The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-18

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
Devils Island gave back to the world the
other day a prisoner whose record OF forty
three years of solitary confinement sinks
the story of Captain Dreyfus into the COM
m~onplace-
When the President of the French Repub-
lie signed the order that resurrected An
tonic Gomez from a living death as pro-
found as a dungeon OF the Bastile. he re-
vived a page OF history upon which Is writ
ten the conspiracy to assassinate Napoleon
III and the Empress Eugene on the even
ing of Thursday. the 18th Of January. 1SA
1t reveals the hitherto unsupported pres
ence for twenty-nine years In the Army OF
the United States OF Captain Carlo de Ru-
do. the accomplice OF Gomez: Count Felice
orsinl and Captain Giuseppe Andrea Pisrri
in the attempt to remove the Emperor. De
Rudio performed the unparalleled exploit OF
escaping from Devils Island in 1859. He
served with distinction through the Civil
War and retired several years ago. with the
rank of Captain. He is . resident Of San
Francisco to-day.
But OF Gomez. who at IS years has arisen
" Va kAt oSltS "a NAAPAi W UNI dAANA NhS
famous artillery Captains tale Of horror.
to make Eugene tremble at the recollection
OF one OF the nightmares of Der troubled
reign while he poses as a martyr among
those secret societies Of Continental Europe
that have struck down since his sentence
two Cars Of the Russias. an Empress Of
Austria and a King OF Italy.
Sentenced to life Imprisonment on Feb
yuarr % 1cSe AZ a priSnpor ~ the Erpntra
a plotter against the life Of royalty. he is
liberated by the decree OF 4 Republic born
of the blood of a nobility whose letters de
cachet consigned the common people from
whom he sprang to oblivion in the dreaded
fortresses OF the Crown.
OF all the actors in this tragedy that rang
around the world only three are living-the
Empress Eugene. a political exile. passing
her last sorrowful days in England: Co.
mez. who. like Monte Cristo. has come to
life. and Carlo de Rudio. whose daring
flight is now known for the first time. Shad-
owed over Europe by the French Secret
Service. he eluded their clutches by making
his way to the United States. where he en-
listed at the outbreak OF the Civil War as q
Lieutenant in a negro regiment, with the
purpose OF losing his identity forever. After
the close of the war he received q commits
sion az Second Lieutenant in the regular
army. and arose. after Twenty-Five years of
service. 10 the rank of Captain, when he
retired.
Count Felice Orsini and Captain Giuseppe
Pierri, the oonfederates OF Gomez and de
Rudio in the plot. were guillotined at dawn
April IL. 1858, on the Place de la Roquetts.
In Paris. De Rudio was under sentence Of
death until a few minutes before the hour
OF execution. when his sentence was COM
muted and he was ordered to be transported
with Gomez to DEVILS Island.
1t was de Rudio who revealed the con-
spiracy to kill the Emperor. Turning EN-
peror's evidence against his accomplices, he
told in the Court OF Assizes of the Seine
how the plot had been Matched In Birming-
ham. England. by Count Orsini and Cap
tain Pierri. The curious bombs which were
intended to become the instruments Of the
Emperors death were manufactured in
Birmingham by a gunsmith named Bernard,
who appeared at the trial Of the prisoners
and testified to having been the innocent
tool OF the conspirators.
Amid the winter gayety of the French
capital. on the evening OF January IA. their
Majesties the Emperor and the Empress
were driving from their palace in the TuiI-
cries to the Grand Opera-house. where they
expected to enjoy the performance of Nine.
Ristori in Mary Stuart" A brilliant cav
alcade of the Imperial Guard preceded the
royal carriage. A crowd Of Parisians lined
the sidewalks. At the corner OF the Boule.