The Washington herald., 1909-02-14
POETS DESCENDANT
Held AS DESERTER
Baron Otto Won Schiller Now
in Prison Hospital.
KNOWN as FRANK GOETHE
Member of Engineer Company at
Governors Island Has Interesting
Career in south Africa and Canada.
Has Documents Attestfng TO All He
says Regarding Family History.

New York. Feb. Pin the prison hos
pital on Governors Island awaiting
court-uartiai for desertion from Company
Il, Second Battalion OF Engineers. is
Baron John Joseph Friedrich Otto Won
Schiller. direct descendant through five
generations Of the poet Schiller He IS
known in United States army circles as
Frank Goethe.
The baron-he is scarcely twenty-six,
but powerfully built and vel educated
IS in much the same position as the man
without eS@at-cy- Since the banish-
nnent Of his grandfather from Hanover
IN 1855 the Won Schiuers have lived mostly
n London.
He fought under Lord Strathcona at
Paardeburg- Before the United States
government forces got busy in Panama
the young man, seeking his future in
America Joined the French canal en-
gineers.
At the close Of the Boer war he returned
10 Guelph Ontario, where he had en-
listed in the Canadian Mounted Rifemen.
and received from the Canadian govern
uent a grant Of 800 acres in the North
vest. he says. in appreciation of his
splendid service in South Africa
Then he came to New York. joined
the engineers. and finally fed 70 Mon
treal. He surrendered himself three days
before Christmas while a guest al the
Holland House.
a Remarkable Collection.
Baron von Schiller. or. as he prefers tc
be known. Frank Csethe, mas remark
able collection Of old court documents
The records and letters OF patent were
turned over 70 the young baron when he
left home. and with them the great sea
OF his family. granted TO his most noted
ancestor. the poet Schiller, by Emperor
Joseph Il as a reward for genius
Strangely enough. he speaks English per
fectIy and knows very little Of German
Here are documents enough If yOJ
wish 10 learn my name and that Of my
family" be said to-day. These papers
show that my grandfather, Friedrich
Otto von Schiller. was the grandson Of
The great poet did not use my right
name when enlisting. as I wished 10 con
Ceal ny identity
I'm mighty sorTy I ran away. but
was Ill. distressed and disappointed
returned Voluntarily and surrendered
There is no peace for q deserter. 1 re-
nsained IL practical seclusion at the Hoi
land House before giving myself up
Every man I met I suspected as an on,
Ger"
Young Won Schiller then unfolded a
least forty old documents. ranging from
T754. and recording the birth OF vOl
Schillers down 70 that Of hisT own birti
N London, where his mother stin lives
4 Plea for Pardon
Nearly all are written in German. on
IN English being a remarkable supplica
ton 10 his King for pardon from tn
young baron's grandfather. Friedrich OFT
Won Schiller. who had been exiIed fror
Hanover for being outspoken when tn
great German empire Of to-day was form
ing Another was a permit granted {
his grandparent to return 10 his HON
for six months in 1913 All Of them ar
stamped with the seals OF kings and en-
perors. and the seal Of the von Schil
lers, after the poet was knighted. ais
appears on many Of them
The Won Schiller coat Of arms is a shiel
embossed with falcon. which is crowne
with a helmet and two eagles wingi
Young Won Schiller has the original ses
and records. The keepsskes Of his ar
cestors were locked away until yesterda!
when the young baron. realizing the ST
riousness Of his offense in deserting. wei
over them for the first time and discoy
cred their value One C0lOred and tOrI
records the birth Of Otto Joseph Schfue
n 1855 The poet Schiller's death certif
cate is also among them
Il only hope my supeTiOrs find Il POI
sible 10 be lenient with me-" he sal,
eff I have offended gravely, Il was b
cause 7 did not want 70 enter the arm
as a baron. The poet Goethe and II
ancestor were contemporaries and wh,
was more natural than that 7 take \
name2"