STORY OF AN E3OAPED COMMUNIST.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1073, 5 January 1872, Page 3

STORY OF AN E3OAPED COMMUNIST.

•• . - The flowing story of an escaped CommunisWrow in London has been sent ■to us : — " It is more than probable that the rumors constantly arising of the flight of prisoners from Versailles and Satory have very slight foundation on fact. But as, to the escape of untaken Communalist chiefs from their hiding places in Paris and its surroundings there exists increasing proof. We are fold that the Commune in London receives every week fresh strength from the arrival of rebels whom +he Versaillais have executed two or three times over. Cournet, the former prefect of police, Johannard, one of the delegates for foreign affairs, and the revolutionary apostle, Jules Valles, have been constantly seen in London during the last fortnight. Eye-witnesses have given graphic accounts of the execution of the latter, which friendly office they have also performed for the Commandant Romanetti — the last resuscite oi whom we have heard. It will be remembered that Romanetti was in 1848 among the first to break into the Tnileries, to negotiate tho capitulation of Vincennes, to seize the arms at the mairie of Batignolles, and that it was he who took his seat on the throne of Louis Phillippe when it was triumphantly paraded along the Boulevards by the mob. On returning to France after the tail of the Empire, he was named Commander of the Genie Auxiliaire during the Prussian siege. He seized the Ministry of War with a handful of men on March 18, and assumed the functions of Minister during twenty-four hours, after which, by order of the Central Committee, he was superseded by Eudes, from whom he extorted, however, the permanent post of Directeur dv Personnel. Being a Corsican, he was naturally suspected of plotting in favor of the Commune, and, without any examinatun whatever, was confined as a hostage au secet in the prison of Mazas. The story of his escape is of some interest. " After a month's enjoyment of a diet of cold water and sorrel soup, Romanetti was ordered from his cell to join twentytwo other prisoners bound for La Roquette, where he was given to understand a firing party was permanently settled to receive all comers. Among his fellowprisoners was the Pere Lamazon, curate of the. Madeleine, who exhorted him to die as a good Christian. " Romanetti announced, however, that he did not mean to dio at all in any character, and his intention was apparently shared by the priest, since both escaped. The- gang of condemned hostages was led up to the registering office, the gaolers turning out to form a double line, through which they were to pass. French officialism, ,pf course, gave rise to a certain ampunt of discussion and confusion, footed,, by, which Romanetti suddenly turned round and ran back towards the entanglement of passages in, the rear of Mazas prison. Here he lost himself, and came face to face with a brigadier, of the gaolers. His high rank and popularity with the army entitled him to certain immunities from the ordinary prison rules. He had retained his uniform, and had not been searched. He was therefore able to draw a small revolver from his pocket and present it to the official, with the demand to be let out by a back door. In spite of the gaoler's. allegation that he was a father of a family, and consequently npt a proper target for pistoj toubj Ifcmanetti persisted in his request. He succeeded, and was conducted to a hidden door, the key of which was given to him, and he was in comparative liberty. i.« Outride the prison, however, Romanetti came across a band of National Quardg, who, recognising him .and ignoring the fact of his arrest, insisted on ha assuming the -command of a'-gigantio barricade erected at the corner of the Rue des Charbonniers and the Boulevard Mazas. The fortification was defended by about two hundred men and four mit'hulleurs/and kept for two days the 35th and 75th of the Line, with the Ist Marine Fusiliers. at bay. But Romanetti had had enough of the Commune, and was intent on his own safety alone. As a stratagem;, he pointed out to his brother officers the necessity of reconnoitring the force of the enemy, and volunteered to undertake the perilous mission. He was allowed to depart, and immediately sought refuge in a house close by. Summoning the landlady, he offered her any sum for a room. But all services were rigorously refused save that A observing from a window whether he was still foT^owgd by two Federate who had tracked him from the barricade. " These had rapidly run round the corner of the street. Romanetti profited by this momentary exemption from surveillance to cross the road and enter an hotel. On the staircase he found a waiter, who for a few pieces of gold stripped himself then and there and handed to the commandant the universal uniform of his craft. The disguise was hardly completed when Romanetti observed a party of Federals issue from the . opposite house, dragging with them an unfortunate commander and his wife. The commander declared that he had been in bed and incapacitated during the butt ten days. The iusurgents insisted that two of their members had seen him enter the house a few minutes previously. He was forthwith shot on the pavement as a coward, and his wife, attempting to defend him, fell by his side. Having been executed by deputy, Romanetti was at rest for the next few hours, If By this time the hostages had arrived at La Roquette and Romanetti being missed, it was imagined that he, together with the Pere Lamazon, had escaped during the transit. A party was despatched to his dwelling in the Rue des des Ecoles, where an unfortunate housedecorator was mistaken for the missing prisoner, and straightway shot on the doorstep. Meanwhile, the Versaillais were gaining ground » indeed^ they would have Already taken the barricade, but for a Woman m Romanetti's hotel, who had discovered them opening a trench in a garden which commanded the flank of the Federal position. At the risk of her life, she gave warning of the danger, and a nuiraltenr soon dispelled it. Thus the defence was protracted for twenty-four hours. When at last the barricade fell, the soldiers in their exasperation began by killing the woman who bad frustrated \nevf flesigpSi and aft£r any one else on whom they could lay their hands. But JWtttaetti & gar gon Was a b6ve suspicion. IJe §etved litres and cigart to the officers, t«nd«d the wounded, and tranquilly consumed his breakfast while thirty-five men and women were executed under his oyos. "When, tho whole quaver, was.com-

pletely reduced, Romanetti proceeded |t 6 Mazas, where he obtained from the OTeffier a certificate attesting his detention as a hostage. Hats were doffed' to him as a victim, and he passed in safety through Paris to that most secure of all refuges, a lodging in a house inhabited by a commissioner of police. There he remained several weeks, and then, aided by some friends, made his way by slow degrees to a house on the Belgian frontier. He took to hare--coursing, and the ardor of the chase curiously enough drew him over the boundary line on to the territory of King Leopold. Thence he passed over to England, where he is doubtless smiling with the imperturbable serenity of an experienced insurgent at the blindness of the French police, and lamenting the ill-luck of the unhappy men who had the misfortune to represent him before the levelled rifles of Federals and Regulars."