The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-15

| / would continue 10 do So While / was
In London. Liverpool. and IN Birmingham
/ Our censals AT these ports knew who /
/ was and advised our state department OF
my whereabouts. but nothing was done.
/ Or course when the matter was brought
TO TIE attention Of our government IN
an official manner and from such a
source there was nothing 10 do bat to ex-
| press thanks and take measures for hav-
| Ing me returned 10 this country for trial.
IN the meantime / was confined in 4
cell IN the old monastery. The second
/ cay after my arrest. or rather the second
| night, messenger arrived from Anton
eli directing the officer In command OF
the post, the Baron de Serappe. who you
VIII remember. r1arried Miss Polk. %
| north Carolina, TO have me sent TO Rome
under heavy guard the moment the sum-
mems was received. / was awakened at
a. m. by the rusty key grating In the
/, lock or my cell. and by the light OF
nicker1ng lantern I saw that my untimely
visitors were an officer and soldiers. al
heavily armed. At once / knew what ft
meant. and then the lieutenant in COM
i nand ordered me 70 dress at once In order
/ 10 80 To- Rome. I at once made UP my
mind that let the CONSEQUENCES be what
they may i would go 20 the Eternal City.
While dressing i mentally arranged a
plan or escape This old monastery was
{ bNAt SA sue OF the mountain. rSS-
/ ting On one side, and the west side was
directly over a precipice over a hundred
feet high. A wall four feet high guard
ed the court yard. / determined 10 break
away from my ceptors and go over that
precipice. When I had finished dressing
! was placed In the center Of this guard
and we slowly assembled the stone steps
OF the old building. worn smooth by
countless feet of many generations OF
monks. We reached the court yard and
turned toward the left. just as we reach
ed the point had selected for my at
| tempt. I made break for liberty. and
running quickly across the court yard
jumped on the wall. Gathering myself
for the attempt took long breath and
jumped into space. doubling my legs
slightly under me as did so. About thir-
ty-fye feet from the top Of the precipice
there was a bare ledge OF rock jutting out
from the face OF the mountain. and about
four feet broad By great good fortune I
landed safely on that ledge"
Captain, it has been stated that when
you broke away from your captors you
made a Wild jump over this precipice and
landed purely by accident on that ledge
As matter Of fact. didn't you know
of the existence Of that ledge of rock?"
Know OF it? Why OF course / knew
OF 1t. Do you think I would have been
such an idiot as to jump over a 100-foot
~ CtiBiIC " Cci Oedtn IN Ildt manner.
Many ana many time my comrades and
myself in hours OF idieness would lean over
that precipice and wonder how many feet
1t was from the wall OF the courtyard to
the ledge. and 1t was an open question as
to whether man could jump from the
wall and land safely On the ledge While
dressing determined to make the attempt
1t makes my blood run cold to think OF 1t
now. though. However, managed to land
on 1t safely and my legs doubling up under
me. my head struck the bare rock with
fearful force. I was knocked completely
senseless.
in the meantime what a scene of con-
fusion and what a babel Of voice there
was above! The lieutenant In comma nd
wrung his hands In anguish and swore In
choice musical Italian. My break had been
so sudden that every man was taken COM
pletely ty surprise. They had had plenty
of time to shoot me down. If they had had
the presence OF mind. Running to the side
OF the precipice they looked over the wall
They must have seen me there lying I'M
conscious, for they Immediately began fir
ing down on me. They may have done
so on venture however. I was brought
back to ray senses by the reports of their
rifles from above and the bullets flatten-
ing themselves on the bare rock unpleas-
antly near my head. Dizzy and sick and
shaken / managed 20 gather myself to-
gether and crawl out of danger and grad
uaIly nade-yny down the side OF the
mountain to the little town which nestled
at It's base. Running along the main street
OF the town / ran directly into the arms
of a detail Of zouave5. They were as much
surprised as /. but I had the advantage
or being on the alert. With me 1t was
almost a matter of life and death. Doub-
ling quickly on my tracks and expecting
every moment 10 be hit by some OF tho
bullets which were flying around my head
ran like frightened deer through al
leys down dark streets and across lots
sped and managed to eiude my pursuers
In the meantime the entire town was in
an uproar. Every one had the alarm,
and all the gates were guarded. Selecting
a good point / mana ged to get over the
wall and headed down the white Italian
road toward the coast. j should have said
az the beginning that all this took place
during the early hours OF the morning. 1t
was a. m. when / was aroused and told
TO dress BY the time i had left the town
few miles in the road. the sun was high
In the heavens and / was congratulating
myself on my three escapes, when l was
suddenly startled by the sharp command:
Halt who goes there?
"'Friend' I answered IN my best Italian,
recognizing that / had run into Garibal-
dian camp. CHANGING at my papl uniform.
the outpost was by no means treasured. IN
the meantime had raised my hands above
my head Bringing his rife TO his shoulder,
he was pressing the trigger unpleasantiy
hard Rising my hands even higher in the
air / sang out TO him. Lower your rife.
man, can't you see my hands are upr Still
covering me with his rife he ordered me
to advance within Few PAGES OF him, and
called out Justify for the corporal OF the
guard That officer came on the run, and
seeing my rig called for the sergeant Of
the guard. He no sooner caught glimpse
Of my dress thAn he called for the officer of
the guard. To make a long story short. I
was soon surrounded by mob OF Garibal-
dams az all ranks and sizes. When told
them that was an Americana, a deserter
from the Papalc Guardo. and wanted 10
get 20 the coast. they treated me with
the greatest kindness Brothers could not
have been kinder. I shall remember these
honest. relocated men with deepest graft
tuda as long as I live. They entertained
me fer week. and when | decided to go to
Naples they made II possible for me TO 90
50 with safety.
las was travelling under English pass
rnrfs I went direct TO the English consul