The New York herald., 1874-08-24
Was Bazaine Imprisoned and
Did He Escape7
THE MARSHAL I'M BRUSSELS.
Is q Strong Democracy Preferable
to q Weak Republic
PRINCE NAPOLEONs CHANCES.

There iS doubt whether Bazaine ever really
went to the Island OF Ste. Marguerite at ALL and 1t
IL very positively stated by persons who at least
seem likely to know, that the present Official &C
count OF mis- escape is only blind. 1t IS a s1gnif
cant fact that although company OF soldiers was
kept In the island, am in a position to affirm
that none Of them ever saw him there. 1t Is also
to be noted that the Bonapartist papers an
nOunced immediately after the trial that unless
the ex-Marshal was reprieved he would publish q
justification Of his proceedings during the siege of
Metz, which would compromise not o few OF those
who had Joined IN prosecuting him; and 1t was
even limited that MacMahon himself, whose politi-
cal attitude during the war was not so entirely
sans peur ct sans reproche as had been supposed,
would be brought to signal grief thereby
THE GOVERNMENT STORY.
The French Post Office has seized all private tel
egrams relating to the escape. Meanwhile the
account OF the affair which the government has
put forward is as f0llows:--
When Marshal Bazane was first imprisoned his
confinement was very strict Four warders were
responsible for his safe custody py day, while at
night picket OF soldiers kept guard over the
house and the different points Of the island. Lat
terly, in consideration OF the Marshas Ill health
and on his giving his parole not to escape, some
little relaxation OF the prison rules was allowed.
Only two persons, however, were allowed to visit
him-Mme Bazaine and Colonel Vlllette, his old
aide-decamp. Colonel vllette saw him on Sunday
last, and lett Ste. Marguerite in the afternoon.
Nine. BaZaine left her husband shortly after
dnner-that ls, about halfpast seven O'Clock,
and crossed over to the mainland. Later in the
evening-according to the deposition OF a fisher
man-a lady, whom he at once recognized as Nine.
Bazaine, accompanied by gentleman, came to
him and wanted to hire boat iOr quiet row.
The fisherman suspecting nothing, readily as
init ho hOaf
handed the lady, took hold of the sculls and shot
rapidly across the water in the direction of ste.
Marguerite. The gentleman has since been identi-
fed as NJ Roule, cousin Of Nine. Bazaine's.
THE LAST EVENING AT STE. MARGUERITE.
Meanwhile the ex-Marsha was pacing up and
down the terrace In front OF his house in company
with M. Marquet, governor Of the prison. 1t ls a
nne terrace, 100 yards in length, and commands
one Of the most splendid views in the Mediter-
Sanean. Towards nine O'Clock he turned in. hav
Ing doubtless, reconnotred the little boat which
was gliding round the island. The steamer which
to aid IN the escape was OF course, not yet in
sight. The night was already stormy and
the mistral began to blow with terrific Violence
At eleven Bazaine was seen for the last time by
the ofiicer whose duty 1t was to call on the pris-
Oner at that hour. Next morning he was gone.
His window remained open and from it hung
long rope with which the prisoner had evidently
let himself down, at the imminent risk Of breaking
his neck, for his bedroom hung over steep Jagged
rock. The old soldier had evidently found 1t
rough work, for the rope was stained with
ELEVEN SPOTS OF BLOOD.
At eleven O'Clock on Monday morning the au-
thOrites telegraphed to Paris The despatch
reached the President of the Republic at hafpast
two. He immediately c0nvOked a council Of
Ministers, and the arrest of every officer and
even every private soldier on the island was
decided on. An order was also given to arrest
Colonel vAlette, wherever he might be found. The
Colonel was arrested the same evening at the
Marseilles station WHITTIER he had just arrived
from Cannes. Next day the news reached Paris
tnat the fugitive had landed safely at San Reno.
The ship which landed him carried Italian colOrs.
According to the latest intelligence, he was pro.
ceeding by way OF Turin and Basle to Brussels.
There he will cause much tribulation OF mind TO
the Belgian government. which Is constantly being
reproached by its big neghbors for harboring OBJ
noxious exiles In 1871 the pressure put on it was
great that 1t was obliged to Danish Victor Hugo;
and II the ex Marshal takes to writing pamphlets
which contain too much truth the Minister'S OF
Leopold ii. may receive gentle hint as to the
wishes of the cabinet OF Versailles
HERO WORSHIP AMONG THE soLDIERY.
The police have already taken possession
Of the island OF Ste. Marguerite and I'M
termed the soldiers. The Public Prosecutors
Of Marseies and Grasse are holding an in
Quiry. II the Incarceration and the escape be
not equally my thical 1t seems impossible for Ba-
xaine to have escaped without the c0nnlvance at
least Of the sentinel, whose post was directly
der his bedroom window The Marshal had
tainly secured himself one two very devoted
riends, and he may have been popular with the
sOldiery though held up to execration by oficers.
That was the whole secret OF Louis NapoleOn's
escape from Ham, Two sentinels recognized the
Prince in spite Of his workman's blouse, and
showed the fact by their looks, one OF them even
smiling ana saying "Pass ON, SIR" In those days
the whole army loved Bonaparte and there may
well be many who still love the hero OF the Cri-
mea, Italy and Mexico for all the disasters OF
Metz.
MYSTERIES OF FRENCH POLITICS.
Those who are but superfclaly acquainted with
France, and picture 1t to themselves as simply
New England with the addition of the French
language and few old world customs, may regard
a. wild the idea that Ba2aine was never really i'm.
prisoned at all. Whatever the facts may turn out
to be, the supp0sition is by no means an impossi-
binty. the extraordinary Capitalization OF the
French political system places enormous power
and the ability enforce absolute secrecy IN the
hands of the Executive for the time being. The
Man with the Iron Mask does not belong to fable
but to- modern history, even to the eighteenth
century Yet the mystery Of his existence has
never been revealed, and nothing is known OF him
save that during twenty-iour years no man saw
bis face. proof that strange things are done
even in these days may be found in the curious
memoirs OF one Grlscelli, spy Of the Second EN-
pire. They may be disbeieved, yet they have an air
Oi truth, and as the writer frankly avows himself
an assassin, his book is at least not open 70 the
charge OF selflaudation. 1t is characteristic of
the unhealthy state Of mind produced here by too
much OF revolution, that the first Frenchman to
whom impaired the news was firmly convinced
that "tney" had let him escape Who 'they" may
be Is never strictly defined. In the discussions Of
political guidance "they" have as many sins to
answer for as the household cat which eats apricot
JAM burns the ends OF candles and kicks over por-