New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-10-04


parties honse at Auteul having been paged Rochefort
that he had protested against this as he
approved Of assassin being robbed" On this Col.
Merlin few into rage and remarked that the prisoner
" had no right to call man assassin who defends
himself when attacked in his house." This extra
ordinary speech caused q murmnr of indignation In
Court and notice that the papers devoted to the Gov
take good TO omit this imprudent speech Of
the President in their report Of the trial It was eener
ally remarked that Col. Merlin, in his examination Of
Rocheort showed far more dnmus against the prisoner
than he did against such cold-blooded villain
| Fere When speaking Of the Convent Of Picpus
and his visit to 1t. Rochefort remarked that he
had only said in the Mot Ordre what had been also
stated In other papers and particularly in The London
Times. CuriOusy enough the writer Of the article In
The Times in the room and sitting among the jour.
nalists, immediately opposite ROchefort Toward the
conclusion Of the examination Of the prisoner he
requested to relate how he to endeavOr to escape
from Paris before the fall Of the Commune He declared
that the day before he left friend warned him that
Raoul Rgaut the mercess procureur Of the Commune,
had been heard say that he would have "that
onary editor Of the Mot Ordre arrested and clspped
| into Masas" RochefOrt answered the President In q
sharp, clear voice, without hesitation fear. He
appeared to watch with the greatest the effect
OF his words the numerous journalists seated opposite
for, when not speaking to the President. his sharp,
black eyes never taken of the benches set
apart for the press.
When the ntcrrOgatOry or the ended that or
the witnesses began All these for the Defense
| the prosecution had given up the attempt to prove
Rochefort guilty OF any act against the Government
combining all the indictment to the provoeation given by
articles written in the Mot dOrdre. The first witness
heard was the Commssare Of Meaux who had arrested
Rochefort when he attempted to escape from Paris
| When asked why this witness called, Rochefort
stated that almost Immediately after be was arrested at
Meaux the Prussan general in command there came to
his cell and asked him il he the Comte de Rochef0r
Eyes am" RochefOrt replied "Ahl my father knew
your family during the emigration, said the Prrissan
! "but what have you done to be srrestedP On
! Rochefors stating that he was arrested for polt
| cal CRIME, the general exclaimed: 1t Is who
command here You have only to the word and you
shall be get free" did not choose, however, to ac-
cept the protection OF the enemies Of my country, said
Rochefort to the court, and declined the Generals
Offer I told my fellOwprisoner Mourot there Mouro
sitting near Rochefort in the dock made sign Of assent
| and he approved of what had DONE repeated what
General said to the Commissaire Of Police before 10
or 70 of his men, and wish him to say whether he re-
members the incident" The Comnissalre swore st4uy
not wishing to lose his place-that he Remembered
nothing Of the kind Rochefort had grumbled because
Prussian had him in his cell as II he
| was wild beast. The next two or three wit
nesses utterly unimportant. One or two
| were quite inaudble, our benches, where
hearing ia not generally difficult. The entry OF NJ
Claude, the celebrated chief Of the detective police OF
Paris, one OF the most renowned thieftakers In the
world created sensation. Claude does not at all
answer the received ideas OF what detective oughtto
look like He was in @ complete suit OF black with the
cross OF the Legion OF Honor in his butonhoe and he
looked very like welltOdo country doctor. He stated
that when he imprisoned by the Communists Roche
fort had best to get him. NJ. Claude, out OF
prison, from which. however, he was fortunate enough
to escape by mis- adroitness NJ. Claude Is doubtless
an excellent hand at catching burglar but he proved
shocking bad witness, being almost naudible.
The evidence being finished the Court gave us respite
for quarter Of hour, and there general rush
for something to drink the part Of hose-not very
many-who dared leave their seats. When the Court
opened again Commandment Gaveau rose and began his
| req,dSitoire, speech for the prosecution He COM
menccd by illusions to Rocheorts conduct underth
Empire illusions which could not help thinking had
far better have avoided he spoke Of Rochefot as
the chief OF a school which already had ruined many
Young men, and which respected nothing, not even
religion" He abused the Ldnterne 30 heartily that one
could not help thinking that, at heart Major Gaveau
must still he BOnapartist He then proceeded Tor three
hours read long extracts FROM the to show
Roohefort's violent Language, and then read letter
| which Rochefort had addressed from prison to Gen.
Trochu In this letter Rocheort asked Trochu to testify
to his DISTINGUISHED conduct during the siege OF Paris
and particularly TO bear witness that. when
the Hotel de Vile was invaded by the
| mob he, Rochefort, had done his utmost
to stop the crowd and to pacy them Major Gsveau to
|
| reply addressed TO Rochefort. Up jumped M. Jolly,
Rocheforts counsel and said 81 have nevor been al
lowed this letter. which is you say addressed 10
my client. stated that We had received no reply from
Gen Trochu. How comes 1t that letters addressed 10
the prisoner are not only kept back from him, but
handed 10 the Procureur of the Republic to be made use
~ bv him for the prosecutions 2" Gaveau declined TO
repy and proceeded to read this letter. which was one
long TRADE against Rochefort, After this incident the
Commissary OF the Republic summed up IN inc nsua
French style by declaring that men nike the prisoner
were enemies Of France and he demanded the applica
ton 81 the utmost penalties OF the law This closed the
| first days trial.
FRIDAY Sept 22-This morning the courtyard outside
! the Riding School crowded with people Wheh
arrived e little before halfpast H. We had 10 wait IN
the rain for good hour, for the ofhcer on duty had
ouicty forgotten to order the guard, and how could
Conf Martial ait without guardi Oh. 1t is really
nothing - said a French friend, TO whom grumbled
"wby during the war Of our Generals FORGOT his
artillery before going into action Az iast INC euaro
| came and the doors opened The pubho scrahoieo 10
their seas and before half Of them had got tnere lie
Cansen was announced The prisoners next appeared,
not "a usual with gendarmes for guard, but with four
ortnervmen fetched IN from the yard outside, and not
unIe awkward at their work OF guarding
p1isoners instead of guns. Maitre Albert JOY ~
| once began the defense OF M rocheiort'
and commenced with very able appeal 10 the Court nut
to allow their feelings soldiers and their natural in
dgnaon Of the strong language OF Ills client nnuence
them The other judges he said were used 70 srohs
lanpape and less likely I've moved by II than oncers
II was impossbe to suppose that Rocheort could &C.
riousy be accused Of having caused the Grimes commit
ted under the Commune. Many newspapers puoh'heu
a the time in Paris far more violent tnah 'he MOI
! dO,dr. Besides Rochefort had protested, ana WIN
great violence against the arbitrary ace parucuAfy
the rrests which took phase order OF the commune
IA to what had occurred yesterday about Gen. irochu
| NJ Joly expressed the greatest indignation ~ Gen.