Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21
SWEET is LIBERTY
Some Daring Attempts Made to Re-
gain 1t by Military Prisoners.
CURIOUS and INGENIOUS SCHEMES
A Romantic Tragedy That Hap
pened in San Francisco Harbor.
SAILORS SWAN WITH SHARKS

The stories told in a notable book recent
ly published in France, "Forcats ct Pros
crits,' by NJ. Paul Mimande, Of convicts'
escapes and attempts to escape from the
Fl nch penal islands, have reminded some
of the older officers Of the United States
army stationed in Washington of number
of desperate attempts, not a few Of them
successful, made in former years by Unit
ed States military convicts to get away
from the two military prisons-that at Fort
LIE avenworth, Kan, now converted into
federal prison. and the prison for military
delinquents at Alcatraz Island, Cal, which
still exists. While none Of these attempts
were quite so extraordinary as that related
by NJ. Mimande Of the convict who put to
sea In Il coffin, only to be picked up a few
days later when his weird craft was being
conveyed by a pair of enormous sharks, by
a tramp steamship, yet some of them were
sufficiently curious and ingenious.
Among the unsuccessful attempts was
that which cost the life of an artist SOL
der, Frenchman. who was confined In
the Fort Leavenworth prison. The young
man is said to have been member of one
of the old noble families of France. Before
coming to the United States he had studied
painting under the best masters in Europe,
and several of his pictures had been ex-
hibited in the Paris salons and received
nOnOFaDle Ills CHdTdGteT, HOW-
ever, was not sufficiently strong to enable
him to withstand the temptations of the
QUARTER, and from harmless roysterer of
the studios he degenerated into q confirm
ed absinthe fiend. His habit got him into
all sorts of scrapes, mostly of a check
kiting character, which 1t required all of
the influence of his people to get him out
of. Finally, having practically given him
up hopeless, his people shipped him to
the United States with good-sized letter
of credit and strict injunctions not to re-
turn to France until he felt certain that he
could conduct himself like a man among
men.
Enlists In the Army.
In New York the young man continued
his allegiance to the insidious green liquor
until he awoke one morning to find himself
without dollar. He was too proud to
cable or write to his people for more money
with which to continue his absinthe de-
bauches. So he decided to take a brace,
and did. He cast about for work at his
profession, or at anything else In New
York. and got the cold shoulder every
where. even among his own countrymen,
who knew him simply as devotee to the
emerald fluid that Is called the bane of
France. So. his eye catching the poster in
front of a Bowery recruiting office. he de-
termined to enlist in the United States
army. He was sent to an infantry regi-
nent in Wyoming. The young man had a
fine physique, had put In his required term
course. intelligent to a degree far greater
than that of his comrades. and. at first,
made admirable soldier. Within six
months after he enlisted he wore the chew
rt'ns Of sergeant. Then he went back to
absinthe. The service was irksome to him,
and he required consolation. The absinthe
got him into a peck Of trouble. First he
lost his stripes and cheyrons; then he got
ten days in the grardhouse then thirty
days. and finally three months, the SEN
tence OF general court-martia1.
Upon his release after this last guard
house term. he promptly deserted. At this
time the reward paid for the capture, of a
deserter was $50. The French soldier artist
was taken by one Of the hounds (army
term, VINO made business of the thing
in Cheyenne, within a week after he had
jumped his post. The general court mar
tial sentenced him to a three-year term at
the Fort Leavenworth military prison.
A Curious Rule Contrived.
He was a tractable prisoner. and was
therefore sent out with working parties,
who kept within restricted limits without
the guarding Of sentries. One morning,
after he had been confined for three
months. he. with a number of other UNI
guarded prisoners. was engaged in repair
ing the Goboie pavement in the alley run
ming back of the prison. The ash cart,
filled to overlooking with load of fine
wood ashes. and manned by three con-
v1cts. came along. unguarded. as usual
hc saw Cnance. he
changed the merest glance with the con-
victs in charge of the ash cart; they I'M
derstood him. They shovelled off about
half the load from the dray of ashes in
twinkling, and the Frenchman jumped in
and laid down in the hollow thus formed.
fastening his mouth to a crack in the dash
board Tor air. The ash cart conyicts then
covered him up completely with the ashes
they had shoveled from the draw
The dumping place for the post ashes
was In little woodland hollow a couple
of hundred yards from the prison gate 1t
was the business of guard stationed at
the prison gate to jam a three-pronged
pitchfork into the ashes as the cart halted
at the gates to prevent just such an escape
as the French youth was engaged in ex-
ecuting. But the guard at the gate had not
done this for several weeks. The prison.
ers had noticed it and talked about it,
Therefore the young Frenchman's scheme
looked well.
The Guard Remember His Duty.
The driver started his mule for the
dumping ground, the two attending con-
vtcts following with stolid countenances at
the rear Of the cart. The driver drew I'D
as usual at the gate. expecting the nod
from the guard to pass on. But it hap
pened that on that morning the guard was
in a penitential frame of mind over his
previous neglectfulness. So he grabbed his
pitchfork, leaped to the hub of the near
wheel and. before the frozen Threats of
the ash cart convicts could emit a cry, he
plunged the pitchfork with all his force
into the ashes. When the thing was done
he heard the gasping cries Of the three con-
victs. Then they told him there was a
man beneath the ashes. The ashes were
quickly shovelled from the supine figure
The young Frenchman was dead. Two of
the pitchfork's prongs had penetrated his
heart. The three, ash cart convicts were
severely punished for assisting In an es-
cape; 1t made difference that the at
tempt was unsuccessful and fatal; the ash
cart crew had to take their medicine for
1t.
An Episode mt Alcatrax.
A high-grade man, who had drifted into
the army along the path of rum and who
deserted in less than three months, was
given a three-year sentence at Alcatraz
Island few years ago. He was young
fellow of good family, had been finely edu-
Gated and had had the markings in him Of "a
good citizen had not rum given him the
worst of it So he got into tho army
deserted. and found himself in gray suit
with big red number on his back at AL
catraz. Before all this happened, how
ever, he had married young girl Of his
own class. and a baby had been born to
them. The girl. whose people were
No.,