The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-18
A Terrible Description of the Commune.

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The Paris correspondent of the Pail
Mall Gazette says: The evidence given
before the cOurt-martiul at Versailles
was OF terrible description. DIR. Pay
moyen was called and asked to describe
what he had seem
He opposed that he did not know
Frcrc, and had seen him only once On
the 9th of May the Commune installed
itself Mt La Grande Roquottc, and kind
Of court-marhal was formed at La Petite
RoQuette, where youthful offenders are
iHcnrcGrated. He saw man condemned
TO death in five minutes by some young
wretches OF about seventeen or eighteen
years Of age, who gave themselves Mrs
OF the greatest importance. a munich.
pal guard was brought before this tribu.
nal. The prisoner was nsked il he was
married. He replied that he was, aud
had eight children. | learned that this
man was sentenced to be shot. | wished
to intercede in his favor, but was bru-
tally pushed aside by the men who led
him away. He was thrown into cell
where he could hear the death cries Of
the other victims before being handed
over to the crowd.
A woman armed witt lnusket asked
me ii / was for the gendarmes or the
priests. Break his jaw !" And the
whole band shouted "Breakis shis jaw" p"
1t was dangerous to enter into this den
where the court-martial was sitting.
The director Of the prison stopped me
on the threshold and said, "Dop't go
in there or You will be killed" How
ever, went in, amidst men who were
shouting like maniacs and howling like
cnnnibals; near me was National
Guard whose face slall never forget.
Red drops We're trckling from his mus
iache. asked myself il they were
blood. This man approached me, thee.
ing and thOuing me Mt the same lime to
give me fOretAste Of his Communist
equality, said, "Iell me, old brother,
thou knowest there will be enough for
thee if thou playcst tricks" and while
he was speaking to me he amused him
self by combing my beard with his
bnyonet.
Another man was soon brought be-
fore this snnguinary court, and he was
soon condemned and taken away, the
President, as was Ills custom, writing
his sentence on slip Of paper and
throwing it out Of the window. A young
soldier was tried for the crime OF not
joining the Commune his hands were
bound behind his back, and he was tor
tured in the most inhumnn manner.
"Kneel !" shouted the chief Of these
assnssins, and the soldier knelt down.
sect up " and he rose. lie was then
made to linccl again, n handkerchief
was tied over his cycs, and then read
iusted, and finally the poor lad was shot,
and his body tossed into u vegetable
cart amid shouts and laughter. Four
other persons were massacred in n slmi.
lar manner, among them MOnsignOr
Surat, who had managed to escape from
the prison. but who was caught by some
Of the juvenile offenders at a barricadc
and brought back. A woman demanded
the honor of killing him, and she set
upon the unfortunate prelate with her
dagger, striking at his face but the
bishop kept her of with his hands. At
last, losing patience, and jeered by the
crowd, this fury drew her revolver and
shot down her victim.
After this dreadful piece of evidence
had been given, Asst was examined, and
glanced proudly around the court when
he spoke OF his eight aides.de.cnmp and