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

feet broad. 1iia only seat was four
bricks built Into a corner Of the wall.
his only air and light that which filtered
through u Bfnnll hole secured by Iron
bars. Let Into the floor was a grave
stone inscribed with his name and
carved with n deaths head. But. as II
this wus not enough, poor Tronck was
loaded down with chains. An iron ring
ns broad as ones hand was rlyctcd
around his body. chained to which was
an Iron bur having bracelets ut It's 0rds.
which secured his hands. Ills feet were
chained TO q ring In the wall, here,
surely. was enough TO break down the
Htoutost heart, and indeed, for awhile
Ttcnck abandoned himself 10 despair.
hut his courage soon returned. and he
yet 10 work once more TO regain his lib-
erty. BY most pr0digous effort no
succeeded In bending, nnS at length
breaking. tho links that bound him.
bleeding from half dozen wounds. hc
| To his great Joy, he found Il to DO made
Eof wood. As the visiting hour was ap.
preaching, he replaced his manacles.
binding them together with thread
woven from his hair, An soon us tho
officials had departed, he again removed
his bonds. and vigorously attacked the
door with n knife which he had man
aged to conceal when he was removed
from his old prison. Through one door
he cut. and then, hope high up In his
heart, he attacked another Alas. be.
| fore his work was completed. the knife
blade snapped and became useless. The
wretched prisoner sank to the floor In an
| agony OF despair. Selling the broken
| blnlc, he IashcL the veins In his left
| arm md foot. and with Il frenZled laugh
| watched the lltcbloud oozing slowly out
But the end was not yet. suddenly he
heard his name called, 1t was tho voice
OF Gofhardt. his friendly sentinel out
side. bidding him have courage. and |
prom!s5>g him aid to escape. Leapins
to HIS feet. Trenck tore his shirt Into |
strips and bound up his wounds. Then. |
realizing that he might be roughly |
treated when the guards came and |
found the doors cut and their prison. |
cr unclaimed. hc broke up the bricks |
which formed his scat and piled them |
in the middle OF his cell. when noon |
camo, and the first OF the doors was |
unlocked" says Trenck. ALI were as
tonlshed 20 find the second open. There |
stood. n desperate man, bcSmenrcd |
with blood. the picture OF horror, With |
n brick In one hand and In the other |
my broken knife, crying as they mp. |
preached: Keep. of. Mr.. Major, keep |
on! Tell the governor will live no dom |
ger In chains, and that here stand. |
II so he pleases. to DO shot: for so only |
Will be conquered. Here no man shall |
enter-1 will destroy all that approach:
here are my weapons. here will die In |
despite OF tyrannyl'"
Trenck meant what he said. md ev-
cry attempt TO enter was met by q
volley OF bricks, until at length the
guards sent for the governor, who sue
ceeded IN arranging with his desperate
prisoner q favorable capltulaton.
Trencks submission was undoubtedly
due to his trust In the promise OF his
faithful friend, Gefhardt.
As soon as he had recovered from his
wounds, his old chains were replaced
by stronger ones. heavy neck iron
was added. and new door was made,
securely plated with metal. The total
weight OF his chains was now 6t1ty-
eight pounds.
About this time Trenck's personal
appearance began to trouble him. He
complained that his beard. so long I'M
shaver, gave him grim appearance.
II began" says he, ITO pluck Il out by
the roots. The pain at first was con-
Siderable. especially around the lips.
but this also. custom conquered. and |
performed this operation IN the follow
ing years, once every slI weeks"
As soon as the excitement caused by
his last attempt had pissed. Gechardt |
managed to send him couple OF flies.
and with these Trenck started once
more 10 work himself free. When e1-
animation day came round he filled up |
the gaps he had made In his Irons With |
damp bread. colored with the dust OF |
his filings. AS soon as his limbs were |
free he began to tunnel his way out, |
Gethardt supplying him with bags for |
the rubbish and employing them for him |
during sentry guard outside his cell. |
He had TO work ut this naked, for 9TH
crw!Se the dirt upon his clothing would |
betray him. After. I'VE months OF hard |
work, he had dug q passage thirty
seven feet long, and he was nearing. the |
end OF his task. when one day the |
clanklng OF HIS neck iron. which he |
could not remove, was heard by one OF |
the sentries, who Immediately inform
cd the governor. Poor Trenck was al |
lowed 10 labor on In blIssful ignorance,
however. and when at last he broke |
through, what was his dIsmay 10 find |
himself face to face with the town |
mayor and q body OF soldiers. Without
word the hroken-spIrited prisoner
crept back to his dungeon cell.
The passage was filed up, The floor
was laid with stone. and Trenck was |
submitted to closer watch than ever. |
During the months which followed he |
employed his time in writing satIrlcnl |
verses and complaints, using for Ink |
his own blood. He wrote In Tbs man
ner no less than eight volumes.
AZ soon as his guards had relaxed |
their vigilance little. he began work |
once more on his old tunnel. This time |
infinite caution enabled him 10 reach |
the point OF breaking out without dis
covcry. Unfortunately q spirit Of bra
vado came upon him and overthrow |
his most promising plan. Sending for |
the major. he told him TO inform Prince |
Ferdinand that any day he might |
name Baron Won TrcncS would show
himself at liberty upon the glacis OF |
Klostcrbersen. "It ! prove myself ca
pablo OF this" he added. 81 then hope |
for the protection OF the prince, who |
will relate my proceeding to the king,
who mny thereby be convinced OF my |
innocence. and the perfect clearness OF
my conscience"
The major went away as,ounded. |
Pretending 10 have consulted Prince |
Ferdinand, he returned and demanded |
mn explanation. Trenck. absolutely I'M
suspicious OF double dealing, told him |
everything. He was conducted to the |
guard room, kindly treated and led to |
believe that clcmcncy was to be extend
ed TO him. But, alas. he learned too |
late that not one word OF his message |
had reached the prince, and when he |
was led back to his cell the passage |
he had labored over 80 hopefully had
been most effcctunlly closed with large
square stones.
While the smith was rvctIng upon
him chains more strong than ever,