The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-12-20
TIE Emperor Napoleon's Escape from
Ham
Paris. Nayemher %

I
that prince Napoleon now emperor of
France, was confued in the fortr ess Of
Ham after bis failure at Boulogne.
Taken prisoner by the soldiers of king
Louis Philippe, the ventHresome prince,
who had thus for the second time, yainly
Invaded France, was IMPRISONED, and pass
ed seven years under the most strict sur
veiilance. That he finally escaped is | re-
peat well known in the United States, but
(! as am aware that the details of this i'm
portaDt event are are generally unknown
or, at best, distorted, 1t may not prove I'M
Interesting that [ should here recount
them. The prince had in the prison with
| him two devoted fiends-CoDneau and
I Ihelin. The former, a doctor, was the
! FREUD, and companion Of the prince. lie
remained in the fortress from devotion TO
/ the latter, as, in fact, did Thelin neither
OF them being prisoners. Thelin was the
servant of the prince. Ga the morning of
/ the day that the escape was to be attempt
! ed, the three persons in question, hidden
| behind the curtains of the window of the
princes bed chamber. watched for the ar
rival of the workmen who was busted re-
pairing some portion of the fortress 1t
was just six as the laborers came in, and
having submitted to the usual inspection at
the gateway, passed on through the lines
of sodiery stationed there. The moment
they had concluded this every day ceremo-
NAL, the latter dispersed and the men were
allowed to set about their different tasks.
This morning, while the inspection was ne-
ing made, the prince hastily shaved off his
moustache, which made great change in
his appearance. Over his clothes he dom
ned coarse linen shirt, and over that such
a blouse as French workmen usually wear.
He pulled on pair of torn and soiled pan
falcons, such as the men wear, and put on
a wig of black hair. Thus clothed, and
with his hands and face darkened by paint,
he was completely disguised Putting on
some wooden shoes, or tabots such as the
lower classes wear, sticking in his mouth
a short pipe and putting upon his ehoulder
a long and heavy plank, the prince sailed
forth. He and his friends had first placed
a lay figure in the bed usually occupied BY
him, so that the sentinel or guard who
looked in every half hour or, so, would i'm
agine that the prince, as was often the
case, desired remain in bed, and would
be allowed to do so, undisturbed Once
outside OF his room, danger and difficulties
awaited the fugitive at every step. lie
had not only TO pass the guards and the
soldiers but also such woFnn.en as he
might meet and who would not fail to hail
a stranger among them. Herein Theiin
came to his assistance. He informed the
workmen that he intended to treat them
to lie coup de matta, tho morning :
drink, and having thus secured the at
tentlon Of those upon the passage of the
prince, played the host to then. until the
latter had cleared tie stairway. The The
lin ran after his master, and taking the
start of him accosted the two guardians,
whom the latter had to pass. One of the
men Thelin stood before and calling to the
other talked pleasantly to them. lie had
his overcoat on his arm and the guardian
with whom his gay bearing had rendered
him a favorite, babe him "bon voyaee"
as rs seemed about TO 20 out lie took
them somewhat aside, and desired in a con
6dential way TO know what he might snug
gle into the fortress for them. This coca
stoned some laughter, during which time
the prince with his plank on bis shoulder
passed on. One of the guards looked at
him aud he, as were stopped to allow
the inspection. He then moved and
the danger was escaped. At that moment,
a workman who had just come down stairs,
FASTENED after the prince as though he
wished to accost him. This man, lock
smith, Thelin stopped aud gave some di-
rections to, thus allowing the prince time
to on get out OF the reach of this interup-
ton, When passing the first sentinel
Napoleon let his pipe fall from his mouth,
and stopped to pick it mp managed to get
beyond the soldier who looked at him
without suspicion. Having thus escaped
the sentinel, he, without apparent emo
ton, pursued his course, marching through
the soldiers grouped about the outer en-
trance of the stronghold. An officer how
ever advanced as though to speak to him.
lie swung around the slong plank, to es-
cape the shock of which the officer fell
back, aud the prince Kept on his course.
lie was now free, but was still in sight of
the guard when suddenly the greatest risk
he had yet run, presented itself. Two
workmen saw them to be total strangers,
and calling out to him, desired to know
his name. At that moment, and just so
the prince felt how great was his danger,
some one in the distance shouted out,
That is Berthon," and Napoleon saw
the two men turn away, Marching along
still with the plank on his shoulder, the
prince gained The high road, and then
Theln, who had made his prepare
tons before hand, overlook his master and
the two entered carriage in waiting and
drove away hastily. lIe prince threw OF
his workmens clothes, but kept on the
wig, and taking the reins drove hastily to-
wards st. Quentin. Passing through his
town, the tugitiyes continued their course
until they took the train to Brussels.
The lay figure in the prince bed at the
fortress was of course duly looked at by
the guards, but they did not desire to dis
turb the prince all the more as Thelin had
lighted large fire in the adjoining sitting
room upon the pretext of the princes mis-
disposition. Becoming somewhat uneasy
concerning the state of his prisoner, the
commander of tho fortress at last made up
his mind to see him, and then was discover
ed the fact that the prince had escaped.
Of course, all pursuit proved useless, and
a short time after the prisoner of state be-
came first, president, and then emperor of
France. Naturally enough he did not for
get the faithful services OF TheIin and Con-
neau, both of whom have ever since re-
manned with the emperor. The first is the
"Caissier Rtrticulier de sag Ngy,stic, !" that
Is, keeper of the private purse OF his SOW
ereion and Won will easily COMPREHEND that