Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-01-26

only few months, when friends.
who were indignant at what they felt
was an unjust sentence. helped him TO
escape. He went West and built up
business and name for himself. But
the shadow of fear was always worry
ing him. After consulting Doctor Dud-
ding, he went back To the prison He
served four years and was pardoned.
As Doctor budding says. escapes OF
any kind are rare. and the romantic
dom heard OF any more. william He-
hebzolIern, interned In Dutch cas-
tie, apparently never thinks of put
ting poison in the guards afternoon
tea or burrowing his way out Of The
grounds OF his estate, as any high
| spirited monarch used to de in like cir
csmstances. Louis Napslesa got cut
81 q similar awkward situation quite
naturally by strolling out Of prison
disguised in workman's clothes, and
carrying = plank on his shoulder.
The Ingenious Casanova.
Still more ingenious was the famous
Casanova. He was not Of royal blood,
but his exit from a prison cell over
the room where the dreaded inquisi-
ton met Is one Of the most famous eS-
| capes in history.
CasanOva'S escape has been spread
out over several volumes. The most
amusing incident Is that i'm which he
desires to send q crowbar To n fellow
prisoner. He planned to conceal the
crowbar in hg Bible, bur il stuck
ont few inches beyond the covers, so
he arranged with the jailer-who was
either naturally or Intentionally half
wittcd-tO carry q dish of macaroDi
and the Bible 10 his friend. The plat
ter was very large and very full. The
crowbar was placed in rhe Bible and
The dish was laid On top Of the book.
The idea was that the iailer would
have tn walk so cautiously to avoid
spilling the sauce that he would not
notice the cronbar projecting from
the book below the dish.
Wild Ruse Succeeded.
You can imagine modern prisoner
evolving ssch wild plan or a modern
wardes guilelesSly bearing unexam-
ined gifts from one cell TO another.
Yet the ruse succeeded. and with many
more breatbIeSs adventures. Casa
nova and fellow prisoner battered
their way out of one of the best pris-
ens of ighteenth- century Italy.
In CaSanOvas day, a prisoner was
then left alone TO get out any way he
liked. Once a day somebody came
around TO see that he was there, and
after this interruption, digging, rope
making and other preparations went
on undisturbed. Now watchful guards
in the corridors and walls too thin to
Shut out the noise from pounding So
riOuSly interfere with the traditional
methods Of a dramatic escape.
Hoodwinking the Guards.
Once in great while. indeed, guards
are still hoodwinked by an audaciOuS
trick. Some years ago. in Newgate
Conn, a very unusual and original de
pariure from prison occurred.
A prisoner had died and his body
was lying in pine box in the chapel
ready for burial. A cOlored prisoner |
realized the possibilities of that box
Pretending illness with convincing real
ism at the dinner table. the negro was |
permitted TO leave the room and 90 |
to his cell unattended. Instead. hc |
went Ia The chapel. removed the body |
from the box and hid il in "a corner I
Then he fixed the nails I'm the lid so |
that the box would open easily and got |
inside.
After dinner three Irish prisoners
amt guard were sent TO get the box
The four got into the prison wagon
with their burden and drove of 10 the
As they set the box down
by The grave moan came from II.
The men stood staring at II with bulg-
ing eyes. Then loader groan arose
'Murlhcr :" yelled The Irish Convicts.
The corpse Is alive" Aud they tore
back 10 The iail the guard only one
step behind them
Left Wagon Fer Him.
The corpse" los, no time In coming
ouI OF his hiding place. The guards
gun lay where he had dropped II In
his flight, and the prison wagon was
also conveniently left. With these to
help him, The neeing convict had q
good start before the pursuit hogan,
snd he got away.
This Is an escape after the pattern
~ medieval affairs. There is adven-
ture in 1t. But such tricks are rarely
planned, let alone executed. Mostly.
prisoners who depart unOfficiauy from
Jail do SO by collision With guard,
by force Gin small Jails not strongly
polIced). or occasionally By breaking
their word when given liberties under
The honor system. And when the pris-
Oner does carefully break ont Of jail
by one OF these methods be usually
ends By coming TO Doctor budding to
help him break In again.