The Portland daily press., 1894-01-01
PElxoTO'S RECRUIT.
Veteran of Many Wonderful Adventures
Who Is a Champion Walter

Boston December 81. Alexis Car aman
OF this city is willing to fight for Peixoto
in Brazil if he can make an arrangement
by which his pay will be sent regularly
to his family here. If he can be assured
of that he will enlist. Caraman is a
furrier and business is dull now hence
his willingness to try soldering.
M. Caraman has an immense amount
OF confidence in himself pluck and
courage as his adventurous career we'll
shows. He came to America in 1868 but
when the Franco-Prussian war broke out
M. Caraman went back to his native land
ana pc came first sergeant i'll the
French army.
He fought in the battles of Gravelotte,
St. Private, st. Quentin and st. Barbe.
Finally he was taken down with small
pox and carried to the hospital at Metz.
One day while lying on his cot the re-
port came that the Prussians were about
to capture the place.
hospital" thought Caraman "but they
don't capture me not if have got the
small pox." He had 100 francs in his
belt and arraying himself as best he
could with the clothing at hand he
leaped out of bed and with another
patient boldly made his escape and
scaled the walls of the hospital yard.
They walked to Strasburg he .says stop
ping two days for rest at town on the
way and at length got safely into
Switzerland.
Caraman then thought he would like
to go home in peace but on entering
France again was held up at Lyons by a
gendarme VINO perceived the marks of the
disease on him and did not propose to let
him run at large. He finally recovered
and had to return to the army again.
Having got taste of war when the
struggle at home was over, he set out for
Sdain to help DonCarlos fight his.battles
against King Alfonso XII. Here he was
made an adjutant, and went as spy
into the camp of the enemy. He would
not have been discovered, he thinks, had
not fellow spy, on being detected, in
formed on him also. They were placed
and condemned to be shot. The other
fellow suffered the penalty Caraman
would have had twelve bullets in him
the next morning. But he did not enjoy
the prospect particle and so unobserved
managed with the aid of poigniard he
had concealed in his shirt sleeve to press
spring lock in the door and walk out.
when they appreciated what was really
up began to fire at him, but 1t was too
late He. escaped unscathed, donned
priests raiment and left the city.
That was at Barcelona. He hoped to
reach his own army at Valencia, hut
found he would have to pass too many
of the enemy's troops and so returned to
Barcelona. About the first man he met
was the corporal of the guard who had
permitted him to escape. but Caraman
was too quick for him. He drew a bead
on him in the shape of two pistols.
which he whipped out of his belt and
pointed at the corporal before the latter
exactly realized where he was att and
he meekly let the escaped shy pass on.
The Wabash, which now lies at the
navy yard in Charlestown, happened to
be close at hand. CaraInan enlisted as
Storage boy and found his way back
to America. Shortly after thatshe went
to Brazil, where he was given a medal
by the Society DIES Arms for an exhibit
ton with swords, for he adds the &C
compllshments of a skilled fencing
master toshissother achievements. he Is
also a fine dancer and was awarded a
medal in Washington in 1874 which de-
clares him to be the champion waltzer.
having danced for four hours, forty two
minutes and four seconds at a stretch.