The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-08-15
Escape Of Mrs. Spencer Smith.

llshed there a new government. Mrs.
Spencer Smith, the sister-in-law of the
gallant Sir Sidney Smith, was then resi-
dent there, for the benefit of her health,
with two infant children.
She received an order to appear be-
fore the French Police. On obeying
the summons, she was declared to be
under arrest as French prisoner, and
received an order to depart within a
week for the city of Bassano, the place
fixed upon by government for her resi-
dence. She demanded to know the
reason for which she was thus treated,
and was answered, " Your country and
yoar name"
A very few days after, it appeared
that the order to repair to Bassano was
mere feint, and that the real instruc-
tons of the French Police were to send
her prisoner of war to the fortress of
Valenciennes ! At the moment when she
was anxiously waiting to receive pass
port, to enable her to quit Venice, she
was arrested by party of gendarmes,
told of her destination to Valenciennes,
and placed in state of close confine-
ment in her chamber, previously to be-
ing conducted to France.
The friends of Mrs. Smith were
struck with CONSERVATION and grief at
this change of her fate but, endued
herself with an admirable degree of for
titude, she reused the courage of those
who wept around her; nor once appear
ed shaken till her lovely infants came
running to her arms to ask their mama
why she was so sad ? She wished by
any sacrifice to preserve them from the
fate to which she was doomed But
how was this to be done ? Who was
able to help her by saving them? In
evident anguish she looked round on
each of the small circle of her friends,
who sympathized with her situation, and
in mournful silence her eyes explained
her Supplication to them all.
Among the number of these friends
was a young Siciian nobleman, the
Marquis de Salvo. Overcome by the
sensations which so tender a scene ex-
cited, he rushed from the room; and
when he had recovered composure suf-
fciently to return, it was to intimate
privately to Mrs. Smith, that he had
formed and resolved to execute, at all
hazards, the generous design of effect
ing the escape, both of herself and of
her children
The children not having been placed
under the immediate vigilance of the
Police, the Marquis succeeded, without
any great difficulty, in getting them
conveyed to Gratz, where the Countess
Strazzoldo, sister of Mrs. Smith re-
sided; but he did not think it prudent
to make the attempt to effect Mrs.
Smiths own escape, till she had left
Venice, and was on her way to the
Alps
1t was necessary to the success of the
project, that the Marquis de Salyo
should accompany Mrs. Smith on the
road; and nothing being more reasona-
bic than her request that a friend
might be permitted to travel with her,
it was readily complied with, and the
Marquis took his seat beside Mrs. Smith
in the gondola which conveyed her
prisoner from Venice.
1t was at Brescia that the Marquis
had determined to accomplish Mrs.
Smiths deliverance, it being the near
est place to neutral territory. The
party were to stop here two days
The room of the inn in which Mrs.
Smith was confined was fifty feet from
the ground, and the gendarmes were
posted in the room adjoining, with the
door open. The Marquis de Salvo oc-
cupied an apartment in another part of
the house. Early in the morning, after
their arrival, the Marquis slipped out
unseen by the gendarmes and the Po-
lice at Brescia were yet in ignorance of
his arrival with Mrs. Smith. He went
and got passport signed for the Tyrol.
From the police he fastened to sur
vey the outlets of the city; but, to
his sorrow, could see no other passage
than through the gates, which were all
strongly guarded. He was not, howev-
err, dismayed, but Immediately set out
about procuring all the means Of their
escape--a light carriage, which would
travel any where, horses. TO spare them
the necessity of waiting at the post
houses, mans dress for the disguise
of Mrs. Smith-and, finally, a bill of