Wichita eagle., 1889-06-21

Later in the day went aboard and pail
my compliments to the midshipmen IN tn
Storage. They were very pleasant fellows
One of them, Dundonald, soon became goos
friend. / have met him since In commant
of bigger ship than the Bellerophon. Thi'
seventy four, lying at Cadiz, bore the SAM
name as the ship which carried Napoleon II
st. Helena, but was newer and larger yes
sell
believed now that Haggendorph would
try to ship in the Bellerophon, and I go
permission from the British consul to stay il
his Office during all business hours
True enough, the deserter appeared, ant
had begun story Of his being left ashore by
an English yacht, when I confronted anc
arrested him. He was as cool rascal as
have ever seen He declared that was mis-
taken, and promptly showed some keepsake.
marked F. S., borrowed or stolen doubtless
including a Bible with his name, Frederick
Swan, ia it, and locket engraved F. S. The
perfect Of police locked him up for me ovel
night, and brought him the next day before
the maritime judge.
1 swore to his identity, and he swore a:
fatty to his present story, and exhibited the
Bible and locket He had lawyer to SPEAK
for him also.
The dignified old judge announced his de
cision with much stateliness. He said be could
not doubt the word of honor Of the gallant
young officer de La marina, nor could he be
leve that he was mistaken; but, according
to Spanish law, more than one witness for
Identification was necessary, and as I was
alone In my testimony, he must set the man
free
Hell never get into the Bellerophon, "
said Dundonald, who was with me in court.
Haggendorph went out, and, as he passed
near me, looked defiantly in my face, saying,
I'll pay you for this!'
Don't speak to mel" I replied. I now
gave up the chase. As the Bellerophon
would sail in day or two, accepted the
privilege granted to the Storage mess by her
captain to take me along with them as far as
Gibraltar, whence could get steamer for
an Italian port. The good fellows dined
with me at the hotel on the eve Of sailing,
and agreed to send boat for me at o'clock,
giving me time TO finish q letter home for the
Paris mail leaving at midnight. A servant
took my luggage to their boat, and then
wrote my letter.
At about l said good-by to the landlord,
and walked down through side street to
ward the boat landing. I chose route with
which I was familiar, but which was rather
dark and unfrequented.
Half way down noticed a charcoal cart
and pair of mules standing directly across
the street. A few moments afterward l
heard it drive up behind me and some men
jump out &C it. Without warning 1 was at
tackled from behind, and in few seconds
was bound, gagged and lifted into the cart,
which drove rapidly away. In the scuffle l
thought heard Haggendorph's voice speak
ing Spanish. We soon left the pavements,
and were driven very fast over a rough
country road.
There were two men In the cart besides the
driver. The taller of them, whom they called
Don Francisco, condescended after a time to
tell me the object Of my capture
"When we get to my house, d" he said, "you
will write letter to your friends or draw a
bill of exchange on them that will bring me
thousand dollars When l get the money
will let you CO."
My gag had been removed and I replied:
"Senor, there is nobody to pay thousand
dollars for me. have no father and my
mother is poor. viii never ask her or any
body else to pay money for me-"
Then you will stay with me till you feel
differently" said he.
After many hours of rapid travelling we
reached Don Francisco's abode, low, plaster
house with considerable out buildings. 1t had
been part of the Enclosure of a Moorish castle
One side of the main tower with an open
horseshoe arch, was still standing Valleys
broken up by woods and open fields lay all
about the place, but no settlements or signs
of human life
Near by were smoking coal pits to deceive
the custom house police, for my captors were
neither charcoal burners nor professional
brigands, but contrabandistas OF smugglers.
was confined by night in an out building,
but was permitted TO be out of doors by day,
under the jailorship of Don Francisco's man
Manuel and gigantic mastifP Manuel, an
athletic fellow, slept in my room across the
doorway and 1 could never stir without wax
ing him. The only window in the room was
q narrow slit in the old Moorish wall, not
much wider than the thickness of my arm.
A bright lookout was kept for custom house
spies and police, and, on the occasion Of one
alarm, l was hurried into an opening in the
side of q hill which, | found, was the entrance
to deserted mine worked probably by the
Romans many centuries ago, and now used
Is Don Francisco's storehouse for contraband
goods.
Don Francisco had an honest looking wife
who was kind to me. l sometimes caught
ylimpses of his daughter, Juanita, who was a
Inc horse woman and often rode with her
father.
Ny thoughts were mostly on plans for es-
ape. Manuel could not be bribed with what
title money had, but got on the right side
If the dog by sharing my meals with him.
l concluded that my first step must be to
ret Manuel out of my room at night. 1 COM
claimed bitterly to Don Francisco that the
Dom was too close and sickening, as was III
Iced true.
The door opened inward, and, as Manuel
ay across it, in the narrow space between it |
md the bed, it was impossible to move the |
loor without waking him. At last Don Fran
isco consented to place him on the outside |
With dog chain around his arm fastened to |
ring in the door. I could not open the door |
Without arousing him.
Now | began TO have some hope The ring |
D the door was only staple driven through /
be oak plank and clinched on the inside. Il .
were to cut of the cinches with a file, it |
7ould still hold by its rust I concluded to
ut out block of the wood around it.
l did this by working with my penknife q
art of every night for three weeks, cutting
Ut trough around the ring. I filed the
xcavatiou with earth and little beeswax
, that it was inperceptible in the daytime
When ready, there remained scarcely an
ighth OF an inch IN thickness not cut through.
On the night meant TO escape, asked the
enora for bottle Of wine and let Manuel
rink most Of it Before midnight he was
coping heavily. then cut carefully through
he remaining thickness of the wood and
ushed the block little way out. opened
lie door far enough to slip my right arm