Nevada County picayune., 1890-05-21
AN ExILE'S DOWNFALL.
Interesting Narrative Related by an Kx
 Prison physician.

Interesting Narrative Related by an Ex.
 Prison Physician.
 Dr. G. Frank Lydston, the wcll-known writer on the physical causes of crime, contributes the following interesting narrative:
 ''Ono of the most romantic experi- ences of my professional career occurred in 1880, while l was surgeon at the Blackwell Island Pcnitentiary. The case is not only pathetic one but an apt illustration of mans inhumanity to man.
 "A distinguished-lookin foreigner, about thirtyfive years old, was sent to the hospital from the coils one day. He was suffering from a severe attack ef hcmorrhago of tho lung, and an ex- animation q4iclly showed that he was in the last stages of con umPtion and had but a few weeks to live.
 ''On inquiry asccrtained that he had been sent up only day or two before on six months sentence for larceny, and, indignant at the commitment of such physical wreck. l made further investigation and found that his high crime was the theft of q small amount of food from a Fulton Market stall.
 Just at that time there was no one in the prison hospital who could under stand the language of the new patient, but few days later Russian was ad- mittcd and the rapidly-failing consump- tive's wants and desires could be inter- pretod. Thero being no prospect of even temporary improvement, in con- formity with my duty tried to ascer tain something about the sinking pa tient so as to be able to notify his friends of his condition, but all efforts were fruitless, for, without being surly, he was absolutely uncommunicativc
 ''The end was approaching when one day an elogantly-dressed, soldierly gen. tleman-evidently also foreigner-in. stituted inquiries at the prison office, and was finally admitted to the bedside of the sinking man. The meeting be tween the two men was simply heart rending, and when the visitor was in- formed that two or three days would wind up the consumptives career he al most became frantic.
 ''The visitor before leaving implored me to do every thing poss ible for the patient, who proved to be his elder brother, and also tin Germaln imparted to me some details of the dying mans history.
 He was Russian of primo ely birth - of the House of Zubarof-if my memory does not fail me-who, some six years before, had suddenly been exiled to Siberia without trial and on Il mere sus- picion of liberalism. His wife and two children had accompanied him into exile and pcnury-for his ontire estates wero coniiscatcd-and had one after another died from the rigorous climate and pri- vation. Desperate and griG f-crazcd, he determined to escape, and, after untold suffering, had succeeded and reached New York. The small amount of monOy i he possessed was soon expended, and the letters from his brother---an officer high in command in the Pgussian army containing remittances were appro- priated by villainous compatrios and "onfdant. For weeks he Lad wandered about homeless, helpless, and alnost crazed, and finally in desperation had committed the great crime which he war sent to expiato on the island.
 His brother meanwhile not hearing from him, and fearing the worst ob- tained leave of absence and came to America to trace him, and had finally succeeded only to find rapidly sinking consumptive on prison hospital cot.
 But little remains to be told. The brothers were allowed to be almost con. stantly together until the end came four days after the reunion. When the emaciatedframe and laboring lungs were finally at rest the stern soldier knelt down beside the cot, and with upliftcd hand registered some VOW or made some resolution. This done, he straightened the shrunken limbs of the victim ol autocracy and departed.
 The exiles body lies in cemetery near New York. and was followed to tho grave only by his brother and myself l still occasionally hear from the Prus sian army officer. Chicago Tribune.