Rutland Herald

Extraordinary Escape—Some days ago a young man of a village near L'Orient, France, who had engaged himself as a substitute in the army, gave one half of the sum he received to his only relation, a sister, and, having embraced her, he took his departure to join his regiment. Another lad, who was present at the parting scene, and afterward accompanied the recruit to Vannes, returned about 8 o'clock, to the abode of the substitute girl, and knocked at the door. Recognizing his voice she let him in. He immediately demanded the money she received in the morning. The poor creature, knowing that she had no means of escape, immediately complied, but he insisted that she should give him the whole, which she did; and on her protesting that she had given him the last sous, he told her she must die, but gave her the choice of having her throat cut, being shot with a pistol, which he produced, or being hung. The natural horror of blood seduced her to choose the last mode of death. The villain hereupon searched the house and finding two ropes, he bound the poor girl hand and foot with one, while he formed a slip-knot with the other, and endeavored to fasten it to a beam in the room. To accomplish this, it was necessary for him to get upon the table. He had just finished his task when his foot slipped, and the table fell from under him and he was caught by both the ropes he had made for his victim.

As he was unable to extricate himself, and had firmly bound his victim, he remained suspended, and she in the position in which he had left her for two nights and a day. On the second morning the neighbors, finding the house still shut up, knocked at the door and being answered by the low moanings of the girl, forced their way in, and found her and the faithless friend of her brother in the situation above described. The poor girl was released and received every assistance her condition required. The man was taken down secured and sent to prison.