The true Democrat., 1857-02-24
From the New York Evening Post. Assassination of the Archbishop of Paris
Paris, January 6, 1857.


 had been murdered by priest. At first no one could believe in the reality of so awful crime, committed in such place and by such hand; but 1t was soon ascertained that the sad intel lgence was only too true. The following is detailed account of this dreadful crime:
 Saturday was the fete of Ste. Genevieve, and the Archbishop went to the church accord ing to announcement to preside over the open ing of the annual neuvaine in honor of the saint, who IS patroness of the city of Paris. After vespers, and after sermon preached by Mgr. Lacarriere, Bishop of La Poasse-Terre, pro- cesslon was formed and paraded round the church in the customary way, the Arch bishop in his robes walking at the head of the lady patronesses of Ste. Genevieve. Just as the Archbishop arrived opposite the outer door and was about to turn up the nave man advanced towards him from the crowd, and, removing the prelate's cope with his left hand, plunged with great force with his right hand large Ca- talan knife strai ght into the prelate's breast, near the heart, eXclaimlng as he did so "Down with the godncss!' (A bas la deesse) The Archbishop lel! back two steps, cried out {" AA. nMlteureu1!' staggered, and fell into the arms of the priests who surrounded him.
 The wounded prelate moved two three times, as if suffering, and was the moment after bathed in the blood which flowed from the wound. He was immediately conveyed into the vestry and medical assistance sent for but all | human aid was found to be useless, as he eX- pired almost immediately. The fatal blow was struck with such extraordinary rapidity that 1t was impossible to prevent tt.
 The assassin, a young man of thlrty-twO years of age, dressed in dark colored clothes, made no attempt to escape, and was lmmedl- ately seized. He had at the moment the knife, from winch the blood was dropping, still In his hand.
 | Just before the prelate breathed his last the Abbe Surat, Vicar General, who was close to him. gave him absolution. The church was crowded to excess at the moment of this most dreadful crime. and the emotion of the specta- tors was nexpresslble. A thrill of horror at first ran through every mind, but afterwards feeling of indignation was superadded and when the assassin was taken out of the church he would have been most roughly handled had not tbe police on duty surrounded him and en- sUrcd his safety.
 The assassin was conveyed to the Maitre of the Twelfth Arrondssement, and NJ. Moigoon, substitute of the Procureur Imperial, and M. Irelllard, examining magistrate, were immedl- ately summoned and commenced an nterroga- tory M Cordoun Procureur Imperial, and NJ. Pietr Prefect of Police, subsequently, n- terrogated him also. From what he said 1t ap- pears that he Is priest of the diocese of MeauX, named Verges. He had been four or five times reprimanded for misconduct, and some months back was interdcted for having preached against the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
 
 On the 24th December, Verges came to Paris, | n,rl H. l. Rue Rauner. He was accustomed to pass whole days in the public libraries, and even Saturday he went to one as usual. He endea- vored io obtain all appointment in the diocese. of Paris, but 1t was notified to him that the Archbishop would not grant him one. On hear ing that, he appears to have projected the death of the prelate, and he purchased for the purpose knife at the shop of cutler in the Rue DAu- phIne. Alter he had stated the previous facts, he was asked If he had stabbed the Archbishop more than once, and he answered, No; only gave hln one stab, for l struck in the heart and l knew the blow was mtrtal." Why" ne was asked, did you cry, Down with the god dessn when you struck the fatal blowE'' Be- cause do uot believe in the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, against which have preached from the pulpit; and wished lo pro- test once more against the impious docuue" Why did you commit 50 grave crime!" Because l va. iuterdctei, and because the Archbishop had declared that the lnterlicton would not bc removed.' He then added, after d pause, priest cannot be allowed 10 Jie of hunger" lie admitted that he had gone to the church with the prcmedltated II tent.uu of killing tho Archbishop; and he then several times cned, with some violence, No goddess, 10 soddess" One of the gentlemen who lu- | Tar 4f..li itl ,l,. tk
 ne had committed was one ot frightful euor- mI'y. "Ies," he exclaimed, "It is irghtiul;'' and then tears fell from his eves lie hrs.ed for New Testament, and sad, :. I shall have great need ot it during the ulgtt!"
 The assassin replied to the questions put to him with calmness, and only displayed agita- ton when he referred to the doculue of the immaculate Conception. In the course of the evening he was conveyed to the concergerle, and a turnkey Is placed with him in his cell, with directions not to lose sight of his movements for second.
 The body of the Archbishop, after remain ing short tune iu the vestry of St. Etenne du Mont, Was removed to the house oi the cure ana placed on mattress Tn the drawing room The features of the venerable prelate had under gone no alteration; they were as calm and se- rene as II he were in a mild slumber. The members of his family and a number of his personal friends, ou hearing of his awtullv sud- den end, hastened to the residence of the cure and were overcome with grief at beholdng his remains. In the evening the body was aemoved to the archpiscopal palace in the Rue Grinnell. Sant Germain
 Mgr. SIBoUR was born on the 4th of April. lI52, at St. Paul. Trois Chateaux, in the diocese oi valence, and mad, therefore, nearly attained | n Ila, l on the 3Otn September, 1859, and was conse- crated on the 25th February, 194O The evan gellcal virtue which he displayed in the exer- else Of these high functions, his rare talent as administrator and writer, pointed him out to the government, of which Gen. Cavaignac was then the head, for the Archbshopric of Paris, when Mgr. Atire lost his life OH the barricades oi the Fauborg St. Antoine, during the insur- rection of 1S49. Mgr Sibour accepted this | painful inheritance without concealing from himself the heavy duties which it imposed on him. He was named Archbishop of Paris on the 10th of August 1S48 On the 12th Octo- Der he took possession of the see by deputy. and was duly installed on the 16th.
 The effect produced by the untimely and sacrllegious death of this eminent man was the same Tn every class of society, and the Emperor, who was on Saturday evening to have gone to one oi Ihe theatres on the Boulevards, on hear Ing of the sad event, gave orders to have the re- presentation countermanded
 Verges, the assassin, is the son of a tailor at NeuIlly He owes his education to protectors wno took an interest in him from the disposition to learn which he showed while he was pupil at the communal school at Neuilly. As he at the same time showed great religious fervor his education was continued so as to enable him to enter holy orders and he thus became priest i1e was oi very violent temper, and wher- ever he lived he quarrelled with those around him. Several times in the communes where he oiiciated his parishoners arose against him. He manitests no repentance