Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-05

should be perceived In the court, the
alarm would instantly be given. and all
would be discovered. After having had
the courage to penetrate thus far, let us
have resolution still to wait awhile. AT
s o'clock the gate viii be opened, and
the passage through the court free. We
can then steal out by degrees; and,
mngilng with the numbers, we can &c
away without being perceived. It is not
till 10 o'clock the prisoners are sum-
moned to execution; between and 10
there will be time enough for all of us to
get away. We Will return to the cave;
and when the time of departure arrives,
each of us five will inform two others OF
the means of escape offered. We shall
then be fifteen, and going out three at q
time we shall pass unobserved. Let the
last three, as they set off, inform fifteen
others, and thus in succession we may
! all make our escape"
This plan appeared judicious and safe;
it was unanimously agreed to, and the
associates, returning to the cave, made
choice of those who should first be in
formed of what they had done.
Montellier, a notary, and Baron de
Chatfoy, to whom the means of escape
were offered, refused to avail themselves
of them, the former from a confidence
of pardon, as he had been mistaken
for his brother, and the latter, though
In the flower of his age, declared all his
ties In the world were broken, and that
life had nothing now to offer which
could make him DESTROYS of prolonging
it. They were both guillotined the next
| morning.
The fate of the fifteen who fed was
very dissimilar, and the escape of the
rest was prevented by the imprudence
of one Of them. The last of the fifteen,
who, In quitting the cave, was, accord
ing to the plan arranged, privately to
| apprise fifteen others, instead of doing
so, cried aloud:
"The passage is open. Let every
| one that can escape!'
This excited movement among the
| prisoners. They arose in an instant,
doubling whether what they heard could
be true, or whether he who uttered these
words was not mad. The noise they
made alarmed the sentinel without he
called the turnkey; they hastened TO
the cave, perceived what had been done,
and. closing the door by which the pris-
oners had escaped, placed q strong
guard before it. Nesple, who had ex-
cited this movement, was, with three
others, taken and executed. Another of
the fugitives took refuge in the house of
friend in an obscure street, but he was
discovered, brought back and guillo-
tined.
It was not thus with Porral, the
author of the plan. He was the first to
come forth from the cave. As he
passed the sentinel in the court, he said:
"My friend, it rains and SHOWS very
hard were I in your place, [ would not
remain out of doors such weather, but
would go to the fire in the guard-room."
The sentinel thanked him, and, follow
ing his advice, the coast was left more
clear for the prisoners. PorraI took
refuge in the house Of one who was con-
sidered good patriot, and escaped the
observation of party of commissioners
who entered the house. AS soon as
they were gone, he began to think of
making his way out of the city as fast
as possible. When he arrived at Place
Belle-Cour he found parties of the
gendarmerie dispersed everywhere.
Porral went into q house, and, making
known who he was, entreated an asylum.
The inhabitants were women, timid to
excess but the desire of saving an in
nocent person rendered them courage
Gus. They conducted him into a gar
ret and concealed him behind some
planks standing up in corner.
The gendarmes arrived they searched
the house they came into the garnet
where Porral was concealed. Here they
found large cask, the top Of which was
fastened down with paddock. They
asked for the key; the women went
downstairs for It. While they were
gone one of the gendarmes leaned
against the planks, while second said {:
"'Twould be droll enough if we were
to find one OF the fugitives in this cask
l." More likely plate, or money, said
third, "for it seems very heavy"
The key at length arrived the cask
was unlocked, and was found to be full
of salt. The gendarmes swore at the
disappointment, visited the roof Of the
house, and then retired. In the evening
Porral, dressed in woman's clothes, with
basket on his head and another on his
arm, passed the bridge of La Guillo-
there, and quilted the city.
Gabriel, another of the fugitives, con-
cealed himself among the bushes in the
marshes of the Treval1x Perrache, where
he was nearly frozen to death, but he
| got away to place Of safety.
One young Conchouz, who was Of the
five that had opened the way for escape,
made choice Of his father who, WAS near
ly so years of age, as one Of the fifteen !;
but the poor old mans legs were swol-
len, and he was scarcely able to walk.
ely, fly, my son " said he; "if
thou hast the opportunity, fly this in
slant I command it as an act of duty,
but it is impossible that I should fly
with thee. have lived long enough
my troubles will soon be finished, and
death will be deprived of its sting if I
can know that thou art in safety"
His son assured him that he would
not quit the prison without him, and
that his persisting in his refusal would
only end in the destruction Of both.
| The father, overcome by his dutiful
affection, yielded, and, supported by his
son, made his way to the bottom of the
staircase, but to ascend it was out of his
power; he could just drag his legs along
the ground, but to lift them up was i'm
possible. His son, though low in stat
- L. L. L