The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-02 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 2, 1870.

PLOT AGAINST THE EMPEROR'S
LIFE.

The story of a plot to assassinate the Emperor Napo-
leon was received with considerable discredit at first, and
even how the details leave much to be supplied ; but it is
obvious that there is more in the affair than people were
willing to believe. The outline of the conspiracy is that
a party of the plotters were todress themselves as soldiers,
gain access to the Emperor to present a petition, shoot
him, and then proclaim the Republic. The police have
for some time had scent of this project. On Friday
morning, at nine o'clock, says the Journal Officiel, the
sergents-de-ville at the Prefecture arrested a man named
Baurie, recently arrived from England. He had upon
him a sum of money, a loaded revolver, and a
letter from London, written by an individual
greatly compromised in the plot of February,
This document, coupled with Baurie's confession,
leaves no doubt as to his object in coming to
France, or as to his intention to carry out his project im-
mediately. In the course of the evening other individuals
were arrested i a the Belleville quarter. At the dwelling
of one of these persons there was found a box filled with
bombs, a quantity of powder, and also a recipe for making
powder. This conspiracy appears to be connected with
the plot, the "instruction " as to which is now nearly
concluded. The principal managers of the International
(Parisian section), an illicit association, the centre of which is

not in France, have been arrested. The plot of February,
alluded to in these particulars, is another conspiracy for
which many persons were arrested, a large proportion of
whom are still in prison ; but no details of this earlier
• scheme have been furnished to the public.
The plan to assassinate the Emperor in the act of pre-
senting a petition is not the only version. Another states
that the conspirators intended to blow up the Tuileries
with picrate of potassium—that terrible substance which
caused such a deadly explosion in Paris only a little
while ago. In an early edition of Saturday, the
Figaro came out with the following information :
• " According to our information, though no attempt was '
made yesterday against the Emperor's life, people have
gone a great deal too far in supposing that there was abso-
lutely no foundation for the rumour. There was no
attempt, but a deserter was arrested on the charge
of intending to murder the Emperor (d'avoir vould
assaesiner l'Empereur). It may be remembered
that some time ago five men deserted from the 7th
battalian of Foot Chasseurs. It is one of these men who
has been arrested. A letter written by M. Flourens
giving him instructions for the execution of the crime, is
the strongest evidence against him. In that letter M.
Flourens recommended him only to go out at night time,
and to act with the greatest circumspection. This advice
was scrupulously followed, for it seems that this soldier
never slept twice in the same place. It is a curious feature
that what drew the attention of the police to this indivi-
dual was the report of a young woman, who noticed that
he was strangely "preoccupied" for so young a man.
It is not near the Tuileries that he was arrested,
but Rue Rochechuart (near Montmartre). This same
deserter, at one of the last reviews, distinguished
himself so greatly by the warmth with which he
shouted Vive l'Empereur,' that his captain exclaimed,
`At the first eineute I'll have that fellow in the front
rank' (!) The smallest incidents are important in the
eyes of the police. The departure of M. Ledru Rollin
was one of the indications which awoke suspicion. It
was understood that if M. Ledru Rollin left Paris after so
short a stay, an event must have been in preparation which
he was acquainted with, but which, from his years and
his fortune, he did not wish to be mixed up with. It is
believed that the projected attempt was not likely to be
isolated. The Palace of the Tuileries and the Prefecture
of Police were to be blown up."
This alarming news was not very favourably received in
the matter of confidence. It excited general incredulity.
Later in the day, however, the Figaro had more to say on
the subject, and there is much reason to believe that its
facts were this time derived from the Prefecture of Police :
" The police had been informed that an individual bad left
London for the special purpose of murdering the Emperor.
There were but very few indicationsrespecting this conspi-
rator, and up to this time the precise period at which he
arrived in Paris is not known, but it is not supposed that he
has been lmre more than two or three days. The police
had been hunting for him in vain, when yesterday morn-
ing it was ascertained that an individual, whose descrip-
tion corresponded to the description of the man 'wanted,'
had slept at a house of ill-fame in the Butte des Moulins,
and he was arrested there, sent to the prefecture and
thence to Mazas. As he stated this morning, he turns
out to be a deserter from the army ; his name is
Baurie. On being searched a six-barrelled revolver,
loaded, and a sum of one hundred francs (24) were
found about him. The money had been given him that
morning, he said, to assist in the perpetration of the
crime, and in making his escape. One cannot say that
the secret societies waste their money. Baurie had
also about him a letter from London. bearing the
London postmark, and signed `Gustave Flourens.' It
contained the most precise and minute instructions. M.
Bernier, the juge d'instruction, went to Mazas to
examine Baurie, who made the most ample con-
fession. Thanks to his revelations, the police were
able to arrest, near the Boulevard du Prince
Eugene, three individuals gravely compromised ;. a fourth
individual, against whom charges were pending, was
met with on the Boulevard de Belleville. As soon as the
policemen collared him he shouted, ' Help ! they are arrest-
ing a Republican !' A band of ragamuffins attacked the
police, and released the prisoner. At the lodgings of one
of the individuals arrested a large trunk was discovered,
containing ten cases of cartridges and twenty-one bombs.
Several bottles were also discovered, containing an
explosive substance, which is believed to be pi-
crate of potassium. Inside a bust of Garibaldi and
a• bust of Lamartine papers were found con-
nected with the business, and, among others, a recipe
for the manufacture of picrate. This morning a great
many arrests were made in virtue of warrants. The prin-
cipal leaders of the International Association have been
imprisoned in Mazas. At seven o'clock this morning M.
Lermina was arrested at No. 12, Vue Richer, in a house
where he had been hiding since yesterday. [lt was this-
person who read the acte d'accusation sent you yesterday.]
M. Germain Casse has also been arrested. A guard of the
Northern Railway has also been arrested on the charge
of having brought from Belgium a large quantity of
revolvers ordered from a Liege armourer by French Re-
publican refugees. It is believed, however, that this man
did not know what he was doing. Here is a description
of the bombs; they are flat and circular, and consist
of two plates rivetted together ; the outer edge is
cylindrical and pierced with air holes ; a handle is at-
tached, which enables it to be projected a long way.
Inside are four thin glass tubes, meant to contain the ex-
plosive substance, and closed by common corks ; the vacant
space is filled with nails, with a view to smash the tubes
when the bomb hits anything, and to scatter like canister
shot after the explosion of the picrate. The diameter of
these bombs is about twelve centimetres, so that they can
be easily carried in a coat pocket."
Other journals publish substantially the same details ;
but the fact that they appear in such papers as the
France and the Centre Gauche is itself some testimony to
their accuracy. The Centre Gauche says that " the
plot " was to " break out "on the Bth of May. The
Patrie states that the chief agent in the conspiracy—
the man who was to kill the Emperor,' and blow up the
Tuileries, &c, is a young fellow of two and twenty,
" licentiate Of letters," and belonging to a " very
good family." After a life of reckless debauchery, he
enlisted, and then deserted. He was, according to the
Patric, arrested at about three o'clock on Friday, near the
Hotel de Vile. The semi-official print adds :—" He was
the instrument of the London Revolutionary Committee,
and particularly of Flourens, it is said. Since his arrest
he cries, laments his hard case, and confesses everything."
The Soir, the latest evening paper, says the arrests
amount to forty-two, and that the instruction will be
carried on " most publicly and rapidly."