SWIM TO LIBERTY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 3075, 5 November 1929, Page 3

SWIM TO LIBERTY.

HOW THREE POLITICAL PRISONERS ESCAPED.

How the Hon. Emilio Lussu, Professor Carlo Rosselli, and Signor Francesco Nitti, three of Mussolini's most carefully-guarded prisoners, escaped from the island of Lipari, where they had been banished, is, states a special correspondent from Paris, a tale of amazing daring.

II Duce's three Monte Cristos fled under the noses of the Fascist governors of Lipari and of the 400 devoted Blackshirt police who guarded the 500 political prisoners in the small island. The Hon. Emilio Lussu, a most popular figure in Sardinia, and Signor Francesco Nitti, a cousin of the former Premier, are bachelors, but Professor Carol Rosselli, a young savant, has an English wife. He was married two years ago to Miss Marion Cave, of Uxbridge, who was at the time a student in Florence. A few months after his marriage he was placed under arrest for having helped Signor Philippo Turati, the deputy leader of the Socialist Reformists, to escape from Italy, where his life was threatened. His wife was an expectant mother, and for months she lived in anguish. Professor Rosselli was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, at the end of which he was deported to the island of Lipari, where Signor Nitti and Signor Lussu were already prisoners. Twice during the winter Professor Rosselli's wife obtained permission to go to the island. She is now in Italy, with her baby and some of her relatives.

"We had been planning escape since we arrived at Lipari," said Professor Rosselli, in an interview, and, pointing to a young man who had just entered the room, added, "It was this devoted friend here who carried it out. His name may not be revealed. The police had transformed the island into a military camp; Blackshirts, with guns and machine-guns, guarded the coast; while fast motor-boats, with powerful searchlights, wireless apparatus, and guns, were patrolling day and night. "Many attempts were made by political captives to escape, but they were always caught before they left the island. "We used to meet almost every day and discuss plans for escape. We came to the conclusion that the most likely one to succeed was the most audacious one, because it was the most simple—and that was to leave in a boat which would come to fetch us. "We had discovered in the great police net spread all round the island there was' a slight hole through which there was a possibility of escape. "Our devoted friend here, who knows the coast extremely well, secured a racing motor-boat which was camouflaged. With it he made many trips in the open sea preparing for the great voyage. "On the island our preparations were most laborious. For months we reconnoitred the movements of the 'enemy' and rehearsed our coming exploit. Signor Lussu, who had been ill for months, and never went out officially from his house, used to steal away in the evening disguised as an old fisherman. "When everything was ready we sent word to our friend to come and fetch us on Saturday evening, July 27, at a certain hour. "There was no moon and the sky was clouded. Soon after darkness I went quickly towards the sea. Signor Nitti, who had been in a cafe, also took a stroll. "We had to pass in front of a cafe where the governor and the chief were enjoying themselves. There were 20 police outside and we also passed a patrol of Blackshirts, who laughed on seeing an old / fisherman with a swollen face and a handkerchief round his head—this was the Hon. Emilio Lussu. "Finally, by different ways, we all got to the shore and entered the water fully clothed. We swum along the rocks guarded by several sentries. We then reached a point where we were to meet our friend with his motor-boat. "For three-quarters of an hour we had to wait, holding on to the rocks with only our heads above the cold water. "Suddenly we heard the hum of our friend's motor-boat. We crawled into the boat which left at full speed.

"We did not feel safe until we had covered about 100 miles. Whether we were chased I cannot say, for it was very dark that night. "After many hours wandering in the open sea we finally landed safely on a certain coast and came to France by ordinary means of transport.