Death sentence

Anton Henrik Eklöf was born in 1824 in a Finnish harbor town of Hamina. Sweden had lost Finland to Russia just fifteen years earlier. In autumn 1850 Anton Henrik was a master baker and planned to start a bakery in Katajanokka, Helsinki. He had married Loviisa and the couple had a four-year old daughter, Emilia. Now Loviisa was pregnant again and was supposed to give birth by Christmas. Loviisa expected twins that was at that time tough for a thirty-seven year mother. And as Christmas approached the happy life of this small family was taking completely another turn. The mother and one of the twins, Natalia Olivia died in a week after the delivery. Aleksandra succumbed half a year later. Bewildered by sorrow Anton Henrik began to drink. He dumped the dream of a bakery and, instead, spent time with spirits, his brother Gabriel and a friend Gustaf Eklund.

In April, 1852 there was no money left and the three wandered around in Helsinki downtown looking for a chance to earn a dime for a bottle. They came across with a university assistant, Benjamin von Pfaler. Obviously, the young man in a fur coat had the necessary funds. The men mugged the victim and robbed his coat and silver watch. Soon after all three robbers were arrested and sentenced to death (source: Finnish National Archive, Police court 18 and 30 June, 1852).

Death penalty was abolished in Russia 1826 and the sentence was converted to flogging and hard labor in Siberia. Anton Henrik, Gabriel and Gustaf filed a petition for pardon but were rejected by Governor -General Aleksandr Menshikov. Short after the prisoners were transported to a concentration camp in Viborg.

Anton Henrik received forty pairs of lashes and was put in five-pound irons. The long journey to Siberian mining fields could begin in Summer 1853.