Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-06-03
THE VEkDoxE coIBMH-Row IT FELL.
Srsphic story by an Eyewitness.
Correspondence Of the London Times !

dragging down the monument OF their military
glory. amid boots and Kisses, and toppling over
the engy OF their greatest soldier hero on to
bed or mire, at the same time publicly tearing
the tricolored national flag which has for 90
many years led their armies TO victory. Upon
the oncial announce ment some days back that
the yendome Column was to be sacrificed as an
insult to the principles of the fraternity, every
body laughed and thought it good Joke, never
Deheving that the plan would be carried out,
even In spite q the ominous seafolding
and curtains which rose around It's base.
sawn through and that solemn festival would
be held 10 Commemorate this display OF liberty.
We thought the party OF Order would protest;
that the veterans or the Invalides would make
q movement; that the mass Of the population
would insist upon the abandonment of such a
piece Of folly. But We forgot the state OF coma
into which respectable Paris has fallen, and
that those who had allowed themselves to he
ground down by tyranicsl few would scarcely
Dss1lr sasmseiTes IN defence OF their public
monuments 1t became apparent that the
column was really doomed, and the Rue de la
faix was crowded by an eNpectant multitnde
at abou' O'Clock ON Monday afternoon;
TAE BALCONIES WERE FILLED WITH L.DI pa:
All the windows were Paste with paper to usu-
tralize the expected conclusion, while cake and
newspaper vendors and mdrehGnds ee dOcO piled
ousy trade and elbOwed their way about
among the people below. Three ropes had been
fastened round the top OF the column beneath
the statue, communicating with a crazv-lookiur
windlsss and anchor placed I'm the cenirs o. the
road, at the entrance Of the Rue Neuve des Ca
pucinnet; and long narrow dung heap, filed
-
square to deaden the shock of the falling mass.
Public excitement was at its height and the
strongest surmises went from mouth to mouth
as 70 now far the statue would be thrown
whether balconies would fall or states be shuf,
ned down, and whether the great weight vouId
or would not crush through the ys1lted arch
into the sewers under the road. Still the crowj
increased In numbers, when at about 4 O'Clock
GORDON OF national guards was formed who
pushed pack the people "a far az the Rue des
Augusuhs. leaving an empty space along the
Rue de Ia Paix, which was duly watered in true
PARTISAN style, and became the arena for
DISPLAY OF EQUESTRIAN PRowRss
on the part OF sundry officers and members OF
sne commune: They ratified backwards and
Forward at full galIop, and made figures Of
manner, suggestive rather of a cfrcns than
barrack-yard; but their evolutions served 70
amuse the crowd, who waited patiently until
sunset, when it became evident that the affair
would be put of until the morrow. IL turned
out that the members OF the artistic federation
who, with Courbet az their head, had decided
on this piece OF vandalism, had been PLAYING
on little practical joke upon the crowd, for
tneir preparations were not complete, and the
from behind their curtain screen until e-enins
had settled into night With the easy good
nature OF Paris crowd, everybody quietly |
went home, a few disappointed at the failure OF |
q promised excitement, but by far the Greater
number rejoicing in their hearts at the reprjeye
Of the pillar which they had bssn accustomed
from ehIdhood TO regard with pride. Tues
days Oteel positively announced the cere-
mony for that day az 2, aud the cOncourse was
greater than ever. The Rue de Ia Paix and the
space behind, up to the steps Of the New Opera,
was
A SEA OF HEADS,
And the elite OF Communal aristocracy vho held
passes to the Square ITSELF we're forced 10 eIbov
their way and struggle through RELAYS of guards
long before the prescribed hour, in order TO be
Arrangements were so bad as 20 suggest mis-
giyiDgs as TO the result OF the attemot Three
mesgre ropes were to do the deed, while two
