The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-04-12
For the National Era.
BELL SMITH ABROAD,
XXI.-THE CATACoMBs.
PARIS March Is

ANS, 1uofC"j looo.
Some time in the year ofl774, a large house in
whist is now known as the Latin Quarter, then
the most fashionable part of Paris, suddenly
fell 20 the ground. The house did not fall upon
its iamates like one shaken by an earthquake.
or overthrow by great wind, but seemed to
have crumbled into the very earth, and in place
oil heap of ruins, presented almost cavity.
This event created intense terror but this terror
was infinitely augmented when another and
another huge house disappeared in the ike man
ner, The Government, at that time exclusively
engaged in hunting down offending authors of
epigrams pointed at Du Barry and Louis the
Well Beloved, turned its attention to discover
ing, II possible, what subterranean power was
swallowing up the houses of Paris
~ .A2oat this time another circumstance assist.
ed IN directing their pursuit. Paris was beset
by robbers, smugglers, and political offenders,
who seemed to possess the power of disappear
ing at will, and thereby setting at defiance the
wrath OF offended law. An offender would be
tracked to his abode, the house Immediately
surrounded, but, on breaking in and searching
the premises, the bird would be gone, and the
police painfully impressed with belief in witch
craft. AT last, however, through the agency of
gold, three of the most noted offenders were
secused. Subjected to hideouS toftures, a con-
fession was wrung from one, that threw light
upon the strange fact of fallen houses and dis
appearing thieves. The execution of these three
men is so graphically told by Monsieur Berthet,
IN his " Catacombs of Paris" and gives such a
picture of the times whens1 Louis the Well-Be
loved held sway in France, that cannot for
beas translating it for your readers.
Eaght in the morning had just ceased ringing
| troDi the clock of the Palace Of Justice One
OF tSose thin transparent fogs, rising from the
SeiHe of a September morning enveloped the
towers of the Grand Chatelet, the clock of Saint
jean en- Greve, and the pointed roofs of Hotel
de Vile. The Place de Greve had not then the
Regularity and beauty of to-day-surrounded
by cid houses with gables to the street, no three
of ehich were in line, and overhanging stories,
while the pavement was broken and ditty. The
streats In the neighborhood were narrow, SON.
bre; and unwholesome. In fact, it was yet the
old and melancholy Greve of the middle ages
a place historically filled with souvenirs, but
SOUVENIRS cruel cold, and bloody
Teis day in particular the Greve had an ex-
presNon dark and sinister. Facing the Hotel
de Vile, in the centre of the place, was a hid
eous scafod One saw the upright posts sup
porting heavy beam, from which hung, trem-
bling in the chill wind, three cords with nooses
prepared. 1t was not the scaffold, nor the cords,
nor the expressive moose, that chilled the blood
i and made the heart sick. On the ground was
mysterious instrument, shaped something like
wheel, against which leaned an iron bar. ac-
companied by chains and cords, and on which
one saw heavy dark stains by former torture
This was the wheel, the last invention of cruel
ingenuity.
IN audience was not wanting for this heart
less spectacle. The execution would not take
piacs for hours later, yet the place was filed to
owes owing-ano verhowing that rolled back into
neig storing streets quite out of view where the
crow amused itself by cries, songs, brutal tests,
and fights. The soldiers of the Provost, with
tReiE grand &etons, with ,difEicalts opened xay
tor le officers, while the guard about the scat.
fold ould scarce keep their ranks against the
rollif'g, tumultuous crowd. The gamins of Paris.
perc ed on sheds, balconies, and trees, screamed
shrihy at each other The pedlers, then more
mum rous than now, threaded the crowd, giving
uttefynce to their strange appeals. singer,
statit ned on a corner, charmed the ears of
wide circle by song which he accompanied on
a ere cked violin. One could have said that it
was market, fete, or fair, but for the giant
galloEs, with its pendant cords, which gave the
true character of the attraction.
Bet it was not only the bourgeoise and mass
Of co anon people, who invaded the Greve. The
privileged classes, the lords and ladies of the
court, we're also there. In place, however, of
crow'tng the pave, they occupied reserved seats
at windows of houses convenient the balconies
of Hotel de Vile, and even the roofs Of neigh
boring buildings On every side, gay, gentle
men, oerfumed abbes, courtly danes, elegantly
dressed, advanced their powdered heads to catch
a bett9r view, or nod one to the other. The
court aeemed to be enjoying reception in place
! de Greve. Window saluted window with smiles
! of Subtraction. Several curious mobiles, unable
! to secure windows, had driven their equpages
far into the crowd, and sat yawning, while their
/ footmcn scowled insolently at the jeering crowd.
Since. the death of La Brinvilliers, of which
Madame de Sevigne, crowded upon the street,
could see but the head, since the execution of
! Dam<an, which young and beautiful duchess
descr bed with such evident delght-never had
the p ace of Hotel de Vile witnessed so numer
| GUS aad brilliant an assembly.
! 1t |sas not poisoner in the person of mar
! quis, aor yet regicide-derote that called this
immense crowd from their various homes to
witness brutal death, but a common robber
with two accomplices, about whose career had
so long hung a fearful mystery. Their various
deeds, greatly exaggerated, were not more sur
prlsing than those of ordinary occurrence COM
ing to light each day but their successful con-
ceaments, their sudden appearance and as sud
den escapes, brought to belief almost the witch
craft of old But gold has power superior
even to witchcraft-and now slowly making Its
way through the tumultuous crowd like vessel
working against tide, the cortege appears with
its victims bound hand and foot between.
+ Istop without translating the graphic account
of the terrible torture known as breaking on
the Wheel" and the subsequent DEATH But,
having introduced this well-written account as
an artist gives an overture to a drama, let me
say, in connecting it, that the confession of one
of these wretched criminals led to an investiga-
ton OF the subterranean chambers then under
nearly one-third of Paris. Evidently quarries
from which almost in its infancy Paris had ma
terials for building subsequently used places
for burial-the entrances had been gradually |
built over or destroyed, until the existence of
them became in the public mind matter of
doubt and tradition, and the events to which |
we have alluded called the attention of authori- |
ties to their existence That vast and noisome
chambers connected by galleries existed under /
the deasely-populated and closelyhuil district |
of ST. German, under such huge piles as ST. |
Supice, Pantheon, and the Palace of the Lux
embourg, was a fact to make one wonderland !
many time, while living in Place st. Sulpice,
my mind went down into the darksome regions,
to grope blindIy among the dead of fogotten
age.
1t had been our continued intention to visit
the " Catacombs," but the curiosity was some
what allayed by fearful picture OF few hours
stay In them, given by our talented artist, Mr..
Walcutt. BY his industry and genius he had
carried away a warmly-contested prize from an
academy sustained by the Government, the pos
session of which gave him the right to visit
many places, among which were the "Cata-
combs.H+ He did not, however, avail himself of
this privilege, until party of English and
American officers arrived, with permits from the
Government and proposed that he should &C
sob OF riun