The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-17
More Coal Mining Outrages,
The Crisis in Mexico.
a Great Railway Scheme.
FROM EUROPE.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS. |


Exclusively TO The EUening Telegraph
The Destruction of the VendOme Column.
PARIS, May 16.-On Tuesday night there was
a tremendous scene at the fall of the Column
Vendome. At half-past 5 this afternoon the
fall was announced for 2 o'clock, and all the
balconies in the Place Vendome were thronged
with ladies. The Rues de la Paix and Castigli
one were crowded. Three bands of music
arrived while the workmen were engaged in
chipping the face of the column. NJ Abadie
next arrived and inspected the windlass. The
excitement was intense.
NJ. Rochefort next appeared, and the people
crowded around him, giving him loud cheers
Soon all the arrangements were completed and
then bugles sounded the cable was stretched
and frightened; the column stood firm. The
windlass broke, and the pulley flew into the air,
and descended, striking sailor, and wouuding
him. After this accident, NJ Abadie declared
that he needed two hours to repair the tackle.
At q quarter past five o'clock it was given out
that the column would not fall before seven
o'clock. A general expression of disapproba-
tion went through the crowd. NJ Abadie was
accused of completely with the Versailles Gov
ernment, and threatened with the guillotne.
At twenty minutes past five o'clock the cable
was again stretched for the work of demolition.
Suddenly, to the surprise of the spectators,
the vast column moved and swayed. 1t next
swept magnifcently down and burst into frag-
ments as it struck the earth. 1t fell length wise
in the Rue de la Paix exactly on the manure
cushion prepared for it, splintering with dull,
heavy sound, while thick cloud of dust and
bronze and powdered masonry rose in the air.
The crowd gave tremendous shouts of "Vive
le Commune!" and the bands played the "Mar-
seillaise." When the dust cleared away there
Low fha oln tp
Its bronze and masonry, in twomasses fell toge-
ther in the middle and the statue of the Empe-
ror several feet from one end of the column, with
| the head knocked off,
The crowd rushed forward to collect the frag.
ments as relics and the Guards were unable to
resist the rush. The orators commenced their
| speeches, indulging in all sorts of eXtravagant
language. The statue of the Emperor was
treated as if it were the Emperor himself. The
National Guards spat into its face, and struck il
with rifles. After the ceremonies were con-
cluded the crowd dispersed, and the soldiers
moved off waving the red flag, and giving ex-
preston to their joy by continual shouting
The excitement was tremendous, and is even
now very high.
| Vengeance on the Red Republicans.
VERSAILLES May 16-Tuesday evening"
tradesman from Paris says that many thousand;
| OF LD6 men Ol OIucI arc duAlOuo W nave I
fearful revenge on the Red Republicans wheE
the forces of the Theirs Government enter the
city. The Reds have made them fight the Yer
sailles Government against their will.
am Informed that soldiers belonging to tn,
Versailles Government when taken prisoners By
the insurgents are
Tortured to Death.
In Fort Vanvres, before capture, a captain o
MacMahons army was taken and immediatel.
shot. The troops are indignant and swear ven
geance. 1t is believed that
The Grand Assault
will take place in few hours. The enemies o
NJ. Theirs assert that he is delaying ordering
to be made because he is afraid that the end O
his power will arrive when the army capture
Paris.
The National Assembly
is now celebrating whether it can call itself tn
Constituent Assembly"
Newspapers Suppressed.
LONDON, May ia despatch from Pari
says the Steele, National Aoenir, NdtiOnO
Journal de Paris, CorSaire, and Discussion
have been suppressed.
Several persons were injured by the fall c
the Column Vendome.
! The Versaillists' Parallels
have been advanced until they are now only on
: hundred metres from the ramparts of Paris.
The troops in the trenches are greatly dis
turbed by the fire of the insurgents, and 9
many as thirty OF them have been killed in on
night.
The Daily Ne,0s' special from Paris says q