The Newark journal., 1903-08-07
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
Remarkable Achievement of the
Prince of Adventures.

was Jacques Casanova di Seingalt,
styled the Prince of Adventures. the
gentlemanly seapegrace who for over
half a century ranged at full viii over
Europe debonnair free lance, taking
to himself a most unfair proportion
of this worlds goods, interviewing
popes and soyereigns on equal terms,
cheating men and betraying women.
A proud rogue, too, says the Edin-
burgh Scotsman, was Casanova;
with an entire lack Of honor in his
dealings with Others, he coupled a
striking amount of amour propre, "
and his affairs of honor may be
counted in their tens. Besides his
more casual iniquities, Casanova
managed to fall foul of the author
tiles by his dabbling in black magic,
and, having incautiously boosted Of
certain interviews with the Almighty,
was incareerated by the inquisition,
out of the way of further mischief.
But liberty was to Casanova as the
breath of life. Get out he mustl The
cell in which he found himself con-
fined was small, secure and closely
guarded. Pen and ink and knife were
forbidden Injuries. and the captiye's
solo ra9raat ;o,, ,,-o- : = ,,-atl- =, -.
row corridor where old lumber had
accumulated.
Here he discovered one day small
block of marble which he secured.
Later an iron bolt came into his hand
by accident, and with these crude
looks worked together he managed
to make quite respectable weapon,
file, hammer and ak in one. But how
to use it? His own cell was impreg-
nable from within; he must have col
fusion from without.
In an adjacent cell was imprisoned
a monk, one Father Balbi. withwhom
Casanova was allowed to exchange
books and whom long Imprisonment
had rendered less closely guarded.
With mulberry juice and sharpened
fingernail Casanova wrote instruc-
tons in books to this aecomplice, who
was to make his way to the roof and
open from the leads hole into the
ceiling of Casanoya's cell. The in
genious rogue supplied the plot and
the tool; Father Balbi was to do the
work.
The improyised weapon of deliver
ance was secretly conveyed by the
gaoler TO Balbi in the following way:
He persuaded the gaoler, a good-na-
rured fellow, to buy him an extra
large Bible, intending to cut away
the pages and hide the tool in it, but
to his distress he found that it was
too long and stuck out two inches at
either end. To conquer this diff
Guilty Casanova turned cook; he OBJ
tanned quantity of macaroni and
prepared with butter tempting
Michaelmas dish, almost running
over. Placing the dish on the Bible,
which it quite hid, with the bolt half
concealed between its covers, .Casan-
va requested the gaoler TO carry it
with his compliments to Balbi.
The man obeyed, unsuspecting,
and returned to report that not a
drop of the butter was split. In a few
days Casanova heard the delightful
sound of his faithful friend working
stealthily but steadily overhead, the
noise coming nearer as lead roofing
beams and josts gave way to the file.
As the last days work was being done
-Balbi had even made tiny hole
of communication in the ceiling
III awful accident occurred. A spy Of
the inquisition came to share Casano-
vas cell and captiyity--a fellow who
was not to be trusted or relied upon
for a moment.
With daring almost incredible
Casanova speedily frightened the
newcomer out of his wits BY certain
awful incantations, telling him that
his entry had disturbed the Divine
presence. He babe him engage in
prayer and cover his eyes, for at a
certain hour the Blessed Virgin
would appear in the roof and set the
chosen free and the unprepared
would assuredly perish at the sight.
The stranger was at first incredu-
lous, but when the sound of muffied
hammerings commenced overhead
he believed the tale and prayed with
might and main. To cut long story
short, Casanova got safely away and
cut clear of Italy; to continue his ex-
citing career in another state.
Though his Imprisonment was doubt
less richly merited, we cannot but
think his industry and ingenuity de-
served to be rewarded with success.