The morning call., 1893-03-27
A Plot to Liberate the
French Emperor.
NAPOLEON IN A WATER-CASK.
Plans That Would Have Changed
History Had They Been Car
ried Out Successfully.


city, and probably to no other living man in
all the Western Hemisphere.
Admittedly, the Ledger gets its data from
one who received 1t thlrd-handed. Henry
Jones got the facts from first-hand, was
there, Oh the island of ST. Helena. and saw
the very place where it occurred, even the
house that Napoleon was prisoner in, only
few years after the remarkable event hap
pened.
The event Itself is the heretofore unpub-
lished attempted escape Of tile Emperor
Napoleon from st. Helena. In themselves
the facts are highly interesting. but they
would never have been told, perhaps, had
1t not been for this erroneous publication of
the Ledger. For Henry Jones is 10th to
speak OF his adventures on land and sea-
They began when he was a boy OF ii, and
lasted many a long yeaI, for he is gray and
wrinkled now.
few people have known that he visited
st. Helena shortly after the Emperor died,
and very few have had an nklng. from
words dropped casually by Jones, that he
knew the details Of a nightly interesting
chapter Of European history.
But he would never tell the story until
yesterday, when The CALL man drew his
attention to the New York publication.
Then he consented to talk for the sake
u,
and that future historians might have the
true light on the matter.
In many OF the minor details of the story
the Ledger's publication is right, he says,
but the story itself should be told by
him, for he alone knows it. And this is
about the way he tells il:
Captain Thomas Boyle commanded the
privateer Comet of Baltimore during the
war with England. The Comet was one of
the largest and fastest sailing vessels in the
m mo
1t was this vessel upon which Napoleon
had built his hopes of escaping from st.
Helena, and Captain Boyle was almost as
much disappointed at tue failure of the
plans, just as they were on the point of
being successful as the Emperor himself.
Napoleon had considered and rejected
many plans for attempted escape before he
had been prisoner on the island a whole
month, Marshal Bertrand ana Las Casas
were faithful friends of their beloved En-
peror and willingly followed him into cap
tiyity.
Their brains were very busy in enncoct-
Ing means for NapOleon's escape. One of
these was TO communicate with friends in
Europe and have a vessel sent to them
which would approach the island stealthily
and watch her opportunity to carry off the
imperial prisoner.
Another plan depended upon securing
aid from the black slaves at st. Helena who
we're naturally hostile to the English and
were much attached to the Emperor and
his cause. The latter were to secure one of
the larger boats about the island and put
out to sea in 1t with the prisoner, trusting
to blind chance to fall in with some friendly
merchantmen.
These and many other plans Napoleon
dismissed as impractlcable. Finally lie hit
upon the one which was tried, and alas
failed.
Frequently foreign vessels arrived at the
island to take on water. 1t was the task of
the slaves to handle and fill the water-casks.
Herein Napoleon saw his chance.
An American vessel should come TO the
island to get water. In one OF the water
casks the Emperor himself should be
placed and rolled on the friendly ship
Captain Boyle of the Comet had distin-
guished himself during the war by his gal
/ liant exploits and the number and richness
of his prizes. He admired Napoleon en-
tnusiastically and hated the English cor
daily, as was the fashion of Americans in
those days.
Before Napoleon had been on the island
the space OF fifteen months, Marshal
Bertrand, through the aid of friends in the
United States. had succeeded in establishing
communications with Captain Boyle.
The latter entered heartily into the plan.
In May. 1917, the Comet cleared from Balti-
more. ostensibly for the Cape OF Good Hope.
In reality she sailed with all possible 81 eed
10 that lonely Isle where Napoleon was a
prisoner.
Now there was a good deal of difficulty in
the way OF the Comets dangerous under
taking. The British feet guarded the
island with The utmost care, aud il was we'll
nigh impossible for a strange vessel to ap-
pruach the shore without being observed by
some Of the English cruisers or by the look
out on Laddy HILL This latter is a tremend-
ously nigh and almost perpendicular peak.
from the brow Of which the observer, with
glass. may see fully 100 miles distant on
the ocean.
But Captain Boyle knew of his dangers
and was wary. lie lay off the island for a
time till stormy weather came and drove
the English fleet into the harbor of James
town, on the northwestern shore
Then, while the storm was raging in all
Its fury, the Comet made a safe anchorage
on the opposite side Of the Island, entering
the only cove on the southern side aceessi-
bic for ships of the draught of the Comet.
But these were the least of the difficult
ties. On land 1000 troops were stationed
and company of infantry under Captain
Poppleton kept special guard of Napoleon
/, The captain had strict orders from the Gov
ernOr of the island, Sir Hudson Lowe,
never to lose sight OF his prisoner for the
space OF two hours at a time, except when
the latter was sleeping.
The Emperor was confined on part of
| the island called Lnngwood. near the center
of the island, and consequently there was
great difficulty in communicating with the
shore.
1t had been previously arranged that Ber-
tand should take up his quarters IN an
empty hut about mile and quarter from
Longw0od, and much nearer the cove where
the Comet was expected TO arrive.
Bertrand was upon good terms with Sir
Hudson Love- and upon the pretext that
his wife's health demanded the change of
residence, the Governor permitted the re-
moval Of Bertrand. A good deal of diplo-
macy was needed to accomplish this desir-
able change. Heretofore Bertrand had
lived In the, rock-hewn prlsOn-hOuse pro-
vided for the EMPEROR surrounded by its
eternal double row of guards. And Sir
Hudson was peevish and suspicious by
nature and guarded everything with the
utmost care Yet he fell into the snare.
Bertrand was on the watch for the arrival
Of the Comet, so that IL was not so difficult
for Captain Doyle's men to communicates
with him when the latter finally cast
anchor.
But 1t was not so easy to transfer the in
telligence of Boyle's arrival 10 the EN-
per0r. The terrible storm which ragged the
increased vigilance of the guards conse-
quent upon the arrival of a strange vessel
and many other things made this all-inl-
portant part Of the plot most dilficult of
execution.
But at last. by hook or by crook, this was
finally accomplished. The next step was
for Napoleon to escape the vigilance of
Captain Poppleton's eyes long enough 10
reach the shore.
The Empsror's valet. Marchand. sue
ceeded In engaging the attention of the
captain on the second morning after the
arrival of the Comet. Napoleon improved
the opportunity. Eluding the watchful
sentinels he made his way to the haven
where the Comet lay in waiting.
Captain Doyle had been growing anxious.
AS every water cask came on board he
sounded it carefully, hoping to find within
it tho great Emperor. But now the casks
were nearly all flied and should have been
all filled the day before, so he no longer had
valid excuse for remaining.
And Captain POppleton, soon missing his
imperial guest, sought him out at the ac-
customed places. And not finding him
there he became alarmed and set off rapidly
in the direction where the strange vessel
was anchored.
Marchand and Las Casas tried by many
| subterfuges to detain him few minutes
| Inner hut be was nlarmed and unnlG 10