The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-06-11
THE CAVE OF DEATH.

In the early days of the French Revo-
luton the prisons of Lyons were filed
with thousands of unhappy victims.
Seventy-two prisoners who were con
demned were thrown into the Cave of
Death on the ninth of December, there
to await the execution of their sentence
This could not be the next day, because
it was the Decadi.
One of the prisoners by the name of
Porral, only twenty one years of age, of
bold and ardent spirit, profited by
this interval to devise plan of escape.
His sisters having, by means of very
large bride, obtained access to this
abode of horror, began to weep around
him.
" 1t is not now time to weep" said
he; " it is moment to arm ourselves
with resolution and activity, and en-
deavor to find some way by which we
can elude our menaced fate. Bring me
files, chisel, turn screw and other in
struments; bring wine in abundance;
bring a poniard, that if reduced to ex-
tremity, we may not perish without the
means of defense. By this CRATE, which
looks into the Rue Lafond, you can
give me these things. I will be in wait
ing there the whole day to receive
them"
The sisters retired and in the course
of the day, at different visits, brought
variety of tools, twelve fowls, and about
sixty bottles of wine. Porral communi-
cate i his project to four others, bold and
acllve as himself, and the whole bust
ness was arranged to his complete sstis-
| faction.
The evening arrived general supper
was propos,-the last, they thought,
that they should ever eat. The prison
ers supped we'll, and exhorted each
other to meet their fate the next morn
ing with heroism and fortitude.
| At II o'clock the associates began
their labors one of them was placed as
a sentinel next the door of the cave,
armed with poniard, ready to dispatch
the turnkey if, at his visit at 2 o'clock
in the morning, he should appear to
suspect anything; the others, pulling off
their coats, began to make their re-
searches.
At the extremity of the second cave
they found huge door, and on this
they began their operations 1t was of
oak, and double barred by degrees the
hinges gave way to the files, and the
door was no longer held by them but
still they could not force it open it was
held by something on the other side,
A hole was made in it with chisel.
and, looking through, they perceived it
was tied by very strong rope to post
at distance.
This was terrible moment They
endeavored in vain to cut the rope with
Che chisel or file, but they could not
| reach it. A piece of wax candle, how
ever, was procured and being lighted
and tied to the end of stick, they
thrust it through the hole in the door
and burnt the cord asunder. The door
was then opened and the adventures
proceeded forward.
This door they found led only to
another vault, which served as depot
for confscated effects and merchandise.
Among other things was large trunk
filled with shirts. They profted by
this discovery to make change of linen;
and. instead of the clean ones which
they took, they left their own, which
they had worn for many weeks. Two
doors besides that at which they had
entered now offered themselves to their
choice. They began to attack one; but
they had scarcely applied the file when
they were alarmed by the barking OF
dog behind.
A general CONSERVATION seized the
party the work was stopped In an IN
slant; perhaps the door led into the
apartments of the jailor. The idea re-
called to their minds that it was now