The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-11-08
A GRIM OLD DUNGEON
THE CHATEAU DIFF, The PRISON OF
EpnoNo OaNTss.
II IL Built on q Tiny Rocky Island II
the Mediterranean Sea, Thi. Aass-
ave, Gloomy Jail Immortslised by
Dumas In sMonte Cristo..

ave, Gloomy Jail Immortslised b,
Dumss In aMonte Cristo..
]. Il. Jenner gives description o
the castle made famous by Alexande
Dumas in bis novel of Monte Crlsto."
"Wbo has not read the Count o
Monte Cristo' and formed an opinion
rs to Its possibilities? | bad my doubt
regarding Its truthfulness, for the ter
rible tale seems TO appear exaggerate,
and Impossible. but am now conyinc
ed that Dumas has intended 10 plac'
before us fairly accurate picture y
the grewsome prison OF bygone days.
During my travels In south France
while stopping at Marsellles. ! had al
opportunity TO join small party on :
steamer plying between the city ant
q group Of islands In the Mediterranean
sea belonging to France. The smalles
OF this group, a solid rock, not NOR,
than quarter Of mile In circumfer
ence, rising almost upright out of the
water and accessible only on one side
by steps hewn into the rock. is known
as the Isle d'1f.
''0n this rock is built the celebrated
prison, or castle. the chateau DIFF
which Dumas has immortalized In his
Monte Cristo.'
'The keep. or dungeon, was construct
Cd In 1879 by King Francis l. to I'm
prison bis captives after the victorious
battles with bis adversary. the Duke OF
Bourbon, and subsequently used for
centuries by the later kings as a state
prison. II was known at that time as
the 'Dastile Of the south
The outside walls are fifteen feet
thick. In the middle is small open
court sufficient to give light to the
entrances of fourteen encircling cells,
which are divided by partition walls
ten feet thick and can be entered only
BY one small opening from the inner
court.
Directly opposite the entrance to the
court is the cell which was occupied by
Edmond Dantes, made famous by
Alexander Dumas as the hero-the
Count of Monte Cristo. Dantes and
the Able Faria. who was sentenced by
order Of the pope as a conspirator,
each passed sixteen years OF their lives
In these cells.
'Tlee suffering OF these and other un-
happy prisoners who were confined
here must have been horrible. The
cells lack air and light. The walls.
ceiling and floor are of solid stone, and
escape was utterly impossible. II be-
ing veritable sepulcher.
"In going through the prison one
feels that from behind these walls you
hear the cry Of suffering the last
breath and rattle of those who died in
despair.
"An Of the other cells are labeled
with the names Of the most prominent
prisoners who had been incarcerated
therein. Among these were:
"Bernardot, q rich trader, who had
been arrested on suspicion Of having
designs against Cardinal Richeiieu. He
resolved to die of starvation, and for
eleven days refused to eat or drink. |
With piece OF charcoal be wrote on |
tho x>ralf Aha &nrf,,rs xyht.h n. av,dvrzA
He died on the twelfth day.
"John Paul. a sailor, for slapping his
died In 1779 after thirty
one years Of captivity.
Marquis de Lavelette, the minister
Of finance under Louis WILL, for dis
loyalty to the king.
ALBERT Campo, for having published
the secret Of prison which he had
discovered.
paul and Louis Martel, imprisoned
for life on suspicion Of murder.
"Boissow, religious fanatic, who
made an attempt upon the life of
Protestant nobleman.
"Lajolais, for an attempt to assassi-
nate Consul Napoleon before he be-
came emperor.
"Prince Casmir, brother OF Ladlslas
VII, king of Poland, imprisoned by |
|. on having betrayed the
French and serving the Spanish.
Louis Philippe d'Orleans, father Of
King Louis Philippe, for siding with |
the revolutlonists in 1893.
"Mirabeau, for general lnsubordina-
ton, dueling and publishing lnfamma.
tory writings against the royalists.
"Chevaller de Ballesteros, consul
from Spain at Bayonne. imprisoned by
order of Napoleon /. for opposing and
with the introduction Of the
law codes.
This castle was crowded with pOlit-
cal prisoners sentenced during and i'm.
before the revolution Of 1889,
when 1t was possible for the leaders to
order the arrest and Imprisonment OF
my citizen without trial and upon sus.
)iclon or "trumped up" charges. |
Napoleon |. during his early reign
sentenced many Of bis opposers to this
solated dungeon.
"In 1853 over 400 persons. principally
POLITICAL agitators, were imprisoned
lere for an attempted plot to over
hfow the government, and as late as
81. during the commune, 500 were
nassed together In this limited space,