The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-01
HORRORS OF SIBERIA.
A TALE or SUFFERING TOLD BY
COUNT LANGoWSKl.

He Was Held by Russia for Fourteen
Years as a Prisoner of Wa-Hs De-
scribes Some of the Terrible Scenes in
Cold North Asia-Fearful Atrocities
In his narrative of the Count Of Monte
Cristo" Alexander Dumas endeavors TO
establish the proposition that those who
have suffered most are capable OF enjoying
most. If that be true, Count Langowskl,
an employe at Hudsonis clothing store, has
an enormous capacity for approaching the
good things of life, though even his pres
ent straitened circumstances do not permit
an excessive indulgence in them Count
Langowsl, as he would be entitled TO be
called in Poland, though preferring plain
Frank Langowski, resides at sos Fremont
street with his wife and two children He
is very short of stature, very thick set, very
white haired, though only 81 years old, and
very cheerful in disposition, notwithstand-
ing his sufferings entitle him 10 be known
as q man OF many sorrows. he speaks
eight languages, in one of which heNde-
tailed the thrilling story Of his ife-how
for fourteen years he was a Russian politir
cal prisoner in the wilds of Siberia, hated,
5espised, beaten with stripes, starved and
frozen.
CAPTURED rs WAR.
1t was in 1868 that the Poles rebelled
against Russia, said he. in very fair In
glish. Twas then q years old, single, and
lived with my father, Count Langowskl,
ON large farm near Warsaw. Ny fathers
estate was large aud he was one Of the
leading noblenaen of the state The rebel
general, TaczaRowski, billeted 500 Of his
troops upon US, and although our family
had in no wise participated in the revolt, 10
refuse levy meant repatriation. Therefore
my father acquiesced Against these 500
troops Russia sent 800 men and sixty
cannon. The battle was short and de-
cisiye, resulting in theskilling and captur-
ing of the whole 900. Six horses from our
stables that had been pressed into service
were killed and two of our men whowere
driving. The third. man was whipped
nearly to death after the capture and then
baYoneted. sv---,ss@ -
/ was taken prisoner, and soon set out
with hundreds OF othersaon, our way to ST.
IBERIA. Think of a journey OF over 5000
milsson foot, requiring thirteen months,
with heavy chains on each ankle and
chained by the wrist TO another ina gang
of 1901 That is the Wayne made the trip,
most of the time the weather being bitterly
cold, with the meanest kind of clothing,
and only allowed seven copecks, less than
five cents, day for food. At might've
slept in etapes-long, low, log or stone sheds
erected every ten miles along the way,
more often without fire than with 1t, al
ways hungry, always cold, and always in
pain from the Calling chains.
At last, after thirteen months Of misery,
we arrived at the end of our journey to en-
counter worse misery still. was set to
work in the quicksilver mines. Three
months isas long as any human being can
stand it to work in those mines. Many die
in the mines and many soon after leaving
them. The fumes Of the mercury rot the
bones, loosen the teeth and leave the man
a total wreck When Ihad partly regained
my health after this experience ! with
others was set to digging holes in the
ground The holes were not designed for
any use whatever, but were dug just to
keep Us at work, and it was while thus en-
gagged that received my first whipping. l
was too weak to smooth the side of the
hole as nicely as the officer wanted it, and
simply told him SO.
FEARFUL FLoGGNGs.
For that was taken to the whipping
bench, laid on my face and fastened down
by three thongs, one of which was passed
over the neck, one over the body and one
over the legs, so arranged that a man can
not make the least movement. | received
eighty blows with the knout, and was two
months and a half in the hospital before
could leave my bed
These knouts are Of stout leather, the
points of the lashes being loaded with
lead, and blow from them in the hands
of a strong man is as, bad as stroke from
a policeman's club. have seen men killed
at the third stroke. After my first whip
ping received another OF 125 lashes for
calling soldier dog who had bayoneted
a prisoner in cold blood. was nearly kill
ed, and 10 was almost year before could
resume work. The scenes of brutality to
be witnessed on all sides were simply
frighttuL The killing of prisoners by the
soldiers was terrible. They were under no
restraint whatever, and the poor prisoners
were killed for uttering the slightest word
IN protest against the most horrible muir
ders
Out of the 900 prisoners sent to Siberia
by the Russian government at the end Of
the rebellion don't believe 5000 ever got
back alive. And not. one.of them guilty Of
a crime, but simply prisoners Of war. But
if the fate of the men was hard, that Of the
women was infinitely more so. They were
whipped with stoutEgadSs instead Of the
knout-that is the only difference was
ever able to observe. They were whipped
and poisoned TO death In the hospitals by
hundreds, and every public indeeency
heaped upon them. Even their efforts at
suicide were laughed ct as joke.
l was six years prisoner In chains,
and six years a prisoner under surveillance.
at the end of six years was obliged to
support myself. bat was required 10 report
daily to certain officer. / supported my
SELF By making cigarettes. and then after
thirteen years was given a passport back
to Poland. A man cannot travel half a
mile in Russia without a passport. /
begged my way from town 20 town, and
when about half way back received some
money from my sister. On reaching home
found an order from the car requiring
me TO quit Poland within tventy-four
hours On pain Of death / had just time
TO marry the girl was betDothed TO and
hurried away 70 Crscow, thence 20 Ant
werp, where Polish friend assisted me 20
America / haveeeen here ten years. and
although am very poor nsthiEg on earth
would fnduoe me to leave American soil
Detroit Free Press
Why He Didn't Stay Dat West
A young man who went west flied
with enthusiasm and desire to grow Up