Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-05-29

ened the keenest sense Of danger in
his simple untaught soul. He has
since said that he lay on the floor of
his dark cell for hours, scarcely dar-
ing to breathe oppressed by the ter
rifying silence. He does not know
how many hours he lay there.
Finally he summoned up courage
enough TO open the cell door and look
into the other apartments. He was
met by Il wave of dust that choked
his mouth and nostrils and half blind
ed him. 1t had cooled, and he ven
tured to wade through the soft f1aky-
like mass toward the iron gratings,
through which descended II constant
shower of soft and almost invisible
dust. He hallooed aloud again and
again. and at every echo his voice
seemed to increase the shower through
the grating.
He went to the door shutting off his
escape to the stairs leading to the
! floor above and pounded at 1t until his
fists were bruised and torn. He wait
cd for II response; none came. He
struggled through the mass of ashes
to the grating again to shrek and cry
+, out for help.
Hunger and thirst overcame him
and he crcpt back into his dungeon
to sleep. but he could not. He says
he did not close his eyes from the mo-
ment he heard the terrifying roar of
the volcano ball until Monday morning.
four days later. when his shrieks were
heard by the first party of searchers
to invade the stricken city. His cries
were feeble by this time, and he had
almost despaired of liberation.
Finally a marine from the French
cruiser Suchet heard Sartont's wall
and tracing it, rescued the one living
creature. in the city. The bars of the
grating had to be pried open, and Sar-
tout was dragged out, more dead than
alive. He was found to be not only
OH the verge of starvation and thirst,
but suffering from terrible burns
about his legs and the lower part of
his body.
TT de France. May 10-Ferdinand
Clerc one of the most prominent citi-
zens of st. Pierre, who owns vast
sugar estate in the interior, is one of
the few men living able TO describe
accurately the destruction of that city,
which he witnessed from Morne Rouge.
For four days previously Pelec had
been groaning and tugging at the vital
forces OF nature which restrained her
The first indication of disorder came
on Sunday, May 4, at vesper time
was ringing and the picturesque and
gayly attired men and women of Mar
Unique were going to church..
Mr.. Clere happened to be at that
moment i'm the company of British
Consul Japp. He said to the Consul
"Pelee is barking again. Pelee has
been asleep for a long time, and
guess he is going to wake up now"
Pelee has been asleep nearly sc
years.
Mr.. Clere cOnfesses that he was
alarmed. though the other $4,000 peo
pie of st. Pierre did not share his ap
prehension.
Mr.. Japp laughed at the prophecy
So did Henri Gateux, the chief i'm
porter of st. Pierre and native of tn,
island who had heard Pelee rumbl,
and bark before. The crowds in the
streets paid only Indifferent attention
to the noises from the mountain.
Few persons In the town expressed
any fear on the following day, wher
Pelee not only barked, but blew NJ
straight and narrow threads of DIR,
vapor There was no dust, no warn
ing of what was to come,
Morne Rouge, mile and half (,
the north, looked at Pelec through 1t,
aristocratic eyes and studied II scien
tifcally. Morne Rouge Is little towl
of LOO people. 800 feet above th,
level of the roadstead Of the harbor
1t Is where the wealthier people of st
Pierre had their cool and picturesqu,
Tropical homes of wood in blue an,
white, and with slate roofs, set OIL
the mountain like Swiss ehalets.
To Morne Rouge Mi Clere fed from
st. Pierre with his wife and tlaughte
at 10 minutes to Z o'clock olLThursda,
morning. An hour later the city wa,
destroyed.
He was actually the only man, ex
ri cept Roul Sartout, who escaped tb,
doomed city on the day Of the disaster