Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-02-24

bought me ticket for the German from.
tier, and both rode with me for the first
300 miles,
What happened to Bidwell learned
long afterward from his own mouth and
through the American press. He thought
it beneath the dignity of free born
American citizen to bend the knee to the
autocrat of st. Petersburg. The charge
against him was more serious. His bag
gage at the hotel had been overhauled,
and his samples of wire clothlines were
at once spotted as menace against the
leace of the car. He had also laid VIC
lent hands on the sacred body of police
lpy, and that proved him desperate
man, if not a conspirator. When con-
Quoted into the presence of the chief the
Yankee was thoroughly aroused and led
off with:
II don't know whether you are the old
king bee of Russia or only the man who
blacks his coachman's boots, but want
to tell you I've had enough of this mon
key businessl"
l forgot to say that the chief spoke
English fairly well, and that all our con-
versation was in that tongue. He I'M
derstood every word of the Yankees ex-
clamation, and the slur made him furi-
Gus. He at once threatened Bidwell with
Siberia, but the latter recklessly replied:
You amt big enough to send me
there. I'm an American and entitled to
fair show wherever go, and I'll have
it or bust the machine. | won't object
to a fine of five dollars for slamming
your doggoned sneak around as | did,
but don't bite off more'n you can chaw
by talking of Siberia. Before this riot
goes any further l want to communicate
with the American minister or some of
his staff"
"You cannot do it," replied the chief
II do not believe you are an American
at all. l have every reason to believe
you came here with evil designs in view.
You have spoken in the most insulting
manner of his majesty and myself and
you will be held as a suspect until can
secure full information.
You try it on, and I'll give you the
biggest lawsuit ever heard of in this
benighted Cd country" shouted Bid
well. You can bluff a Russian out of
his boots, and You can stow him away in
prison or railroad him to Siberia, but
don't make no mistake on me. I'm from
the town of Stamford, Z. S. A, | am,
and though don't know your Internal
lingo | do know my rights"
"Will you confess what this is for?''
asked the chief as he gingerly lifted up
a coil of 100 feet of wire clothesline.
"Theres no confessing about it. That's
a wire clothesline-one of the best things
ever invented by man
ut is impossible Why should any
one want wire clothesline? You can
help your case by full confession"
Bidwell continued defiant and vigor-
Gus, and the upshot was that he was
taken to the Fortress of st. Peter to be
held for further investigation. That
simply meant to be held at the pleasure
of the chief of police. No papers were
ever served on him, nor was he ever
taken into court. He was put into a
dark, damp cell confined to prison fare
and treated like a criminal, and it was
three months before he saw any other
face than the jailer's Then police Of
fetal came to ask him if he would agree
to leave Russia and never return in case
of release.
mot by long shotr' was his ready
reply. For every month you hold me
in here I'll demand sol, 600 extra, and if
Uncle Sam doesn't back my lawsuit
every Bidwell in Connecticut will move
out of the country"
AT tha aO1 of Savpp rnoDtbS ba u-ac
one day set at liberty. He started for
the American legation, but was inter
cepted, taken to the depot and forced to
enter train. Two officers accompanied
him to the frontier, and he received such
a solemn warning against attempting TO
recross the line that he never tried it.
He filed a claim on reaching the United
States, but it was pigeonholed and heard
of no more.