlr
stories of Siberian cannibalism make To
? description of the consumption OF huma
2 ! flesh during the Greedy expedition appea
l | TO be a mere trifie. He declares ths
2 weak men were slaughted by the stronger
l and that their flesh was dried or froze
; and then stored away for future use. In
$ was winked at by the Russian official
/, who saw in it the economy Of gOyernmeI
e stores. No heed was paid to the disal
e pearance Of a prisoner.
o Casimir's sister in a few years decide
, that he was dead. In 1876 advertisement
:, were published in all the European new
t papers. inquiring for the heirs of Gel
d Pulaski. She answered one of the adYe
g tisements, and shortly afterwards can
S TO this country. Meanwhile Mr.. Kal
Il sOwski, of Washington, an old al
/ respected emigrant of the revolution
: 1881, who had known OF CaslInlr, sd
some chance of his being alive, and beg;
a correspondence, which resulted in b
:. discovery in the Siberian mine. The Sc
retary of State then started negotiation
IA with the Russian Government for t
rs mans release. In 1917 he was let go, al
10 ! then he began a weary march to Warsa
- which took him more than two years.
n. was bent nearly double, through bel
q chained, and he limped along at the ra
40 ! of less than a mile an hour. 1t did
IN | take many hours to constitute day
ht | walk.
- From Warsaw he was sent to Breme
Il and thence shipped to New York, the &C
ts | eminent paying his fare. He was p
vided with a letter of introduction
n Count Wodzicki, of this city, who is
p tached to Peter Wright 81 Sons, agel
al for the American Steamship Line. /
n Count put him in the way of getting
no claim recognized, which it finally W
"a and his identity was accepted by
ii United states authorities. After prese
m. Ing his claim in Washington, CaslI
1s went to live with a Polish friend in 3
IN nandoah. In few months, however,
ON latter left the city, and the descendant
yb Pulaski was thrown on his own resourc
N He could speak no English, and he nea
nm starved. Eighteen months later Cor
nj WOdzicki discovered him earning ms