The San Francisco call., 1908-09-29
Conte Camille de Rudio, italian
ConspiratOr, Living in Cali
fOrnia, Tells Story
Participant in Attempted Assas.
sinatiOn of Regent of France
duplicates Noted Leader
Anarchist of Worldwide N0t0.
riety Breaks Silence of
Half a Century
Story of the One Who Escaped
Guillotine by a Hairsbreadth
Will Alter Pages of History

After a silence of half a
century one of the conspira-
tors in the plot to assassin
ate Louis Napoleon, emperor
of France, has revealed to
the world from his Califor
MIA home the full eircum-
stances of that .momentous
event. The remarkable story
comes from the lips of Conte
Camille de Rudio, who threw the
bomb that shattered the carriage
of the royal couple. De Rndio
lives quietly in Los Angeles with
his English wife, the woman who
saved him from the scatfold, and
has remained ever at his side dur
ing his adventurous career
De Rudio's dramatic descrip-
tion of the crime that startled the
civilized world in 1853 will alter
the pages of history. Not only
does he throw fresh light upon
that tragic occurrence, IN which
10 persons were killed and $50 injured
but he duplicates as one Of the con-
spirators Francesca Crispi. long hailed
as one Of the noblest statesmen OF
Italy and never hitherto suspected of
connection with the bloody deed of
1858. De Rudio himself believes that
Crispi threw one OF the three bombs.
LIFE OF WILD ADVENTURE
Into no cycle of so years have been
compressed more romantic achieve
ments or a longer series of thrilling
and spectacular adventures than those
that crwd the record of De RudiO's
life. Born of noble parents he be-
came early in his manhood an ardent
italian patriot and affiliated with MAJ
zini and later with Orsini. leaders OF
their day. With Orsini, he took part
in the plot TO annihilate the French
monarchy. thinking thereby 10 strike
a blow for the freedom of Italy. He
was captured. condemned to death. re-
prieved a few moments before the hour
of the execution and committed TO Dew
lis island Then followed his escape
and flight to America. where he en-
listed in the union army
70
stripes with Grant and sherman and
enjoyed the special friendship of these
two generals. Retiring as major. he
finally drifted westward and dropped
from sight. He has now been located in
Los Angeles and has consented to un-
seal his lips. long locked against ut
terances bearing on the Paris tragedy.
His place of residence was known
only to the officials at Washington.
whence he receives his pension as a
retired officer of the United States
army. but through combination OF Pc
cuIiar circumstances his abode has
been revealed to the world.
1t happened that De Rudio and his
wife celebrated few years ago in a
quiet way the golden anniversary of
their marriage BY slow degrees.
passed from tongue to tongue. word
reached Italy that De Rudio had taken
up his home in Los Angeles A few
a
patriot and leader of the conspiracy OF
1858. was unveiled in Italy. Some Of
De Rudio's friends abroad. who had
learned of his residence in California
wrote to him and asked him for
sentiment for the occasion At first he
demurred. but finally consented and
wrote some of his recollections of Or
sini- All Italy took fresh interest in
the revelation that De Rudio was still
alive. The leading newspaper of italy.
the Corriere Della Sera of Milan. COM
missioned Ettore Patrizi. managing ed
itor OF TItalia of San Francisco. to
hasten to Los Angeles to get from De
Rudio the circumstances OF the ia
nous plot
Patrizi found at 1884 South Figueroa
street Los Angeles, an aged and gentle
warrior living happily with his wife
The warrior bears the scars Of In
Vulnerable battles, his furrowed face
shows a mighty strength softened by a
loftiness of purpose. Despite his rs
wears there is the same buoyant- en-
thusiasm that made possible the sudden
coups detat OF southern Europe
DREAMS OF FREE ITALY
De Rudio. with other patriots and
revolutionists, had long planned to
throw OF the Austrian yoke His
dream was free Italy. He finally rea-
soned that the method that promised
success lay through France. He argued
that a revolution in France would be
followed at once by an uprising in
Italy. To hasten the storm in France
he proposed to assasSinete the emDeror