The New York herald., 1870-09-28
THE PREPECT OF POLICE.
Monsieur de Keratry Interviewed
by a Herald Correspondent.
Through the strssts-A Whit to the Prefst n
Police - Difficulties Scenes on the Way,
Waiting for IN Audisncs-Admittsd-A
Warm Rscspton-Personal Appear
: ance Of n do Ksratry-
HALF an Hours Interview.
PARIS, Sept. IA 1870,

PARIS, Sept IA 1870,
The clock OF Notre Dame struck nine as traversed
the PoIt ou Change on my way to the Prefecture OF
Ponce Paris was sad. The Theatre du Chateiet
and the Theatre Lyriqne, which had JUS: passed,
were closed and silent; the shops Ia the neighbOr-
hood already smut; the slarless sky was dark ana
threatening ant even the Seine appeared mose
sombrc and sluggish than usual. Tie stiffness
of the night was nnbroSen except By the
wind, which howled IN ntful gushes and OF the
'Marsellaise," which was roared 10y some half
dozen drunken snohlots drinking abslntha a1
rtn d bore VINE shop Dy the hlckeringsnght OF
tho gas lamps ] could distinguish the round towers
OF the Prison dc Ia Concergerie, i'm ono OF which,
you may remember visited Pierre BonapartQ
when prisoner awaiting trial Passing tile Paais
dc Justice aud the Sante Chapelie turned down
the quay with the intention Of entering the Prefcc
ture by one OF the side entrances. vas stopped
by OF the National Guard on sentry. one OF them
in full military glory the other In PLAIN clothes but
with ride and pouch belt "Ou atieg rous?' they
shouted.
al wish TO see the rrefeet of Poce
go to the west entrance no person can pass Ihis
way"
A few steps further and encountered several Of
tho municipal Cards Ne Paris sill In the uniform OF
the former regote. In reply Tn my inquiry for the
Project they referred me 10 another couple Of Ma
tional Guardsmen, as they no longer have autho-
ri;y. Again IN the darkness aeard "l dez Dous ?"
instead Of the smart challenge OF the REGULAR SOL
dlers. "You cannot enter this way; Sou must do 80
by the principal entrance" There found q ine Of
sengries OF the Garde dc Paris, at distance ia
ADVANCE OF the Prefecture w one OF them i was
conducted 10 the gate witch was guarded by The
Garde Nationals. '.O0 dytz rlttS yn SAID o roun1
barrelled officer OF the citizen soldlert
81 have come 10 see the Pre-. ect.' said ].
"Wait there" replied rotundity; 81 shall send
man Win you ana III are not knONn lu the IRE.
feclure,D nc added with characteristics impertnence
OF person IN unaccusoined authority, 'you VIII be
brought out again"
lave slyona imprcss,on that have seen thA
cOrpuence Of this officer cove ell with a white
apron, standing behind counter OF tripe and
lrotter shop In the neishoorhood OF Che Rue Mont
lnartre.
near the Prefecture My conductor, one OF the
National Guard took me In tow. We mounted the
wide stone steps. tnr ned sharp 70 the right throrgh
o temporary passage with SIDES os rough plank
ings the PreiectlIie having been Tor manJ
| formed into modern police raiacel and
soon became cniangled in serious OF windngs ana
Intricate cnanne,s which without the assistance OF
| my guardian could not have threaded. We came
| 10 another wide staircase, mounted 70 an upper
story. gave my card TO a hnlssler who disappeared
| and returned IN feW minutes with the announce.
nent that we must go 50 another bureau. More
passages. more staircases. more National Guards.
more everything 10 approach the frc.ect OF Police
| under republic IL far moro dilcuN than TO dine
with the Emperor. Wnar on earth has be done to
| We arrived At two enormous folding doors. No
sign ot life. We entered q dark pasage, All the end
spoke OF more doors. Ny escort who ~ the py
smoked furiousls. groped ms way The second
| doors opened and we entered large room with
vaucd roo Sitting at q able were three hutsstey;;
half opened door revealed guard room Iilled with
| Nationa, Guards There was National Guard with
rlDe and i-led bayoner on sentry in the room, and
| another, reinforced with Municipal Guard IN the
adjoniig chamber at the ,ws iaIge foding
| doors, entering, without doubt, tho CHAMBER
occupied by the successor OF NJ. Pietri, the ex-
Preet DC lolice. one q tne hutsstes asked for my
card and left us. in the waiting room were four
gentlemen decorated with orders oI every imanaD Die
| description ana country. They looked tmportlut
and impatient az being Kept waiting. NY chance OF
an uterview with Monsieur le Pre- ot fell to zero.
| | lad however. waited out few minutes when
| the door was opened aud my name Was called. AZ
left the room the ribbons OF the decorated changed
color; they had beat the devils tattoo the waiting
Entering small room found Monsieur Jaij,
| Chef du Cabinet, who, holding out his hand said
! thai the l,refet de Police was anxious 10 see
| mo personally and tnat he would Introduce me to
na. lie opened the large folding doors opposite to
those by winch bad entered and stood in spa
clohs apartment slli bearing che stamp OF imperia
I luxury. In tie centre or the room was handsome
| table enriched with ormou, on which set OF
| ivory keys similar to those Of piano They were in
connection with electric belis-and could bc PLAYED
| on when nccessary-for calling the hutssieTs and
various otner employs connected with The
| prefecture. Sitting at the table was Il man
Of a.oout forty years OF age, OF middle
the buttoihoe the ribbon OF the Legion diicu-
| neur. 1t was Monsieur de Kerarry, Prciet dc Po-
| lice. entered. He rose ana offered me Il char nc
| formed at the first glance OF person Is wrong ana
| when Afterwards may have chan.ed my opiplon,
| In consequence OF paying TOO mu' n attention ~
That OF others, have invariably discovered that
| have made a mistake in not adherug to my own
! Nj. dc keratry IL gentlemanly and unassuming in
manner His regard Is open, fixed ana peDetraJlIlg
He II evidently cool. active and decisive acton,
| have heard,u said The newly appointed Pye,et
"tbnt you have arrived from the neghborhooa Ot
Strasbourg, aud shall be obliged II You WIN give mo
any Information in your power with respect 10 tho
! state OF the country"
| brought TO his notice the state Of distress and
suffering in which are the inhabitants of - Vosges
Alsace and LoiTainc As In my CORES poIdence I
thereto 1t IL useless Tor 10 repeat them ON this
| occasion. WITH regard 10 other questions more
especially connected with the operations IN the
| field and the mistakes wnich had been shade
by the French military authorities for
various reasons must refrain from mentioning
them. II Is sufficient 10 say that In my opinion over
confidence had been one oil the principal causes OF
| DISASTER and trusted that thia country. which
consider my home, would not ouit any precaution
as Prussia was now bringing her choicest troops
| against the capital.
LEI them come" said NJ. de Keratry and his
cneek biancned with determination: "We are pre-
pared for them. Not one Oi them Will return
10 his own country. The world wlll see Of what
the French nation IL capabler'
We CoDyersed for haif an roUr, and before taking
my leave pointed out 10 the Prcet OF Police the
annoyance 10 which / had been subjected by thg
French authorities and lmpossibity for mo to fur
nish correct Information unless was protected by
the government. calling the Chef du Cabinet, M
m his power. The Prefet shook my hand warmly
and left, well pleased with the result OF Inv rter
view and the though tnat, should nv unlucky star
bring Inc again within the clutches OF some bum Dkip
mayor, ] shall nos lie forced la sel,-deience to
stamp ann oUt.o