330 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



half-])ast seven, Wilson was at 

 HutchinsoiVs door with his ca- 

 briolet, in which the fugitive was 

 soon seated, Plutchinson accom- 

 panying them on horseback, and 

 they ])assed the barrier of Clichy 

 with little observation. Lavalette 

 having very marked features, 

 some alarm was excited at La 

 Chapelle, where they changed 

 horses, by four gendarmes, who 

 hovered about them ; but Hutch- 

 inson gave answers to their ques- 

 tions which satisfied them. They 

 passed other gendarmes who had 

 bills containing a description of 

 Lavalette, which had been disper- 

 sed throughout France. Some 

 grey haii's appearing fiom under 

 liis brown wig as they were ap- 

 proaching Compeigne, Wilson 

 with a pair of scissars acted as 

 his friseur. In that town they 

 were conducted to a letired quar- 

 ter, where they waited till the 

 carriage from Paris arrived with 

 Elliston. Wilson caused the lamps 

 to be lighted, that they might ap- 

 pear withovit apprehensions, and 

 havingtaken leave of their friends, 

 they set out well armed ; prepar- 

 ed to resist in case they should 

 experience any obstacle. Though 

 much questioned at the stations 

 for relays, tliey were not detain- 

 ed, till they reached Cambray, 

 when they were kept three hours 

 at the gate through the fault of 

 the English guard. In passing 

 Valenciennes they were three 

 times strictly examined ; and un- 

 derwent another and last exami- 

 nation at some iHstance from that 

 garrison. They safely teached 

 Mons to dinner ; and after Sir 

 E. Wilson had made all suitable 

 arrangements for the fugitive's 

 fiu'ther journey, he took his leave, 



and returned by a different route 

 to Paris, after an absence of six- 

 ty hours. 



From the official account pub- 

 lished by the French government, 

 it appears, tliat the first proposal 

 of assisting in saving Lavalette 

 was made to Mr. Bruce on Janu- 

 ary 2d or 3d, when a person 

 brought him an anonymous let- 

 ter, acquainting him that Lava- 

 lette was still in Paris, saying 

 that he (Bruce) alone could save 

 him, and requesting an answer 

 on the subject. This was sent ; 

 and of all that followed, Sir R. 

 Wilson was entirely ignorant, till 

 he was informed of the matter by 

 Bruce, who prevailed u|)dn l.im 

 to contribute his efforts to eflect 

 the escajjc of Lavalette. Captain 

 Hutchinson was associated in the 

 same project. These gentlemen 

 were infiucnced partly by com- 

 miseration of the unfortunate in- 

 dividual, and partly by their poli- 

 tical sentiments. Of those of 

 Wilson, conclusions were drawn 

 from the correspondence between 

 himself and his brother Edward 

 in London, of which the French 

 government obtained possessior.. 



The letter to Lord Grey, from 

 which the preceding narrative is 

 drawn, being intercepted by the 

 police, occasioned the arrest of the 

 three gentlemen who are the sub- 

 jects of this tiial. Sir Charles 

 Stuart, the British ambassador, 

 being informed of this circum- 

 stance, wrote a note on the same 

 day, .lanuaiy 13th, to the Duke 

 de Richelieu, intimating, tliat as 

 he had rejjeatedly manifested his 

 determination to extend his pro- 

 tection to no person whose con- 

 duct endangered the safety of that 

 goveinment, he should have been 



flattered 



