The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-10 00:00:00

ATTEMPT

ASSASSINATE

THE

FRENCH EMPEROR.

PARIS, SUNDAY, 8 A.m.

The Moniteur publishes the following :--

His Majesty the Emperor attended a represen.
tation at the Italian Opera last night.

At the moment the carriage is which were the
Ladies of Honour of her Majesty the Empress
stopped in front of the theatre an individual
standing on the foot pavement opposite fired,
without taking aim, two small pocket-pistols at
the carriage.

No one was hit. The person, who appears to
be a mani-te rather than an assassin, was imme-

diately arrested."

PARIS, SUNDAY, SEPT. 9, 8 P.M.

The name of the individual arrested is Belle-
rnarre. He is about 22 years of age, and was
born at Rouen. When he was 16 he was sen-
tenced to two years' imprisonment for swindling.
At the expiration of two months the Em-
peror, then President of the Republic, commuted
his sentence.

He pretends to have afterwards taken an ac-
tive part in the events of the 2d of December, to
have fought behind one of the barricades of the
Rue Ratnbuteau.

At that time placards having in large cha-
racters Motives for the Condemnation to Death
of Louis Napoleon' were seized by the police.
During the examination Bellemarre declared
himself to be the author of those placards.

Since he left prison, in February last, he
lived at Paris under a false name, and had ac-
cepted an appointment as clerk to M. Jeanne, con-
stable.

Bellenaarre is a man of delicate constitution
and of vulgar appearance.
His antecedents, his language, his attitude
after his arrest and during the examination, show
that he is really a maniac.
• He had takelku,p plaice at OA sarace of

the Rue M irsollier on the foot pavement opposite
to the entrance of the theatre, and he fired his
two pistols at the moment when the cries of "Vivo
l'Empereur" made Ulf fancy that the carriage
which conveyed the Ladies of Honour of the
Empress was that of his Majesty.
A city policeman on duty at this point in-
stantly pulled down the assassin's arm and cap-
tured him at once.

Bellemarre was first taken to the police-office
at the Italian Theatre, and at once, M. Pietri,
Prefect of Police, presiding, a first statement was
drawn up by the Commissary of Police of the
district.

The assassin is locked up in a cell at the
Conciergerie, where he is undergoing an exami-
nation.

The investigation continues.

His Majesty the Emperor, on his entrance
into the theatre, where the news of this criminal
attempt was immediately known, was greeted with
shouts of " Vive l'Empereur 1" and by rounds of
applause, which were renewed at intervals.
His Majesty only remained about one hour at
the theatre, and then proceeded to the Palace of
the Tuileries.

The Constitictionne/ announces the occurrence
in the same words. I have ascertained from pri-
vate sources the following particulars :
Yesterday evening a considerable crowd was
assembled in front of the Italian Theatre, in con-
sequence of the intimation conveyed by the words,
"By order," on the bills, that the Emperor would
be present to see Madame Riston's last perform
ante this season. Notwithstanding reiterated
orders that a considerable clear space should be
kept around the door of any place where the Em-
peror alights from his carriage, the crowd was
allowed on.this occasion to press very near to the
doors of the theatre. At a quarter to nine o'clock
a court carriage and four horses arrived, which
was very naturally supposed by many to contain
the Emperor himself, but in fact there were in it
only some of the Empress's ladies of honour. At
the moment when the coachman drew up along-
side the steps leading to the front door of the
theatre, a young man, in a blouse and grey cap,
stepped forward, drew a pistol from his pocket,
placed the muzzle almost close to the carriage
window, fired, and broke the glass. Immediately
afterwards he raised a second pistol, but as he
was in the act of firing a sergent de rifle struck his
arm down, and the charge entered the ground,
An inst !,nt later the man was seized, handcuffed,
and lodged in the guardhouse of the theatre. The
ladies, as they stood on the steps of the doorway,
on descending from the carriage, audibly thanked
Providence that the Emperor had escaNcl.
About five minutes after this occurrence the Empe-
ror arrived, and being struck by the sound of un-
usually loud and prolonged cries of " Vive l'Em-
pereur !" inquired the cause. On being told what
had happened, :his Majesty instantly ordered the
coachman to drive all round the theatre. The
Imperial carriage accordingly, amid the cheering
of the public, made the entire circuit of the Place
Ventadour before his Majesty alighted. On en-
tering the house the Emperor said, ' Let nut a
word be said to the Empress, and keep back the
telegraphic despatches."

Dr. Conneau was immediately despatched to St.
Cloud, where the Empress was, to take care that
the first part of this order was obeyed. Before
the Emperor reached the box the news of the
event had spread throughout the theatre. The
report of the pistols was indeed distinctly heard
in the saloon, the windows of which were open,
and where a good many people were assembles to
see the Emperor arrive. His Majesty was there-
fore received with great cheering when he ap-
peared in front of the Imperial box. A delay of
some minutes occurred before the performance
commenced. This was ascertained to be occa-
sioned by Madame Ristori having fainted away on
hearing what had happened. The idea that the
Emperor bad run such a risk, by kindly announc-
ing his intention of being present at her farewell,
was too much for her. She, however, soon re-
covered, and played Maria Stuarda and the come-
dietta of J. Gelosi Fortunati as admirably as ever.
The Emperor left the house at half-past 10.