Fernandez Maturette
Encyclopedia
André Maturette was an inmate in the French Guiana
prison colony of Devil's Island
who attempted to escape with Henri Charrière
and Joanes Clousiot.
's half-fictitious autobiography, Papillon, Maturette was born in France
and was arrested in 1932 when he was seventeen for the murder of a taxi cab driver. He was originally sentenced to death by guillotine
but was later sentenced to life because of his young age.
In early 1933, Maturette was sent to the penal colony in French Guiana
where he met Charrière and Joanes Clousiot who he would eventually escape with. On the night of 21 November 1933, the three escaped from the hospital in Cayenne
prison and went to a leper colony
, buying a boat from the lepers led by Toussaint
.
Eventually, they were all recaptured in the Colombia
n city of Santa Marta
and were sent to solitary confinement
. Clousiot died shortly after being released from solitary, where he served a two-year sentence. Charrière survived solitary confinement and successfully escaped from Devil's Island
on a bag of coconuts, while Maturette stayed in Royale working in the hospital.
In the 1950s, Maturette was living and married in Venezuela
. In the 1973 film
Papillon
, he was portrayed by Robert Deman
.
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
prison colony of Devil's Island
Devil's Island
Devil's Island is the smallest and northernmost island of the three Îles du Salut located about 6 nautical miles off the coast of French Guiana . It has an area of 14 ha . It was a small part of the notorious French penal colony in French Guiana until 1952...
who attempted to escape with Henri Charrière
Henri Charrière
Henri Charrière was a convicted murderer chiefly known as the author of Papillon, a hugely successful memoir of his incarceration in and escape from a penal colony in French Guiana....
and Joanes Clousiot.
Biography
According to Henri CharrièreHenri Charrière
Henri Charrière was a convicted murderer chiefly known as the author of Papillon, a hugely successful memoir of his incarceration in and escape from a penal colony in French Guiana....
's half-fictitious autobiography, Papillon, Maturette was born in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was arrested in 1932 when he was seventeen for the murder of a taxi cab driver. He was originally sentenced to death by guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
but was later sentenced to life because of his young age.
In early 1933, Maturette was sent to the penal colony in French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
where he met Charrière and Joanes Clousiot who he would eventually escape with. On the night of 21 November 1933, the three escaped from the hospital in Cayenne
Cayenne
Cayenne is the capital of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. The city's motto is "Ferit Aurum Industria" which means "Work brings wealth"...
prison and went to a leper colony
Leper colony
A leper colony, leprosarium, or lazar house is a place to quarantine leprous people.-History:Leper colonies or houses became widespread in the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe and India, and often run by monastic orders...
, buying a boat from the lepers led by Toussaint
Toussaint (leper chief)
Toussaint was the chief of a leper colony in South America , known for his appearance in the book Papillon. The book recounted the escapes of Henri Charriere from the French penal colony of Devil's Island in French Guiana. In 1934, Charriere, with his fellow prisoners Clusiot and Maturette,...
.
Eventually, they were all recaptured in the Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n city of Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
and were sent to solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
. Clousiot died shortly after being released from solitary, where he served a two-year sentence. Charrière survived solitary confinement and successfully escaped from Devil's Island
Devil's Island
Devil's Island is the smallest and northernmost island of the three Îles du Salut located about 6 nautical miles off the coast of French Guiana . It has an area of 14 ha . It was a small part of the notorious French penal colony in French Guiana until 1952...
on a bag of coconuts, while Maturette stayed in Royale working in the hospital.
In the 1950s, Maturette was living and married in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. In the 1973 film
1973 in film
The year 1973 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. Blakely would later marry actor/singer Frank Sinatra....
Papillon
Papillon (film)
Papillon is a 1973 film based on the best-selling novel by the French convict Henri Charrière.This motion picture was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, starring Steve McQueen as Henri Charrière , and Dustin Hoffman as Louis Dega...
, he was portrayed by Robert Deman
Robert Deman
Robert Deman is an American actor famous for starring in the 1973 movie Papillon as André Maturette.- External links :**...
.