Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-09-09
THE TRUE STORY OF BA-
'a ZAINEpS ESCAPE. Ifl.


! THE TRUE STORY OF BA-
~ M ZAiNES ESCAPE ia
nlrHHii'i - Ha
The facts stated in the following let.
ter were communicated 10 the Paris
correspondent of the London Hour by
the nephew of Marshal Bazaine:
Mme Rov;ono ,vho ,ct am, Rods so =
wbat ,bcv Ike viii have a Mace II
h;s,or, 90 ono of,he most nlnc,iv Of hor
sovs Within ,bree months al hecom.
in@ mother some short time ago
bc7na yceedinaly anx;ons-a. mosi
Iad;es are 10 have their bu.band near
her dnr;nc ber time of troubls sho
askad ,be Govern,nant IN allow her N
taLe mn her re.;denee With a v;ew ~
hcr canfinement in tbc nr;son wber.
pavo;no ,ras deta;nsd 'fh,s was 70
fnscd Not hcing sble N yain her
po;nt she then petitioned the presi-
dent Of the RenubIic direct asking him
10 commute the sentence passed upop
the Marshal into one of banirhment
from France. This too was refused.
An her reouests were treated with mn.
kindness and inciyility not to saw with
offensiyeness and brutality. Madame
then mi herself In communication
with the Marbars brother and Others
OF his relatives, and il was determined
to effect his escape, and this is how it
was done: Bazaine, like all the other
prisoners, was kept under lock and key,
and could in all honor attempt to
escape if he wished to do so. ! must
tell you that Of late his captivity had
become intolerable to the prisoner.
He is man Of very stout make, and
one who had always been accustomed
TO very great deal Of exercise on
horseback Since, in May, 1872, he
was made prisoner at Versailles until
now, he had never been able TO move
save under the eyes of sentinel, and
to walk under their never-ending su-
pervision so disgusted him that for
some time he gave il up altogether.
He is now sixty-two years of age and
weighs at the very least some sixteen
stone To believe that such man
and at his age could slip down rope
over cliff that is nearly forty feet
high is an astonishing piece of cred
ulity even for a French journalist.
Tho Marshal walked ont Of the door
of his rr;son a l;t,le heiore davIiobt IN
Monday and vet there was no one
inside the fort who was privy to his
act or who played the traitor to the
Government The plan was very
simple indeed. For some weeks be-
forehand disguise had been prepared
BY Nine. Bazaine herself Bit by bit
this was brought outside the fort and
hidden. The Marshal never slept in
his bed that night, but lay figure
was put there to deceive the Governor
when he locked up for the night.
Before daybreak, about 4:45 A. NJ, the
gates of the fort were opened as usual,
and some of the garrison, as is their
custom, went beyond the walls The
prisoner was dressed in q laborer's
blouse to hide his bulky figure, and
carried on his back a huge sack OF rub
bish as if he were going TO throw IT N
the sea. The scheme was successful
because 1t was bold and pluclSy. NC
one for " %omen' could sssrSos ,a.,' ,sG'
ei'ner 'he Prisone' ""' no, "i'ue' 'oon
ana KEY, OF Una. ne wouru ureaih "
walking eooly out oi 'hc ioi''
Once outside he had merely to walk
down to where the boat was waiting
get in TO il, and be rowed to the steam
er which his wife had hired ready to
take him away. II was a question Of
time-of minutes-whether he could
get on board before his absence was
discovered whlcn u wouid pe sure 70 p'
AZ D A. NJ, ,ne uine wnen nc was u
ways visltea py one Oh ,he piisoh au,
thorities inc rope s~.alieu ~ WIN plyou 10,
was hung over inc parape. very lat'
the mght before, IN oruer 10 put 'ns
autnor,'les on q ia'sc scen'' anu '''os' "
iectuaily IL ana So
Even now thepopular belief is that