The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-09-27 00:00:00

THE TRIAL OF MARSHAL BAZAINE.

According to the Paris journals, the preparation' at
the Trianon at Versailles for the trial of Marshal
B.zaine, are rapidly approaching completion ; and
the moot important court-martial of recent times is
now definitely fixed to commence on the 6th of
October. Quite a legion of Workmen occupy the cen-
tral building. The contractors, M. Epinette for the
heavy wood-work, and M. Lange for the joinery, press
on the works with an energy which ensures the com-
pletion before the let October, the date fixed by the
administration. The physiognomy of the court begins
to be defined The enclosure, which had been removed,
15 feet bock from the COIIEIIIIII facing the gardens, has
been repleced in its original position. It rests on •
bele of masonry, and is covered with a wooden roof.
The stone floors, too cold in winter, are to be covered
with boards, which will also have the effect of deaden-
ing the noise of footsteps. But in the annexe on the
garden side, where the flooring has an open space
underneath, the authorities might to lay down
cocoa-nut matting or caoutchouc. The slightness of
these latter constructions has attracted the attentioa
of 111, Code, who, in order to protect the building from
conflagration, has asked for the continual presence
of • corporal and two firemen, in addition to the
one on permanent duty there. Two engines are always
stationed on the premise,. For the prosecution, 272
' witnesses have received summonses from General
Ponreet, the government commissioner, to attend at
the Trianon on the above-mentioned day. Of these,
129 are military witnesses, and 143 civil ; amongst
them nine women. The military witnesses are corn-
posed of two marshals—Canrobert and Lei ostd, 17
generals, 12 colonels, 11 lieut.-colonels, 20 majors, 23
captains, 3 lieutenants, 5 sub lieutenants, a number
of soldiers, &c. The met conspicuous amongst the
clvil witnesses are General le Flo, French ambas-
sador at St. Petersburg, and four members of the
National Assembly, viz, M. Jules Faye* M. GAM-
betta, M. Combier, and M. Barnum. The witnesses for
the defence ore expected to number 70 or 75. The
Journal de Paris states that no less than 663 places
have been demanded by representatives of the French
and foreign press, and that the boilding will not per-
mit of accommodation being given to more than 80.
It is therefore propelled to confide the duty of report-
ing the i roceediug to official shorthand writers, who
will every two hours communicate an abridged report
to those representatives of the press whom it will be
Impossible to admit into the hall where the trial is to
take place. Suitable apartments and offices are being
fitted up for the mem berm of the Council of War and their
secretaries, &c. Quiet Versailles, which became toler.
ably rich during the Prussian occupation or 1870 71,
and where 20f. a night was not an uncommon price to
ask for an attic during the dark days of the Commune,
is promised another period of prosperity. It will be
chiefly remembered in future as the city of courts-mar-
tial; most of those Communists who took • prominent
part in the destruction of Paris (a few of whom met
their doom on the plain of Satory close by), and the
rest, by ship loads, deepatched to Cayenne, were tried
there.