Arizona republican., 1900-11-04
HALsrEAD's NARROW ESCAPE.
Newspaper Mans Adventure in Paris
 During Franco German War.

Washington-"We heard of some close calls for civilians both in South Africa and China during the recent troubles there,' said an Ohio man to your correspondent today, but per haps none closer than the one which took place in the experience of Murat Halstead during the Franco-German war, as I have heard him describe it. He was with the German army when he ascertained its purpose of an imme- diate march upon Paris. That curious instinct which impels one sometimes to think most of trifles amid events of momentous importance moved him to hasten ahead to Paris and rescue some gowns which he had ordered for Mrs. Halstead of a fashionable dressmaker there. He realized that if the Germans once invested the city it would be i'm possible to get anything out, and all ready his prophetic eye saw in a vague way the shadow of communism and riot hanging like pail over the French capital.
 AS soon as he had performed his er- rand he bethought him of a service he could render to a Cincinnati woman who was living temporarily in Paris. and. hastening to her house. he sought q private interview. and informed her. under many injunctions of secrecy. of the purpose of the Germans. His face. although overgrown with a shaggy beard and surrounded with halo of unkempt hair. Just as he had come from a long season in camp and on the march, was well enough known at the house of his friend to have the word soon spread about the neighborhood that he had been there, and when the woman imprUdently admonished her servants that they must get her nov ables ready for quitting the city. as the Germans were coming to capture Paris. they promptly put two and two together. An hour or so later. as he was on his way through a street near his friends house. he met a party of fierce looking fellows shouting a bas' somebody-he did not for the moment make out his owr name, though he afterward discovered that it was he they were eXecrating. On entering a hotel where he had been accustomed to board while in Paris. he was met by the proprietor. who, with much hand wringing. uttered inhospitable prayers that he would betake himself els awhere as the mob had got wind of his pres ence and were on his track. Any one who ventured to assert-the man ex- plained-that the Germans were going to take Paris not only carried his own life in his hands, but was a menace to the safety of any hOstelry that enter tained him.
 But what can do?" inquired Hal stead. am telling only the truth, and l must stay somewhere'
 Not in Paris, at any rate' ans wered mine host. Pack yourself off where the sight of you will not put people into such a towering rage
 'So Halstead, without waiting to trim his hair or whiskers, or make him. self more presentable in attire. caught the first train for Belgium. His disor- dered appearance served him as a very good disguise till he had passed the French frontier and he yielded to the temptation to try 1t upon the Ameri- can minister at Brussels, with whom he had been very we'll acquainted in the states. The minister did not recog- nize him when they met in the office of the legation. MT. Halstead is usually one of the neatest of men. His de- parture from his usual habits was probably to be thanked in this instance for saving his neck."-New York Post.