The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-12-07
TOKENS OF SIBERIA,
The Marks Which Jacob Gerber viii
Wear for Life.
HE WENT A CONVICT TO THE HINES
AND ESCAPED.

Gerber, Who Intended to Become an
Was Arrested and Deported-He Suf.
fered Siberian Horrors But Succeeded
in Escaping and Has Returned to His
American Home.
OMAHA, Neb., December 6.-Jacob
Gerber is in Omaha, having escaped from
the Siberian exile to which he was
doomed year and half ago. He arrived
in the city last night, after an absence of
81 months. After being resident of
this city for six years he returned to
Russia to dispose of what property he
he had there and bring his family to this
country. He had taken out his first pa
pers here, and supposed that he was to
all intents and purposes citizen of the
United States, but subsequent events
proved that he had relied too much on
the privileges of half completed citizen
ship, for he was seized as soon as his
IDENTIFY was discovered, though he was
at the time across the border In Ger
many and at worship in church. With
out trial OF hearing of any sort he was
started to Siberia, in spite of all that his
friends could do in stf behalf. The case
was called to the attention of the author
tiles at Washington, but a careful inves-
tigation disclosed the fact that the nat
uralization process had not been fully
completed, and that it would be impos-
sible for the government to secure the
release of the prisoner. The appearance
of Gerber among his old aeQuaintances
last night created surprise. He
Told of His Inhuman Treatment,
and the evidences of the truth of the
narrative were amply shown In the
frightful scars and still unhealed sores
all over his body. He supposed that he
was going to the mines for life. 1t was
not until he had reached his destination,
nine months later, that he learned that
he vas sentenced for Is years. He was
placed in a herd of 800 convicts and
started for the Siberian wilds. The men
were ironed together in pairs, and from
the very moment they started. their suf-
feIings were indescribable. Not once
during the long weary days of those nine
months were the irons removed nor
were the metal bonds binoing them to
rived at 1lga he was taken out into the
middle of street and a blacksmith
was called who took off the fetters. Ger
ber was told that from that. time for
ward he would have to take care Of
himself. He remained there three
months before he found an opportunity
to carry into effect the
Plan for Escape
that he had mapped out. He bad excit-
ed the sympathy of fellow Hebrew
who was engaged in the mines, and in
duced the latter to write letter home
for him, asking his wife to send him
some money. The money, amounting
to $500, was sent, and Gerber's friend
took him to Yakutsk, thence to Tomsk,
distance of 1000 miles. He had Sc
cured the dress of nobleman and
carried an official portmanteau that
seemed to have been instrumental in
saving him from annoyance, for he was
not molested and was not asked for pass
ports. Money removed obstacles-that
he encountered, and finally he reached
a small town within so miles of his home
without being detected. he finally made
a circuit of 800 miles and was successful
in leaving Russian soil behind him.