The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-11-07
lrredentists Face Many PeriIs in
Remarkable Escape From
Austria.
KNEW NOTHING OF AVIATION
Go About Plans So coolIy That officers
Believe They Are Going on Mis-
sion Under Orders From Some
One Higher Up.
BY Uco MARocco-BoNeH,.
Especial Correspondence of the Italiai

Especial Correspondence OF the Italian
American News Bureau. Chicago)
Rome.-One bright morning of the
just ending an enemy hydro
plane bearing the black cross OF Aus
tria appeared In the heavens over
The anti-aircraft batteries prepared
to shoot. The seaplane alighted on the
shore at --. Soon after it was
known that the pilot and his com
panion were both Irredentists who had
fled from Austria.
The two had come from the island
of Lussin, at the entrance of the Gulf
of Q%uaranero, opposite the shores of
- and of -
The pilot cannot give his name
told me about their escape.
"From the outbreak of the war"
he said, my companion and / had
been joined with others from IrredeE-
ia at the aviation station of Lussin is
land as motormen. The life had be-
come insupportable. Seeing that
every means of flight would be impos-
sibIe we decided, since neither of us
was skilled In aviation, to risk flight
In a ~hydroplane.
There was nothing to do but to get
ready and trust to God. The night OF
July 1 we went to bed with all our
clothes ON at midnight, without at
tracing notice. AT five in the morn
ing we ran under the shadows of the
wall from our quarters toward the
hangar, where the sentinel paced his
beat.
Prepare for Flight.
Entering the hangar coolly, as II
we were going to carry out orders,
we dismantled the planes attached
to the station of their guns and placed
them in the apparatus destined for es,
cape.
after locking the telephone opera
tor in his cabin, we opened the heavy
doors of the hangar. We got ready foI
immediate flight and tested the cylin'
ders.
when all was ready we whispered
that there was nothing left but to take
the risk.
"My comrade looked about. Nobody
was near. He cut the telephone wires
while i. with a strong push agains
the levers, slid the apparatus out OF
the sea. We mounted the plane, which
was soon blown by a gust of wind II
front of the Austrian barracks, tn
bow pointed toward the shore. 1t tool
us an anxious hour to turn 1t towart
the open sea. Finally we started thu
motors, but with an explosion and
rumble that would awaken even tn
dead.
1.-The officers, the commandment an
the soldiers Of the station appeare'
at the windows of the barracks an,
watched us with surprise, but with
out suspicion, as we took u mysteri
Gus leave, no doubt thinking we hat
secret orders from some one highe
up.
"For several yards the hydroplan
glided along the surface of the wa
ter, unwilling to rise a second time
apparently, before the wind which
blew from behind, and possibly on az
count of the new pilot, who was as IN
experienced as he was audacious. A
last, however, we succeeded In risin
from the sea.
Face Many PeriIs.
"While we were intent on our mar
euvers we found ourselves suddenl
opposite Mount Veli-Strasa, where tn
Austrians have anti-aircraft batteries
We made a terrific effort, with tn
bow pointed upward and our soul
commended to God.
"We crossed the ridge of the mous
tain not ten yards above the batterie
OH its summit.
"After half an hour of flight, risin
to 1000 meters. we ran into n THE
cloud bank which shut off all view {
the Austrian and Italian coasts and
the sea. We could not find our wa,
Moreover, the pilot was without he
met or glasses and could not steer b
cause his eyes filed with tears. W
suffered an attack of nerves. All ii
while the apparatus was following Il
Italian coast and, discovering this, v
recovered our calm In an instant.
MY comrade, who was acting
lookout, tied a white cloth to a 81
barrel and tried to signal the shoi
our surrender. We Don alighted al
entered the port Of ---, am
the cheers of the people, who we
jubilant when they found that v
: we're friends. instead Of prisoners
WAX"