The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-29
Victor Hugo's Great Story
Appears With Sad Twist
in Real Life.
CHARITY IS MISSING
Officer, Instead Of Sparing
Victim, Denounces Him
for Reward.

Stckhoim.-(C orrespondence.) - The
story Of Victor Hugo's character of
Jean Vatican in les Miserabies.' the
escaped convict who made Of himself
respected and wealthy man has been
duplicated in real life in Sweden. The
denouentent. however; was different
for whereas the detective who tliscov.
cred Valjean's identity did not arrest
him. the Swede. less fortunate, was de-
nounced and his denouncer is claiming
q reward of a thousand crowns offered
years ago for the mans apprehension.
0otthard Lindbcrg first came into
conflict with the law IS years ago. lie
was at the time a respected and fairly
well-to-do owner Of a farm near Udde-
valla, and a member OF the provincial
diet. He became involved In unfortu-
nate timber speculations and. II rs
charged. forged some papers. Then he
disappeared. This was In 1904. Four
years later tho police.o OF the island Of
Aland arrested Swedish American
who called himself Gotthard Dahlbom
on q charge Of forging check. The
Finnish authorities say they discovered
that Dahlbom was identical with the
vanished Swede Gotthard Lindberg.
AttempSeo %. escape.
Lindberg was sentenced to two years
imprisonment While awaiting. trans
fer to the prison at Helstngfors he at
tempted to escape. and it Is alleged
gave the prison warden a poisoned
piece Of candy. For this he was SEN
fenced to further. eight years i'm
priSonment.
!. ThereupOn the Swedish authorities
requested the Finnish authorities to
permit Iindbere to be brought to Swc-
den for a judicial inquiry into his
cytmts here The request was granted
and the man was brought to Uddeval-
la. y While the investigation was going
an. HE escaped from Jail by saving
through. the bars Of his cell. This was
In June, 1909. Efforts had been made
to find him were without avail. Lind
berg hid great numbers of friends
IN the district, and there was also gem
cr9t sympathy with him because of re-
ports that he had been brutally treated
III the Finnish jails. and no one would
3oetray him.
Sesame Community Trader.
In October, 1900. a man calling him
self Fritz Anderson bought large
ASAAsSloibs ploNAlSSi VI NSSSVI~
Gotiand. The new owner displayed
great energy and intelligence. and
speedily took a leading place in the
community. He became the local lead :
CIR 81 the conservative party, but stead
fastiy refused public office which was
many times offered him. His downfall
was due to an unconuuerable tenden-
cy toward litigation. He was frequent
~ In lawsuits over trifling matters.
generally trespass actions connected
with hunting rights, and had the mis-
fortune on one occasion to be opposed
by an attorney who had to do with the
Investigations at Uddevalla eight years
earlier and was struck by Anderson's
resemblance to Lndberg. He secured
samples of the suspected mans hand
writing. which confirmed his suspi-
cions. and Anderson was arrested. He
Is now in Jail at Cddevalla.
findhagen Is said to have accumu-
lated property worth more than 100000
crowns in his eight years of liberty.
It has been learned that he spent in tho
United States part of his time between
his flight from Eddevalla in 1904. and
his arrest on Aland. He Is said to
have been prominent l.. Swedish circles
in New York City, and afterward went
to Bridgeport. Conn.,. where he found
employment with a lumber firm. He
also spent some time in Minneapolis.