The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-05-06
Carl Weber S
Escape
By OUNCE BLAKE

In lS4S wave of antagonism to
monarchical government swept over
Europe. 1t was successful In France.
though the republican government es-
tablished there under Louis Napoleon
was converted by him into an imperial
one. In Germany the effort was a
failure, and the leaders who were able
to get away became citizens of other
countries, some finding home in the
United States.
One day the government Of Prussia
received information that Carl Weber,
a young man who had been especially
active as q leader in the revolution,
was intending to board a train In one
of it's stops after leaving Berlin with
view to escaping through Belgium.
The chief Of police was notified to take
measures to arrest him.
The chief arranged with the railroad
officials that any one boarding the
train should be put into q certain COM
partment. where govesssnent agents
ing satisfied that Weber was in the
compartment. were to arrest him.
Now. this man Weber had been un-
der the eye of the government for
some time. but they had been unable
to nab him. Several times they had
arrested some one who was supposed
to be the revolutiOnist and it was dis
covered that the wrong person had
been taken. Indeed, he had achieved
a reputation for slipperiness, which
induced the chief Of police on this no
tifcation of his intention to leave Prus-
STA to take every precaution against
deception.
In the first place he disguised his
men on the train so that they should
not be recognized as officials. One
was a wrinkled old man. one was made
up to look like an English duke. anoth-
er young fop. These persons left
Berlin in a compartment by them
selves. There were three of them, all
well armed, for it was known that
Weber was desperate man, who
would fight to the death.
At that early day there were not the
large number Of persons travelling
there are now. Railroads were new,
and a car resembled several stage
coaches spliced together. In the COM
partInent In which the government Of
ficiais travelled there was room for
eight persons. four riding forward and
four backward Therefore there was
room for five besides the officials. At
fho f1pOf cfo a eor1f In n
them. They scrutinized him, but shook
their heads. Weber was very young,
and this man was past fifty. His
beard was stubbly and gray-a sure
sign that be was approaching old age.
At the next station young girl was
conducted to the compartment. See
ing no one in it but men, she declared
that 1t was not proper place for her
to travel. Since the orders were to
place every one boarding the train In
that compartment, the railway official
insisted on her entering 1t or remaining
behind. The latter course would in
volve waiting over a day, for at that
time there were very few trains. The
syoung lady, therefore, with apparent
reluctance entered. She held in one
hand a portmanteau, in the other
bouquet of flowers. The official made
up for a fop CALAMITY alighted. took
her portmanteau tshe held on to her
bouQueb and handed her into the
coach.
The next stop was some distance
away. and all trains were very slow.
The young lady showed SO much en-
barrassment at being shut up with
lot of men that ne who was made up
for a Britisher, In feigned broken Ger
man. assured her that she might con-
fsider herself under his protection.
though there was no need Of 1t. for
the other two men In the compartment
were respectable persons.