Omaha daily bee., 1874-05-29

reports In tne SAL IIoLCisOo PoPSi"
Roehefort-I do not desire too
much newspaper notoriety. The re-
ports in the San Francisco papers
are not reliable. They have done
too much guessing.
Reporter-When did you leave
New Caledonia, and how have you
enjoyed the trip so far?
Rochefort-We left New Caledo-
mia on the Goth of March. 1t has
been a somewhat tedious journey.
Still 1 cannot complain. l am now
in excellent health. When l first
reached New Caledonia, l looked
like a zebra. 1 was reduced to a per-
feet skeleton. My most intimate
friends could not have recognized
me. Isuffered so much from sea sick
ness, home sickness, and that terri
bic equatorial sun.
RoCHEFoRT AND GEORGE FRANCIS.
Reporter - Were you ever in
America before, and what do you
think of the country as far as you
have seen it?
RochefOrt-I have never been in
America before. You have a Won
derful and charming country. l am a
great admirer of nature, and have
enjoyed the trans-continental scene
~ very much.
Reporter-I presume you are &C
uuainted with some Americans, and
particularly with that enthusiastic
Communist, George Francis Train.
Omaha is his country home.
Rochgort-Train? ] don't re-
member that name.
Reporter-You must surely have
met him. He was in France during
the great Communistic revolt, and
claims to have been one of your
chief leaders at Marseilles, Lyons
and various points.
Rochefort-I never have heard OF
him. / was in Paris during most OF
that time, but if he had done any
thing remarkable I should surely
have heard Of it.
PRISON LIFE IN NEW CALEDONIA.
Reporter-How long were you IN
New Caledonia, and what kind OF
life did you lead there?
Observation-Disclosures 1 was SEN
fenced to deportation three years ago
/ really have spent only three
months on the island, and that was
enough for me. 1 cannot complain
about the treatment. Prisoners who
have money are allowed to buysuch
luxuries as may be obtained there.
Myself and several well-tO-dO COM
panions had a house built for our
selves which afforded us much COM
fort. But the miserable wretches
who came there without means are
literally starving. There are thirty
five hundred of these ragged unfOr-
fortunates on the island, and what,
with that terrible broiling heat, the
voracious gnats and mosquitoes and
the slim fare, they are dying off
at a fearful rate. Oh, you can form
no idea Of that intolerable country.
Even our house afforded us but poor
shelter against those poisonous in
sects.
Reporter-What space are those
prisoners allowed to move in and
are they compelled to work? How
do the guards and Overseers manage
to live?
Rochefort-The prisoners are per-
mitted to move in a region owe
ing about ten miles back from the
sea. Political prisoners are de-
ported, and therefore not subjected
to hard labor like those transported
for grave criminal ~offenses. They
are allowed to do pretty much what
they please within the lines. The
guards are soldiers, and they, of
course are also more or less subject
to the malarious diseases, still they
live more comfortably and gen.
orally sleep on the high plateau,
which is not as deadly as the low
lands near the shore. They are
generally transported In ships
of war while the prisoners come
there decimated to skeletons by
the voyage in transport ships. Take
the vessel / came in and out of the
five hundred and forty persons on
board four hundred and eighty
were suffering from the scurvy.
Many of them died within a few
weeks after reaching their destina'
ton.
THE TRUE STORY OF THE ESCAPE,
Reporter-You had a most peril.
Gus escape. 1 am told you had tC
swim for life. How long were you
in the water?
Rochefort-I should say it was
perilous. Such a thing has never
been undertaken before, and We
were the first prisoners that have
ever escaped from that dreadful
island. There were six Of us, but
there were only two that swan with
me; the others started from a distant
point on the island. We had en-
gagged an English bark of four hun
dred tons capacity, to sail around
! that coast. How that was accom-
: plished 1 prefer not to tell. The
| bark was almost out of sight, be-
!, tween six and eight miles out at sea,
!, 1t was a dark night. We quietly
l slipped into the ocean about eight
p. M, and remained in the water
until after midnight before We could
. reach the vessel. 1t was a long
/, long swim for dear life, and We
!, were well nigh exhausted wher
J they picked us up.
: Reporer-Was this the first op-
, portunity you had for escaping?
, Rochefort-No! Before / lef
France | was all along assured thai
: l should not be deported, and final.
, ly the Government became int.mi
|, dated by the Legitimists, and they
, decided to get me out of the coun'
try. They were, however, inclined
to let me escape, with the under
standing that 1 would go to Belgium
, or Switzerland, but / refused to avail
. myself of the proffered opportunity
, I preferred to share the exile will
: my friends.
NC MAHoN, TIMERS AND GAMBETTl
; RepoTer-Tbey are having very
: exciting times in France just now
. What do you think of the prospect
Rochefort-In my opinion thu
: prospect for the Republicans is yer,
l bright. Mcmahon cannot sustain
himself three months. He has los
his grip on the Right, whichput hin
-