The Meeker herald., 1917-06-16
An Ingenious
Escape
BY OSCAR cox

a machine shop. From there he was
taken Into the army and participated
In the fighting tina: led up to the hat
tie Of the Marne. In that fight he was
taken prisoner and sent to a concen-
tration camp In Germany.
Jules Chaparal was turned into an
improved machine shop for manurac.
turing field artillery. Very soon bis
experience In such work manifested It.
self. and. being found to lie very use
full. he was put In charge of one OF the
rooms of the factory. Then the engi-
neer was taken Ill. and. there being no
German engineer to al his place. Jules
was temporarily given charge of the
engine room and everything I'm 1t.
Jules spent year In this factory
and naturally became acquainted with
all parts of 1t. including the yard In
which 1t stood, the positions of senti-
nels, the points Of entrance and exit.
for II IL impossible to take the pre-
cautions with one who fills an imp0r.
tant position that can Is observed
with an unproductive prisoner. Prob
ably there was never a prisoner who
did not take note Of his surroundings
with view to escape.
The factory. not being a prison. was
not surrounded by high wall. The
absence of wall was supplied by q
guard. But since every available man
was needed to fight the factory guard
was made up OF disabled soldiers,
Jules had had opportunities to notice
them and had seen one legged men
among them. He had once run against
one Of the guard. who was of duty.
walking In the factory yard. and 1t was
evident that the man was half blind.
II Jules could get out Of the factory
after dark he might possibly work his
way through this barrier Of armed
men. AT any rate. he would he quite
willing to take his chances Of being
shot. But for months at q time the
factory was run day and night, and
there were as many persons about at
one time as another. When It was not
run at night. as soon as 1t was shut
down the operators were placed In
huts built near by. the prisoners by
themselves. under guard. and all was
quiet.
Chnparal had his eye on 4 means Of
making an exit from the factory. A
broad leather belt connected the dy-
wheel Of the engine with gearing at
tached to the joists overhead. The
drum around which the belt turned
was near window. which was used
both for light aud ventilation. 1t &C.
Cured to Chaparal that one might
ride up on the belt and Jump OF at the
window. To do this when the engine
was running at full speed would be
well nigh impossible without the rider
being dashed against the wall and kill
ed. To do 1t when the engine was
starting or slowing up would be com
paratively easy.
The prisoner had noticed this win.
dow when in the yard and knew that
ten feet below It was the roof of an
addition to the building. the addition
being about fifteen feet from the
ground. Two hundred feet from the
factory was the chain Of sentinels. OF
course the chances Of escape by such
an exit were enthusiastically small. and
even II the fugitive should reach the
window in safety and pass the guard
there would remain the difficulty Of
making his way through Germany and
across the border.
For prisoner even to occupy his
mind with such matters Is beneficial
II prevents his brooding. and he b
buoyed by hope. Jules found relief In
laying out every detail Of an attempt
to escape. These details were many
and must fit together perfectly. and
when they were all arranged he must
keep a sharp lookout for an opportu-
nifty OF which 1t might be well to take
advantage without deliberation.
He had thought out his scheme and
had waited a month for bis opportu-
nifty when It came upon him suddenly.
An accident occurred In a room next
the engine room just as the shutting
down hour arrived. Every man ran
to the scene of the trouble. Jules turn
ed off the steam from the engine. wait
ed the feared that some one would en-
teri till the tiywheel had slowed down
sufficiently. leaped on the belt. grasped
an edge In each hand and was carried
on his knees up to the window. On
reaching 1t he threw himself at II.
landing on his chest, and scrambled on
to its sill.
Without glancing back he turned his
feet outward and. lowering himself till
he hung by his hands. let himself down
on to the roof OF the addition below
and In another moment was on the
ground.
Thus far he had not been observed
or heard. He now needed to pass the
guard A faint twilight fingered in the
west. and against 1t he saw the sill
houettes Of two sentries some fifty feet
apart. He resolved to make an effort
to crawl between them. Advancing
on foot as far as he dared. he got down
on bis stomach and wrlggled like a
snake toward point midway between
T. Ii