Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-08-27
BAZAINE'S ESCAPE

BAZAINE'S ESCAPE
The Paris correspondent OF the New York
Times gives the following details of General
B,zanes escape from the Isle of St. Mar
guerlte:
\ short time ago, or after the ex-Nlarshal
had been some seven mouths 10 prison, Mme
Bazaine asked MacMahon TO change the penal
" into exile for life, and While he would have
gladely doue so, if he could with safety. or
without raising popular clanor against him,
the President felt Obliged to refuse the petition
at this time. 1t was no. until this and other
attempts had failed that the pau of escaping
was accepted by zine lie was urged to
il by his wife, who pleaded with hun daily,
and who used one very stroog argument. In
Fraucc she said, revolutions were frequent, aud
one might burst upon the country at auy NO
mcut. Ii the Radicals were to succeed to
power again, by aCy cha, cc, the hls act OF
the new government would be to sign the death
warrant of Bazaiuc Although this Is an eX-
aegeration, there can be 40 mauuer of toubt
that his life would be 10 danger. Ii was by
constant pleading with him that the faithful
wife fiually won his consent to leave the island.
Souc of the journals pretend that he was on
parole, but this is absurd \ prisoner does not
r mise not to escape unless he gets solne priv
ilrges in return, and Bazaine has had none
whatever. He has beeu cons an'ly suij cted
TO rigid prison discipline, has never beeu allow
cd 10 walk, except upon the parapet, sou:e ten
feet square, aud has been refused nearly all
the privileges he has ever demanded. lie Il:
right to escape therefore, IT ne could, tut
whether it was good policy to do So is gus
tlon which can hardly be decided at this tlm".
All the arrangements Tor the escape had
been completed il week ago, aud the parll
cpuccrocd only awaited u favorable moment for
carrying their plan into execution. Col. III
ettc, Bazaiues faithful FREUD the man vi
sat BY his side during the trial and who asked
to share his captivity, thus giving up his own
hopes of advaL G. Deut, was DOT allowed to sleep
upon the island. but was granted the privilege
of coming over for few hours each day. Dur
ing the winter MADAME Bazaiue aud her chile
reu had been upon tire island, but owing to tie
unhealthy air OF summer they bal to be sent
away. As Madame Bazalue could no loug.r
he coufDed within the walls, under guard, she
was allowed to visit her husband at stated Pc
riods only, aud forced to procure permit 10
advance On Saturday she made her usual
yis and it was on Sunday night that Baz:ine
escaped. The care of the prisoner was couhd-
Cd TO only four guards, drawn from the COM
lany OF one huudred men which comprised the
garrison. At Dig ght squad Of men plcketed
before the gates OF the fortress. Upon the
side of the sea there is perpendicular descent
Of thirty metres, near y thrty-hve yards, and
As this side Is narrow, 20 spot was found for
placing sentinel The guard had to march up
on the other angie, at some distance irou this
tvlcrably safe point. Indeed, owing to the
enormous size Of the prisoner and his advanced
age, it was thought impossible for him to es-
cape from this dangerous point. Moreover, as
in the case of Rochefort and the Communists
OF Noumea, it appears that the Government
counted upon the sharks with which the waters
are filled to guard the sea side Of the castle.
% Sunday the Marshal had passed the great
er part Of the afternoon upon is marrow para
pet, pacing up and down with COL Verte;
but soon after the departure OF the latter B.
z.iue went to his room and in short time re.
tired About 10 ck the Commandart
made his usua visit, fiding his prisouer in be-.
TIE guard had been ST, and the picket post
was also visited 1t Was dark and stormy
night, the mistral bowling about the fortress
and raising menaclug white CAPS upon the sea
and the black clouds hanging low In the sky,
giving promise of rain. Although Stc"uer
had been signallcd Just at da,k, the Commaud
ant felt that the conditions of the night We're
favorable TO repoSe, and after seeing all things
10 order he, too, retired What then passed
could only be devined. Itis known to-day that
about 7:3O on Sunday evening Mme. Bazaiue
hired boat, and accompanied by very young
man, started out for "a row. A CroiSe&te fish
ermau recogniz d the lady, and saw her pull
Ing an oar with teverlsh anxiety, and steering
toward Sante Marguerite. The beat was so"u
lost to sight. 1t was very dark when the
boat came upon the island where Nine. Ba-
2 .lne aud her cuupanioE must have lain Tor sew
eral hours tossed abou' ty the storm. NJ can
while, the Marshal had risen, and, after hav-
ING attached his kDo,ted rope to the iron bars Of
the window, had let himself dowu this giddy
height The rope was found there in the
morning, aud bearlug eleven fresh blood stains
upon it TO Show that the descent was not effect
ed without danger. As the sDall boa! had to
keep beyond the surf, Bazaine had to swim In
fer some distance; but he was soon drawn IN by
his courageous aud loving wife, and the boat
was quick pulled off to the steamer. The
Dext moruiog the Ita.ian coast was reached,
aud Bzaiue safely landed at Saintc R"mo 1t
was not until the next morning that the guard
had any intimatou Of the escape o. then prls-
ouer, but it seems strange that no one on the
island should have seen either the boat close
under the walls or the steamer ouly short dis
taLce away.
The young man who accompanied Mme. Ba-
zane was member of her family, young
NJ xicau, by the uame of RuIl. He has sew
eral times cruised off the island in steam
yacht, but it was only the other day that the
Marshal could be persuaded to leave. Colouel
|llette waited at Cannes until the news arrlv-
ed, when he started for Paris to state what he
kuew, but was arrested before arriving. He is
now iu close confinement at Grese. Nine
''iettc has gone to meet her hu>ba nd, but has
not yet been permitted to see him.