The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-14

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Iep>hss)epa)l 1laaee
Of death will not be particularly pleas
ant, I am aware. but prefer it to its
only alternative. So much for that.
I was born in Marseilles, and my right
name is Jean Fouchet. My father in
tended me for the priesthood and gave
me good college education in Paris.
His hopes, however. We're destined to dis
appointment. In college I formed the
habit Of gambling, and year after my
graduation found me at Monte Carlo.
While there I quarrelled with a gam
bling accomplice, and ended by killing
him. This made my stay In France dan
gerous for me, and I took the first OPP
portunity which presented itself to en-
bark for America.
Familiarity with criminals had made
me familiar with crime, and added the
occupation Of detective to my profession
Of gambling. These two avocations had
now become my sole means OF support,
and piled my trades in New York. Bos-
ton and Philadelphia for several years,
during which time I became naturalized
citizen of the United States.
When the Cuban rebellion broke out I
could not restrain my longing for adven-
ture, and Joined f1l1bustering expedition
sailing from New York. I did this from
no love I bore the Cuban cause, but
merely for the excitement it promised.
While handling a heavy shot during my
first engagement I accidentally dropped
it upon my left foot, crushing that MEM
Der so badly that it has never regained
its shape. This deformity has rendered
1t impossible for me to conceal my iden-
tity. Three months after this accident
I was taken prisoner by the Spanish and
a fN
tor. A farce OF trial was granted to me,
not to see whether or not I was guilty,
but simply to determine between the dun
geon and the garrote. It would have
been far better for me had I been SEN
fenced to the latter instead Of the for
mer.
AS political offender was doomed to
Imprisonment at Ceuta, an old Moorish
seaport town in Morocco, opposite Gibraltar
and upon the side Of the ancient mountain
Abyla. This mountain forms one Of the
Pillars Of Hercules the Rock Of Gibral-
tar being the other. It is almost impreg-
nable, and Is used by Spain as Siberia is
used by Russia, only 1t Is far, far more
horrible. The town was built by the
Moors In 945, and nowhere else on earth
are there to be found an equal number OF
devices for the torture Of human beings
IF anyone thinks the horrors Of the In
QUESTION are no longer perpetrated let
him get sent to Ceuta. I have good cause
to believe that the lnquisition itself is fal
from dead in Spain. Alas for the person
who Is sent to Ceuta! The town Is small
and, to guard against possible attack, the
Moors constructed chain Of fortresse:
around it. 1t is in the black cellars o.
these disintegrating fortresses that the
dungeons are located. They are in tier:
to the depth Of fifty or sixty feet, and arc
| hewn out Of the solid rock. They arr
reached thru narrow openings in the stone
floors Of the fortresses, and when one o.
these horrible holes is opened the fou
odor of filth and decomposition is utterly
overpowering. Some Of these dungeon
contain as many as thirty or forty men
I was placed in a cell reserved for sol
itary confinement. I have never been {
man who regarded life seriously, or fearet
to risk it upon sufficient occasion, bu
my heart froze within me when the nor
ror Of my situation was revealed to me
A stone box perhaps eight feet square
as lay upon the floor I could touch it
opposite sides with my hands and feet
had been prepared for my entrance b.
cutting q slit in one of its walls jus
large enough for the passage Of my body
Thru this narrow opening was droppe
into the total darkness within. A black
for locks and keys are never used.
chain having a heavy weight penden
from 1t was riveted to my ankle, and a
iron band was similarly fastened to m
waist. This band was fastened by chai
to an iron ring deeply sunk in tn
solid rock. When these horrible prepare
lions were completed the blacksmith le
me and a mason bricked up the slit thu
which had entered, leaving only a. hant
breadth Of space for air and the thrus
ing thru Of such scraps Of food as wei
to be allowed me. Language is powerle
, to describe the feelings Of man in such
position. He realizes that. his only hol
is In disease-disease bred Of the darl
ness, the dampness, the starvation, al
the horrible filth. He says to himsel
How long, o Godl how longQ'--For hou
I remained prone and inert-how long
do not know; night and day are all OF
in the dungeons Of Ceuta- Then begs
to think. Could escape? I felt that
power Of thought, all cleverness wou
, soon desert me, and I said to myself:
6 anything Is to be done, it must be done
l once. I knew not then what long draw
I, horrors a mortal could endure. Whe
9 ever I attempted to walk the iron ma
: fastened to my leg would bring me
. short often, in my early forgetfulness
1t, throwing me prone upon my face. A
|
s Ing gait, striding out with the free lin
4 and pausing to pull my burden after +
q with the other. This habit, learned
S the squalor and darkness Of the dunge
Y hells of Ceuta, I have never been able
p unlearn. -
+ It was many daysh before I could g
how anything short of a miracle could e
9 able me to escape. tried to calmly re
8 son 1t all out, and every time came to t
h same horrible conclusion, viz: must I
: there unless help came to me from wit
. out. This seemed impossible, and all t
:, horrors Of a lingering death stared me
: the face. Every two or three days one
the Jailers would come to the slit In I
! masonry and leave there dish of wat
= and q few crusts of bread. tried on O
occasion to speak with him, but he or
laughed In my face and turned awe
finally hit upon plan which seemed
q oHer the only possible means of oscar
: In my college days was well acauaint
t with M. Charcot, and even assisted
], some OF his earlier hypnotic experiment
. The subject interested me. and follow
8 1t closely till ! became something of
a ADEPT myself. There were in those da
q but few people could not mesmerize, pr
II vided sufficient opportunity were allow
: me Tor hypnotic suggestion. I determin
n to see II any Of this old power still /,
n NAMED with me, and. IL 80, to strive
a render my jailer subservient to my W
= But how should keep him within es
II shot long enough to work upon hi
I Clearly all appeals to pity were useless.
h must excite his greed. nothing else wo,
Is reach him. This was not an easy thing
# do without a sou In my possession, yet
4. did it. When heard his step crawl