The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-11-26 00:00:00

REQUIRING EXPLANATION !

'A most distreslng piece of intellfgenco hes arrived at
Beset con, wh!ch, we trust, for the credit nf modern civilisa-
tion, is untrue It is atsLd, end the tat- meet iigenerally
credited, that M Valentin, the late prefect of the has Rhin,
has been executed icy the Freak'. sneer the following eh-
cumstances. M Valentin etc •ived his appointment during
the sic. of Strashwg, and was mew sted to proceed to that
town if possible oral ammo r thaw lie gollarit!y de-
termined to make an attempt to obey his orders if pen-
tale, and tucces.fully penetrating the German lines one
dark night. darlncly swam the inundation and suddenly
presented hlmsel drinidng and brea,liless befnie the
satonbhed French sentries, whom be requested to take
him to the Prefecture. Oa the fall of the pines M.
Valentin became a prisoner of war, and was taken to Wies-
t glen Milton. to communicate with he friends In France
he hiheri his gaoler to convey a letter for Pm. The matter
was disc.Aored, and poor M. Valentin was shot--so it is sold
—because a German enhordinst t offl dal proved untrue.
worthy. If this story is trim was the execution murder?
We 13avelt to our reran to supply an answer. Si, V dentin,
if ha has been—well, we will call It put to death—will he
much rerouted in this country, where he had many friend.,
having been for many years • professor at Sandhurst and
Woolwt h "—London Standltd.

OX THE "LOOT."

-•
Theo followle gin the substanee of an episode of the War
Which appeared lathe .Noniftur Uniotrselof Saturday last
An aged widow lady of noble birth, occupying &high position
in French scciely, menet in tbe environs of Paris a small
ectentrs house, which content d p-rtralte and family souvenirs
accumulated during many generations, as well as various
mementoes, such se In old age represent the happineas of
times long past be 1.a.1 left the house preciously
to the investuent of Paris, roua after which the Prussian
troops arrivul at the riling?, their officers being located
he the inure of the witn.w. These • gentkmvn Im-
mediately burst open the cabinets, desks. &c., pillaging
the house to all directions. Everything was taken away—
ewellery, pl.:tures, linen, and 00134 the private letters of the
°ter er. lu vain the unfortunate steward, who spoke • little
German, interfered; and tyrec did. Prot Wan baron point a
pistol at him. The soldiers con' emplated in silence the dis-
graceful conduct of the ir officers. The canat.-"otowers
broaot to the honer, and every officer de-
livered up what he had stolen, obtainingarece•pt whereby to
Claim the art Wes, or the ir value, at a later date The relatare
kid the eeward that nothing could be done, adding, 'These
are the noble. of Berlin—that is your misfortune ; If we Irld
come with our sub-officers only, you certainly would have
suffered some damage, but we do not pillage ; that is re-
d for our nffizero, who mays that the King permits It'
Al tor tie what estimate can Inc formed of the spirit of
chlvary said to animate the Prussian nobility ? '

A PUBLISHER IN TROUBLE!

The pobltsher of the Etinceile, at a town id miles
north-west of Paris, which Is ecru:del by the Germane, has
been arrested and sent away, under circumstances stated In
the I iioedng proclamation by the Prnaslan Commandant,
which is certified by the Mayor,—" The orders of King
William have at various times Indicated that we are not
making war ric dolt the French population; on the con-
trary, we r.siv ci heir private property, and are pre-
pared at all times to trotect their true Interests. They
are bmnd on their part, therefore, ta fulfil the just
requirements of the German troops which the war
necessitates, an I refrain from any hostil, act toward. them.
10 c illequtnce of the destruction of the means of communi-
cation carried cut by the order of the Freoch Government
the transport of provisions for the German troop. from
Germany became impossible. We were thus compelled to
eopport our armies partly by requisitions, partly by the pur-
chase of provisions. It halt, however, been dedared in the
number of the Ettneolle for the 2eth of 11.itober, that accord-
ing to French law it is forbidden, under pain of death, to

furnish proinslous to the enemy. 10: such Cu amertiou one
can only my thot it is absolutely foolish and was oLly made
to *tit up psopls's whets against the hostile armies. The
publication of etch things forced us to arrest and send
merry hi. Mason. %V 4io add that It It preelenly by the
briiieng of provisions for purciwse that the synttm of re-
quisitions Is lightened and Iredueed withhi the smallest
°oiliness."