The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-15
MURAT HALSTEAD.
How He Came Near Being Hanged
as a Spy.
"were you ever on the edge of the grave,

sir?"
"WelI, came very nearly being hanged
during the course Of the Franco-Prussian
war;" said Mnrat Halstead, editor of the
Brooklyn Standard Union, as he turned to
the World representative.
"Will you kindly give short account of
your escapes from death?"
"While acting as correspondent at the
battle of Fredericksburg, like some of the
soldiers got separated from my command,
and | concluded to make reconnaissance on
my own account. / mounted slight ridge
east of the town of Fredericksburg, and ad-
justing myself there with glass was soon
lost in admiration of the scene. A puff of
very white smoke gnshed from the hillside,
and cannon ball hummed over my head.
1t was good line shot, but it was-Say 20
feet high"
See here, Mr.. Halstead can't we make it
a little less than that. 1t is hardly hair
breadth enough, you know"
A look of rigid virtue passed over Mr..
Hastead's face as he responded mo. no."
Then his features relaxed as he said: 81
am afraid. If anything, it was q trhe higher
than that"
Mr.. Halstead went on: II have always
thought that there was at least one shot
wasted on me during the war. 1t might
have hit soldier if it hadn't been fired
at me.
:" l had three to.erably close calls while
was in Europe during the Franco-PrusSian
War. The first was near Pont a Mousson,
which is on the Moselle, seventeen miles
above Metz. Word came that the French
were to make sally with 100000 men and
attack the Red Prince. NJ. ID. Conway and
! had visited cOnical mountain, in the
neighborhoOd of which was encamped
German regiment. We concluded that that
would be the place to see the approaching
battle. We started early in the morning.
m tba Lr.an ah6 1,,tf
we got to the top of the mountain we found
the German troops were gone. and while we
were considering what was to be done were
made prisoners by peasants. They were
looking for just such fellows. They were
Frenchmen and desperate. They were ex-
cited; they were hunting for spies. They
knew we were not French they saw thatwe
were not in uniform. and they concluded
that we were spies, and in that character
they proposed to massacre US. They gave US
scrap Of German newspaper to read l
told them we were Americans and produced
a copy of the London Telegraph. That
seemed 10 impress them and then drew my
passport, ana they looked at the American
eagle with good deal OF considera-
ton. There was big red seal on
the parchment, with ribbons under the
svely official way. Minister Washburne
had fixed that for me. He told me these
ribbons might save my life and | believe
they did. The ribbons and the eagle to-
gether staggered them, and, forming a
group. they discussed the situation while
Mr.. Conway and myself deliberately walked
away. They allowed US to do this, assum-
ing as a certainty that we would 90 down
the mountain the same way as we came up,
but we turned sharply the other way. de-
scending the other side OF the mountain.
They concluded TO intercept us, and, arning
themselves with reaping- hOokS, made across
the fields to cut off our retreat. That they
intended to remove us is certain, butwhether
they would succeed was not decided, when
the CHATTER of troop of horses was heard
and there rode upon the scene squad Of the
ubiquitous Uhlans. They turned into the
road toward which we were making. The
peasants beat retreat. The Uhlans came
up Just III time to prevent us from diSgraciDg
ourselves by running and preserved our dig
nifty. We lit our cigars to show that the sit
uatiOn hadn't excited us.
"Whie wandering over the battlefield of
GravelOtte met with another adventure.
Among the articles with which the ground
was covered were many loaded French
rifles. Burial parties were employed in
digging trenches and gathering the dead for
burial. When these fellows came upon
loaded rifle they would fire it off. A bullet
Kissed so closely past my ear that for
moment actually thought was hit. l was
impressed that the shot was not fired by ac-
cident. The facility for disposing of dead
UOultS WIS great. lHtIc muSl nave DttU Il
dozen of them in the vicinity, and one fel-
low more or less would not have made any
difference.
After my experience with the German
army | had the imprudence TO 90 back to
Paris, acting under the advice of Mr.. Wash
burne. The French Government had sup
pressed all news of the disasters and re-
verses which had overtakeu the French
arms. 1t became known through my own
indiscreton and that of friends that had
been with the German army, had seen the
Prussian King and had conversed with Bis
marck, and that had talked about the de-
feats and loss of prestige to which the
French army had been subject; and further
than that. had advised some American
friends to go away from Paris as soon as
possible, as the Germans were advancing to
besiege Paris, and all exit would soon be cut
Off. Some hot-headed Partisan patriots re-
solved to make away with me and started
out to hang me. The gentlemen who had
made my acquaintance during my previous
stay in Paris, and who had volunteered to
point me out, failed to recognize me, owing
to the effects of wind and weather on my
face, to the fact that | hadn't been shaved
for a month and that my clothes were tat
tered and torn by the various vcssitudes to
which had been subjected" IN. Y. World.