The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-16 00:00:00

MARRIAGE OF M. ROCHEFORT.

A Parts correspondent of the Globe, describing the mar-
riage on Thursday, in last week, of M. Rochefort, writes:—
" Few romances of fiction have imagined for their
climax an incident so pathetic as the marriage of
Henri Rochefort, with all the circumstances which, in
fact, surrounded it yesterday. Several years ago,
when the man now condemned to detention for life wan
the young Comte de Rochefort Bum, he wooed and
won Marie Anastasie Renauld, the daughter of an
employe in the Ministry of Finance. They were at the
time almost boy and girl—he. I think, 20, and else
16—and did not find it necessary to consecrate
their affection by any other ceremony than those vows
ef constancy which usually prove of very transient
force. It was not so, however, in this case. By sue.
eessive stages the Comte de Rochefort let himself be
carried away by his virulent wit and his eager desire
for notoriety until he became famous for satires which
were certainly out of all keepirg with an ancient title,
and he wisely dropped his rank. It is poor work at-
tacking a fallen man, and I will not inquire now
whether some of his extravagant articles, which, bow.
es es meant could but fall like oil upon the fire of fiercer
men's passions, were not equally unworthy of the plain
citizen Henri Rochefort claimed to be. The natural
result of such a career has been at one time exile, at
another implication in the horrors committed by those
who were or had been his followers, and finally the
condition of a prisoner for the rest of his life.
-•- •

" During all his changes if fortune, except the I uit,
Reuauld has remained with him. At Brussels,
when he was in exile, at Paris during the siege, they
were together, and they have only been parted lately
owing to her illness. This is at present so dangerous
i that n all probability death must come soon. She
could uot meet this calmly without remedying for her
childten, as French law enables her to do, the mistake
made years ago. There were difficulties in the way.
She could not be moved from her bed, and her lover
had ceased to have the right, or at least the power, to
control his own actions. However, these obstacles
have been overcome, and the primmer was permitted
yesterday to come, atrimgly guarded at every step, to
make the dying womaii in the Convent if the Augus-
tine at Versailles, at last, his wife. By this the chil-
dren, a daughter and two sons, become legitimate. No
wonder that people have talked of little else the last
two days. Cudosity was naturally excited to know
each detail of this atrarige conclusion to a singular
story ; but the matter was 8o well and quietly managed
, that very f. w inqileitive spectators could get in where
' their presence would have been most unacceptable.
" Rochefort had been brought to the Mahon d'Arrat
of Versailles on Monday night, and thence his marriage
procession started yesterday morning. It consisted of
one large hired carriage conveying the bridegroom and
three police-agents (dressed in phain clothes) ; it left
the prison at a very early hour, and had for escort
very strong guard of gardissa de /a pair, who also
surrounded in force the Mahon de Santa attached to
the Convent of the Augustin*. Here, on the second
story, wee No. 3—• little room' opening, as all such
do in places of conhnement, from • great public
corridor, and hi thislay thelorida. As the prosoffifaralyzed
wmaaa:"uldurerti °lift!ø raimfito mtge.,
or to e or civil or one can-
moil, M. MUM; • Taal* had come to Isar bad-

mow. wig mammy. 1,1111.M.1111MS WIN PIM uy Wl•••
PACIWOrt stood by the bride, bedding ber hued,
II wises° signed by both, though the effort drew front
her • cry of pain, wall wihsaW by Army& ream.
Hugo, Ernest Blum, Jean Destrien, and the eloquent
barrister, Albert Joly. This was sufficient to give
legal validity to the marriage and status to the chil-
dren; but Mille Renauld (as the Rappet states half
apologetically) bad begged for a religions ceremony
also, and Rochefort could not refuse a request which
will probably be her hat. The blessing of the Church
was, therefore, bestowed on the pair by the Abb6
Follet, chaplain of prisons. After this M. and Madame
Rochefort were rele.isuil from surveillance for a short
tail-hour and left absolutely alone. At the expiration
of this time they parted, and at eleven o'clock of theft
bridal morning their wedded life ended for ever. The
bridegroom, with the Caine precautions, was conducted
back to his temporary prison, his conductors, by the
rapid pace at which they took the carriage, appearing
to grudge the favour shown; and last night he was
carried in a prisoners' van to his place of permanent
confinement in the Ile de Rd."