The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-25
PRISON ALRSHAFT BRINGS
ALRMAN GILBERT LIBERTY
Third Escape Of Interned
French Aviator Rivals
Movie Thrillers.
Special Coressosaenee TO rap srs

special Correspondence TO TRs suS.
I. PARIS. Tune s.-'Never two without
q third 10 = French proverb which has
proved true In the case Of Aviator Gil
bert.
Forced to descend in Switzerland
owing to his motor failing. Gilbert was
interned. His hrst attempt to escape
described at the time In The SUM
was succsssfui. but the French Govern
ment handed him back to the SWiss au-
thorities. because the letter in which
Gilbert took rack his pledge not to try
10 escape had not reached the authori-
ties In suficient time. although II had
been posted early enough.
A second attempt was much more
short lived. as the aviator was recog-
nized on = train before getting out Of the
country. and once more made q prisoner,
with greatly Increased precautions 20
prevent another attempt.
The third attempt. which the cables
have already reported to have been a
complete success. involy ed a story that
"outmovies" the movies. At the back
OF II are Gilbert's fellow townsmen from
the Auvsrgne province, the manufacturer
OF the motor that Gilbert used on his
aeroplane and a Paris newspaper with
s'S "hvoSN III he !
gilbert CIosely Guarded.
Gilbert was imprisoned In the third
story OF a large barracks In Zurich and
Was watched night and day By special
guards. One day a FrenchnSn arrived
on the scene. a NJ Robere-M eiard. os-
tsnsibly Q dealer In wool. but really =
general commission gen who has acted
az a Sherlock n e. on various occa-
sions. especially since the war.
1T took me three months TO arrange
affairs" n. Me!ard relates, for | met
with several failures. The irst thing
| had TO do was to inspire confidence in
some one around Gilbert. who would
allow me. without being aware Of II. 20
get into close touch with the man whose
| escape wished to aid Such a man l
found In Capt. Sturm. who was charged
with watching over the prisoner and was
infiexible as TO his duties.
II made no secret Of being a friend
OF Gilberts. but I explained that AL
though I was glad to see him again.
had come to switzerland on business.
To convince the Captain talked to
him and showed him heavy orders I
had given In accordance with orders
received from various aviation and other
hrms In France. I ordered all sorts Of
things. one day buying several cords
Of wood. All these orders started, but
somehow or other soTe combination
prevented delivery and In the end few
went through.
Escape Cisveriy ContrtSrd.
Il soon found Capt. Sturm's weak
point. 1t was astronomical. We
lunched together. we had dinner and
supper together, and the fare was al.
uaSa m GOOD that he anNn allowed me
to see his prisoner almost daily. Before
the Captain we talked about the weather
and such exciting topics, but we wrote
each other dozens Of little notes wh!cf
We used to slip under the table as We
raised our glasses to the Captains
health.
That lasted three whole months. b,
which time Sturm and ] were irsep'
ara bic and Gilbert ard | had formed oul
plans.
"A certain person was to pass in from
Of the barracks at 80 r. VI. n M
lit his cigarette twice In front OF tn
railing between the barracks and thu
police station the attempt was to b.
made that, night. but n ne blew hi
nose SYSTEMATICALLY Il meant the attel p
was to be postponed. G!lber, knew tina
he could escape by a ventilation shat
that passed through the lavatory on hi
landing.
The guards At his door were changed
each night At . A. NJ The ,,lsn was I
:, go to the washroom at 1 so A. NJ. ant
, nope that the departing guards woul'
> fail 10 notify the newcomers Of his alb
: sence. IN Monday and Tuesday night
> the relieving sentinels were informed
tut on Wednesday night this duty wa
v overlooked. Gilbert. dressed in uniform
let himself slip down the narrow ven
tilatins shaft into the ground floor. fror
=. which he escaped by q key that I ha'
a provided. ahould explain that wheI
:. everything had been arranged | sal
. good by 10 CeUt. Sturmcr and left 10
France Just before the escape was tried
Gilbert climbed the wall around the bar
] racks and found civilian clothes In III
: automobile waiting for him at the poin
arranged"
Giibert's friend Arnold Bontemps, III