beams. applied one on either side the coIumn
were to give ii the proper inclination as il fell
NOW, every one knows that, from some fault OF
H. i,s eonstrnenon, the Column always leaned a
little towards the Ministere des Cultes and
people moved restlessly about, uncer tain where
70 station Themselves, lest the totterfny mae |
once set IN motion, should fall in sn entirely |
dinerent direction from the one intended. The |
ped, too which was TO receive it seemed |
strangely small and narrow, and il Appeared a
matter Of doubt whether
THE BRONZE EMPEROR |
might lot force his way into one OF the aijoin-
ing houses and pay visit as little desired as IL
continued 70 drive wedges Into the space which |
had been sawed, while others gave a finishing
touch to the dung heaps and cleared away the |
operations At half-psst the Commune ar \
rived on horseback, attended by their STAFF and |
placed themselves in front OF the crowd in the |
Rue Ia Paix-R mounted squadron OF some 2)0 |
persons; while at given signal a number of 1
bands stationed at different points began TO /
psnsrs afsScsJ OF Paric.if airs; regardless OF
and all strained their eyes into the dgZzIin1 Il
SKY, not without having first assured toe m.elyes
or safe retreat through some friendly door
way in case Of a disaster as the ropes were ssen
TO tighten. "See, it movesi'' aNo: 'ts ths
effect OF passing cloud" and, after a seconds |
snapped, knocking down In its whirI several
men at the vindiass. And now began a mur-
muir and a shaking Of heads. "Ah, knew IL
could not succeed; they will be oblig ed to
BLOW 1T Up WITH sUNPowDRR. \
ename on them for the attempt" Why can
not they leave it alope?' said one man to his |
ne Oh has rOst r.rh
piled the other; sit has cost us millions of
human lives on the plains Of Germany and in
the SHOWS Of Russia" The attempt had failed, |
when news arrived that the Commune were NOT
going 70 be thus baffied, but had sent for more
.."oes and spPsrstusI and we're determined to
have their way at any price. Msan~nTe the
seeutors, seemingly as secure as ever, while the
bands continued to play. and the horsemen GAL |
ioPsd about the square. 1t was half-past Z
O'Clock before the two new ropes arrived, and /
fully O'Clock before they had been hoisted to /
their places, not being attached 70 the csretsn i
IKE the others, but held, one on either side OF /
Tailed, snd so they had determined to try the 4
efeet OF series Of swings. People Iiuehed NJ
these renewed preparations, and could ,carceiy
De kept cIoee 70 the houses out or fmmed,afs
danger. The ropes slackened and tIc[atsned
again for final effort, and cry bur =, from fhe
ssse mbled multitude in the horro- OF q coming
danger which might be inc ,enIshls a thss
great giant swayed for q fe-< secorSs "a Hn.m1
tOttered down with 'SL' Anu Hil@uy
AN Az c,,sr H
gbtch NJ ~ IN the air, upon the foul bed
ass oT 81 sen prepared for him; a shapelees
80, VI ALTERED metal and stones lying in un-
coils like some mighty serpent. The
>-ooden sentry-bcxes IN the square reeled round
and fell, while cloud OF Nth and dust obscured
the fallen monster, and men looked awe-struck
AZ one another like naughty children who had
broken something which they ought not to have
dared to touch. The Eoment OF conjunction
was short enc, and bowling throug rushed |
with one accord into the noisome cloud, fight
Ing and QuaTTeling for bits OF bronze and stone,
and man near me drew back, half stifed for
an instant, saying, with disgust, "See W. at q
stencil the empire has," The statue had fallen |
beyond the heap, and, having smashed the |
payem ent into splinters, lay wreck, with one |
arm broken, and
THE HEAD SEVERED FROM TIE BODY,
while women kicked and spat upon IL, waving /
their arms wildly, and shouting, give la Re-
publtque ~ "Viye Ia COmmuneI" All the
bands struck up the Marsenlaise In Different
keys, q few people crowded on the remnants OF
the PEDESTAL waving red hsgs and shrieking In
their cement; and q sergeant who endeav-
ored 10 unhurden himself OF an ovation WAS
eree(filV 0red m stI LA fovr 20 az