The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-10-18
A coNvIoT,s ESCAPE.
subterfuge by which He Contrivcd TO Get
Away from Prison Colony.


Away from Prison Colony.
Mr.. f. Ordinaire recently returned
from long sojourn in New Caledonia,
the big island in the Pacific to which
several thousand French criminals have
been transported for their country's
good. 1t is mistake, however, to sup
pose that many of these convicts spend
their lives drudging away behind prison
walls. If they behave themselves and
DO not try to escape they are in time per-
mitted to enjoy good deal of liberty, live
in cottages Of their own outside the pris-
ons, marry female convicts, and acquire
more or less property. While in New
Caledonia Mr.. Ordinaire met beautiful
young French woman and her husband.
They lived in good style, entertained
him handsomely, and, as they were not
convicts. their guest was curious to
know how it happened that they were
living in such an out of the way part OF
the world. They satisfied his curiosity,
and later he heard the story they told
him from the French authorities on the
island.
About twenty years ago a wealthy
Frenchman named Lamy was condemned
to life imprisonment in New Caledonia.
1t had been discovered that he had sue
cessively poisoned two Legitimate wives,
and the public sentiment was that ho
was very lucky to save his head. His
sentence was that he should be kept at
hard labor. 1t happened, however, that
in his now home, being far away from
the French court that tried him, he was
not confined very long in the prison
gang, and gradually gained nyprivil-
eyes. Mr.. Ordinaire hints that Lamy's
money was influential in making con-
vict life easy and comfortable for him.
At the end of ten years the wife
poisoner was as free as any one could be
who was not permitted to go anywhere
he pleased. He wandered at will among
the settlements of New Caledonia,
bought property in Noumea, the chief
town of the island, and started ranch
on which before long he had two thou
sand head of cattle. He had other busi-
ness irons in the fire, and enjoyed all
the privileges of q free colonist, except
that he could not quit the island, where
he had been condemned to perpetual
exile.
But, of course, the thing he most de-
sired was the complete freedom that
was denied him. In spite of his fortune
and the comparative comfort be enjoyed,
Lamy made up his mind to go back to
Europe if he could get there.
One day he went to Noumea, wearing
a very lugubrious face, and told the
Governor of the Penitentiary Admins
tration that the climate was simply Kill
ling him; if he did not have a change of
air he would die. He begged for per-
mission to spend six months in Sydney
on account of his shattered health.
1t is limited that sympathy did not
move the penitentiary authorities half
so much as the gold which is capable of
working miracles. A privilege that had
never been extended to prisoner on
the island before was accorded to Lamy.
He obtained permission TO seek change
OF air, and openly embarked for Austria
liza on French steamer, buying the
best Accommodations the vessel provided.
Lamy was now really a fugitive, for
he had not the slightest intention of re-
turning again to New Caledonia. 1t did
not take him long to discover that the
Sydney air was not sufficiently curative,
and he accordingly took passage upon
one of the San francisco steamers,
crossed North America, and embarked
from New York for Europe.
A few months after Lamy should have
reappeared in New Caledonia his son and
aughter-in-law, the young people who
so handsomely entertained Mr.. Ordi-
naire, appeared on the scene. They were
equipped with full powers to dispose
of his property on the island, and they
settled in one of their fathers houses
and proceeded leisurely to realize upon
the lands, houses, forests and herds of
their parent. At last accounts he was
still reposing from his adventures in a
country bordering upon France. IN. Y.
Sun