The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-11-05

. mas. the elders, most fascinating no
nance, THE Count OF Monte Cristo,
Il is safe TO say that not one-twent!cu
have ever heard anything about th'
, man upon whose extraordinary trial
and adventures the story Is founded
That man was Baron Frederick vor
Trcnck. Trcnck was born ut KoniSs'
berg, In Prussia. In February. 1926. III
seems to have descended from nop!'
and courageous famlly, Tor his anccs'
tors were famous In tho chronicles Of
the north. while his father and Two o.
his uncles were noted generals In th'
Prussan army. In person Trenck wa'
handsome. in manner dashlnS, In tenn
permanent cholerIc and in heart sener'
Gus and urdauntablc. During his foui
years at the University OF Youngsters
he fought, four duels, coming ,of VIC
torlous In each encounter. At the early
nSe OF seventeen an influential reIa'
dive presented him 10 King Frederick
who received the lad with marked IA
vor. and accepted him Us a cadet IN inc
royal body guard, with the promise o.
quick pretermcnt. And prclernieht wa
indeed quick. for after only SIX weeks
cadetship, the king save him coH lIii.,
sion, and presented him WIN spiehuiu
equipment for the service.
When the war between PRUSSIA anu
Austria broke out, Trenck. then only
eirh,ren went TO the front. One day
white heading toraglng party OF ntty'
hs.- had the good fortune 10 capture
TWENTY-FIVE Austrian prisoners, ana
+hIs feat 50 won the admiration OF the
king that he Immediately conferred up.
ON his young favorlte the Order OF
Merit, ,.,,o,
But Notwithstanding these successes
and the evident promise OF most hon
orae,e career, trouble was brewing toF
Trenck. and soon was TO burst upon
Mir, II appears that while al court he
RAD attracted the attention OF high
horn lady. IN attention which soon
rIE.nsi into mutual love, clandestine
meetings. and vows OF eternal con-
s.ancy. In his Journal Trenck does not
mention this lady's name, but II was
said that she was no less q person than
+hr kings own sister. Princess Amelia.
When this became known 10 Frederick
he viewed the connection with stern
dlsfayor. One day he said 10 Trenck:
The thunder begins 10 roll. and the
bolt may fall: beware" After this
TrencR found that many OF his form.
er privileges were cut on, ana several
times he found himself under arrest
FOR actions that he had previously In
dulged IN with impun!ty.
II was while the royal mind was In
this mood that a chance offered to put
the dashlns young soldier where he
would do no further mischief. II APP
pears that Trenck's cousin. who fought
on the Austrian side. and who had
been gr!evously wounded. wrote saying
that he intended TO make his PTusSlaD
cousin legatee OF his large estates. To
this young Trcnck had made no reply.
being quite satisfied with his pros
poets under King Frederick: but in
talking the matter over one day with
his brother officers, they all agreed that
he was unwise not 10 write. thanking
his relative Tor his good Intentions.
The commanding officer. Captain Jas
chlnsky. was particularly urgent that
he should do SO. and added: Desire
your Austrian cousin TO send you some
OF his fine Hungarian horses for your
own use, and will have the letter con-
vcyed 10 him. This correspondence Is
that | VIII be ansUerable for the con-
sequences" Innoccntly enough Tranck
did as he advised, and Jaschinsky, who
bore him secret grudge, 90 used the
letter with the king that 4 charge OF
reasonable correspondence with the
enemy was trumped up, and the young
officer was arrested and hurried away
10 the fortress at Glatz.
Totally unsusplclous OF the true
cause OF his Incarceration. Trenck
wrote TO the king demanding 4 hear
ing or court-martial. The letter re-
manned unanswered. He then wrote to
his inamorata, the princess. who sent
him an assurance OF her affection, a
promtse'ot !ntercess!on with the king,
and 1000 ducats.
For 1--WE months Trerck continued to
nope Tor trial AID his release, but
when he learned that his commission in
the guards had been bestowed upon
another. his heart sunk within him. He
soon rallied. however, and resolved 70
watch k"cIly for an opportunity "a
escape. He had made friends with his
guards, and they. being touched by his
Tn!ssoTtuacs. promised 10 assist him In
rcgaiaing his liberty. Probably all had
gone we'll had not Trcnck. In turn, had
his pity aroused by L wretchcd fellow.
prisoner, one Nancyet. THIS man h,
. determined 10 take with him In hIs os.
cape. Upon being Informed Of Trenck's
plan. ManeSet IrovClcG AZ his feet In
gratitude, but To SCORER was his hon.
ctactor's back turned than he sent 70,
the commandant, and betrayed the
whole scheme. AZ q result OF his In.
discreet generosity, the trnacher0ui
4 II.
~er" severely punished.
No sooner had Trenc!s rallied f-o,r
the despair following this failure thar
he again resolved at whatever cost Il
be free. Between him and liberty stood
the iron bars which covered the win.
dow or hls cell. Those he boldly nj.
lacked with a n1tchcd penknice, and
after many weeks OF labor, he succeed.
ed In filing three OF thcm through
"hN n sufficient opening had hrcr
made. Trcnck cut up his leather mort.
manteau INTO strips. and ,knotting tIr,s;
and the bodclothes securely together
he lowered himself one dark and
stormy night ninety feet to the grouni
below, ard cautiously crcpt nway. But
aIas' across his path stood an opcr
sewer Ihis he must wade. He g6
hnit way through and then sturI; lin
apic either 10 advance or retreat. +
was bitter cold, and lie felt that In rr.
main In this position was to pprlsh
However. Willing he might bc 10 yIelt
20 death. pride would not permit him
the lover OF Il princess, TO die In guch +
shameful fashion. At tho ton Of hi.
voice he cried out to the rertry: Tel
me commandment that his prisoner
baron Won Trenck. Is sticking In In,
mud The mcrcilcEs FOuquot was 800,
upon tn" spot, and. after allowing In
unfortunate young man to remain /,
this shameful predICnmcrt long enough
20 amune the GarriTDn. he had him pull
20 out: Trenck was compelled to 70
man In his illth-cOYered clothes III,
entire Iny 1900" ''''