The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-12-19
GAL1oIAN PEASANTS ENTRAPPED,

PITTsBURG, Pa. Dec. IL. Max Scham-
berg Austro-Hungarian Consul at Pitts
burg, expects TO receive orders from the
Government of Galicia to collect evI.
dence and probably forward witnesses
for the trial Of 800 government officials
who are charged with making common
cause with certain steamship and rail-
way lines in forcing about 35, 900 men,
women and children to emigrate to
America. These Government officials.
some of them of high rank, received a
bonus for each emigrant transported.
Treason was the favorite charge on which
the heads of families were frightened
into selling their humble homes and fee
ing the country. About 15, 900 of these
people have come to Pittsburg within
the past two years. GendRrmes at four
points on the Galician frontier were
either bribed or their imprisonment sc
cur on false charges, and through
these four outlets the poor peasants,
without passports, were driven over the
mountains in droves, put on freight
trains and carried to Hamburg, where
they were shipped to America. Anton
Czsdon was one of the victims. Yester
day he purchased tickets in this city for
Trieste, and will return to his native
land. taking hIs wife and child with him
Czadon told the following story, it is a
fair sample of the treatment of all. He
said Il came from a email hamlet
about 100 miles east Of Cracow. Ny oc-
cupaiion there was that Of farm labor
er, but the hut / lived in was my own,
and he had COW and some pigs. One
evening upon returning from my day g
labor. found man who looked like an
official talking to my wife. She seemed
much frightened When l stepped into
the room the man gave me hard look
and then said in deep voice Anton
Czadon you are charged with high trea-
son. Some one heard you speaking i'll
of his Majesty the Emperor. The pun
ishment Ia death, but the Emperor is
willing TO be leDlent, and will be satisfied
il you leave this country in a week
time, and sail for America, never 10 re
turn While talking he pulled out OF
his pocket long paper, affixed to which
was large red seal. He handed it tC
me to read, but he very well knew that
could not read it never having gone
to school, He said that document con
tanned the charges and the verdict
signed by the Emperor's own hand.
was ignorant, but supposed l would
have to go, though l had never said q
bad word against the Emperor. The
man then told me to sell my fruit, my
corn and pigs, and get the money fol
him before the end of the week. obey
ed, for knew that if did not would
be thrown into prison and cowhided be-
sides. only got half the value of my
properly, being forced to sell so lquick
The man showed up promptly weeI
after his first visir, and asked me how
much money l had. told him 40(
gulden (about $l00) He said that wa,
enough to pay for my passage and that
of my wife and child He then took the
money and ordered me to be ready to
start at O'Clock that same night. AbouI
so other men in my village were accused
of the same crime, and suffered the same
punishment. The nearest railway sta
tion was across the frontier in Silesia
about 100 miles distant. We had TO walk
Four men on horseback, armed with
pistols and long whips, guarded us. The
journey was terrible for the women, the
country through which we had to pass
being very rugged. D.A ,--.a.
From The minute we started until w'
arrived at our destination mono of us re
ceived morsel to eat or a drop TO drink
Two babies died on the road. while som'
of the women sank down from exhaus-
ton, but cut from the whips OF thu
men on horseback put them on theil
feet o ain. About 300 men, women RbC
chilnren, who seemed to have come from
villages in my country we're waiting a.
the station when we arrived. We wer'
fed on water and bread, and then put OF
board a train composed of covered
freight cars. The journey lasted day
and night and then we were in Ham
burg. Straight from the train we wer'
taken to the quay and loaded on a steam
ship. On this ship they were already
about 1900 of my countrymeD. UpoI
arrival in New York the majority wer'
put on board long train and brough
straight to Pittsburgh, although we haC
paid our fare only as far as New York
On our arrival a: this place some of u
were sent to the coke regions and other
to work on the railroad. Everything
seemed to have been prearraDged. Nov
| know we took the place of strikers
though did not know then why mum
Der of men attacked US with bricks anC
clubs, when we were going to work oI
the first day."