The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-08-11
BARON Won PUTTKAMER.
A Sailor from the Bark Ella Who
Claims to be Bismark's Nephew.


There is man in this city the story Of
whose life, as he tells it to the PRESS
| reads Ikea romance. Hesmay wear the
Iron Cross, as a reminder of the day,
when, as promising soldier, he received
it from the Crown Prince of Germany,
afterwards the Emperor Frederick.
Baron Wilhelm Won Puttkamer, is
about the only foreign noble who ever
visited Portland unannounced. He was
found yesterday by the reporter of the
PRESS, who had long hunt to find
him, hard at work loading lumber on
one of the wharves. His open shirt
front showed breast covered with
scars, the evidences of many hard
fought field. One broad scar showed
| where bullet that nearly ended his life,
was taken out
Baron Won Puttkamer is splendid
specimen of physical manhood. His
military training in Germany, supple
| mented many years of wandering and of
| hard work. has given him frame capa-
BILE of enduring almost any degree of
hardship.
While Baron Won Puttkamer is a So
calist he is not of the modern type. To
him socialism means the uplifting of
all classes, the improving of the condi-
tion OF the workingmen, the doing away
with much that he feels to be injustice
in the world. In short his is the dream,
and his the hope of the German philoso-
pliers, rather than the wild ideas of
those who would destroy society, and
leave only ruin behind them. This is
distinction the baron himself desired
| should be made.
Baron Won Puttkamer, is descendant
| in the direct line, so he claims, from
Prince Joska Won Puttkamer, who in
1240 went from Poland to Pomerania in
Germany, where the family has since
| that time tourished, and where they are
| still prominent liz many ways. The
father of the baron is Baron Robert Won
Puttkamer,E now governor of Pomerania,
and formerly minister of Justice of the
| German empire during the reign of
Wilhelm I. Prince Otto Won Bismarck
| is his uncle. His brother, Baron Jesko
Won Puttkamer, is, or recently was,
governor of the German colony at
Kamen, West Africa
| Baron Wilhelm Won Puttkamer was
born 43 years ago, and was educated for
| the army. All his school training was
| in that direction and very much from
home, he saw but little of his family.
| He still has a very vivid recollection OF
| the man of iron and blood" his uncle,
| the great chancellor, for whom, despite
| the difference in their views on social
| subjects, he still has the most hearty
admiration and respect
| He joined theKaiser Franz grenadiers,
| as ensign Aug. 13, 1870. and was soon
under fire. At the
BATTLE OF GRAVELOTTE,
the regiment distinguished itself for its
desperate fighting, and captured St.
Prival, the key to the French position.
They paid dearly for their prize, for ont
of 200 men who went into the action
only 500 came out alive. Young Won
Puttkamer was twice wounded, once in
the calf of his right leg, and the second
/ time by spent ball.
| He was too eager to be at the front to
be long away from his regiment, and in
two weeks reported ready for service,
I and was present at the battle of LIE
Bourget, Oct.3, 1870. His captain fell
| mortally wounded, and Won Puttkamel
carried him from the field, a half mile
| distant, under heavy fire.
| This brave deed led to his receiving
| what he regards as the highest homo,
| of his life as soldier. The Grown
Prince himself pinned to the breast OF the
proud and happy boy the Iron Cross O.
the empire. That cross he cherished fol
| years, but with many other things il
was lost in shipwreek at sea within
the past three years.
The Franco-Prussian war made great
| changes in Germany. Men began t.
| think for themselves, and the socialists
made many converts. One of the band
of young men who embraced their ideas
was Lieut.. Won Puttkamer, and the an
ger and establishment of his distin
guished father, and of his uncle Prince
Bismarck may be imagined. His father
Baron Robert Won Puttkamer, had him
self introduced and carried through
many of the severely repressive laws di
rected against the socialists, the very
| class with which his soldier son wa:
now identified. The minister of justics
| was not to be trified with even by one O.
his own flesh and blood, and theTresul
was that the son was soon beyond tn,
limits IF the empire.
There was another contributing even
that helped to make it impossible fo
him to remain at home. He
FOUGHT''A DESPERATE DUEL
and seriously injured the man will
whom he fought. He declines to Civ
the causes that led to the meeting, i
being with him matter of honor to sa,
nothing about it.
Il believe" he said, that the time will
come when my father will learn the rea
facts connected with that duel, and tina
he will see things very differently"
| He was still but a boy of 20 when b
L &c n