Letter Written in Human Blood.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 29 May 1914, Page 2

Letter Written in Human Blood.

Intelligence recently leaked put regarding the escape of, an Austrian officer from banishment to Siberia, which shows the horrors of that 'prison country have by no means passed away. The Austrian had left his home country and had taken a posit ion .as forester .in a district in -SouthWestern Russia. ' The details bared in the letter follow :— . • . • The presence* of the Austrian aroused . the jealousy of a native Russian who had sought to hold the position of forester. After a time the latter iormul;\,tqd some sort of charges against the Austrian. Without being given an opportunity to appeal for the protection of his own Government the Austrian was given a hasty hearing without the aid of counsel," and the local authorities, with whom the disappointed Russian' seemed to have "influence, ordered the Austrian to be exiled to Siberia. He was at once sent to a faraway district of Siberia, and for several months endured great hardships. Then fortune intervened slightly in his favdur. Through his experience in the' forests the Austrian had developed into a crack shot with the rifle. The Governor of the district to which the man' had been exiled discovered this, and elevated the prisoner to a position where his duties consisted chiefly of hunting game and fowl for the Governor's family. Then the Governor discovered that the Austrian spoke excellent German. The Governor decided to allow the exile to tutor' his two sons in the German language. Precautions were taken by the Governor, however, not to give the prisoner -,an opportunity to communicate with the outside world. The prisoner's kind manner with the children served to win his way into the good fooling of the Governor's wife, and in her he gained a friend who stood him good stead eventually.

For more than a year the Ausr trian waited for his opportunity. Finally, during one of his periods of instruction he succeeded in stealing a sheet of writing paper from one of the children.

On his next hunting trip the Austrian killed an eagle. From one of the feathers of the dead bird he improvised a quill pen.

Then he pierced a vein in his arm and squeezed .out a quantity of blood. With this ghastly writing fluid and his queer pen the Austrian wrote a note to his home Government at Vienna, describing his plight and calling for aid.

Another six months elapsed, during which time the Austrian took special care not to permit anyone to discover the letter. , In the meantime the friendship between the Governor's family and himself ripened.

The exile then asked the lady of the house to mail the missive for him. He pleaded with her not to betray him. She told him she would d o it as a reward for his kindness with her children.

The letter—written in human blood —was mailed and opened in Vienna. There was little delay. An investigation was ordered at once, and negotiations between the Governments of Austria and Russia resulted. It was explained that the local authorities in the Russian district where acted without consulting- the Government. The Austrian was given his liberty, and has now returned to his native home.