The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-31
A Famous Figure Who Went Out of Bel
lin With Bismarck

A Famous Figure Who Went Out of Ber-
lin With Bismarck.
In the course of the hurly- burly of Prince
Bismarck's departure from Berlin, figure
almost as famous and familiar within the
limits of the imperial city vanished almost
unnoticed. For some twenty years the iron
chancellor's official courier has been almost
as popular in the German capital as the
chancellor himself. Twenty-four years ago,
when he first entered Prince Bismarck's ser
vice, the courier was baptized the "Black
Horseman" by the people of Berlin, and
subsequently this title was made sacred by
the words of the Emperor Frederick: "Ah!
there goes the Black Horseman OF two
wars"
The Black Horseman's proper name is
Ludwig Lewerstrom. Shortly before the
campaign of 1856 he was promoted from
police watchman to Prince Bismarck's pri-
vate official service. He served the prince
through the Austrian war of 1866 and the
Franco Prussian war of 1901. In his
humble way he helped tho man of blood
and iron play his great game of diplomacy
and politics. Every day when the Iron
chancellor was at home. 76 Wilhelm strasse,
the Black Horseman might be seen gallop-
ing on his black horse between his mas
ter's headquarters and the palace
under the Linden. Usually he was dressed
| in black clothes, including a black hat and
black stack. When the prince rode to the
the emperor, the Black Horseman rode be-
fore his carriage in full police uniform.
During the winter days of 1866 81, when war
between France and Germany was sup
posed to be matter of the next hours de-
cision, the Black Horseman was eagerly
watched by the officers and professional
men in the cases under the Linden as he
galloped to and fro almost constantly with
his weight of dispatches and official docu-
ments for the emperor or the iron prince.
The Black Horseman is said to be writing
his memoirs. In them he will relate all ne
has seen of the worlds historical dramas
] woich have been played on the continent
! for the last twenty five years. No great
events in which the iron chancellor played
prominent part have escaped his eye anC
memory. After the battle at Koniggratz
he stood before the tavern in which the en-
peror, Moltke, Bismarck and the crown
prince. Frederick. amid stormy scenes
were arriving at their final decision as te
the conclusion of the campaign. The doc
uments which resulted from this consulta.
ton we're intrusted to his care. and were
borne by him back to Bismarck's quarters
During the last illness of Emperor Viii
liam l, the Black Horseman galloped in:
cessantly between the imperial palace and
the Wilhelm Strasse with the news of the
emperor's condition. And then came .'the
nlnety-nlne days, most OF Wnlcn the biacH
Horseman passed in the saddle between
Charlottenburg and the chancellor's palace
till at last he brought to the iron prince the
message of the death of Frederick.
Lewerstrom is well past his seventiett
birthday, but his beard is still black, hi
skin is still smooth and white, and hi.
, limbs are still as straight and sturdy al
they were TWENTY-FIVE years ago when h
entered the princes service. His courier
days, however, are seemingly over. Unles.
Bismarck returns to the service of the EN-
peror. the black horseman will pass the re-
: mainder of his days in the quietness of hi
I home and family i'll the suburbs of Berlin