The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-07-09
Able DslmaI Account.-Ths Massacre ut La Re-
quette.


Asbs Dslmas Aeeount.-Ths Massacre At La Ro
quette.
The Abbe q. Delmas Zone of the clergy
Of the Church of st. Ambrose, Paris) who
signs himself Ex-hostage of the Com.
mune," writes, as an eyewitness, to the
Univers some highly interesting particulars
(Which he states are more correct than any
yet published) of the last moments OF
Archbishop Darboy, and the other martyrs
of the 25th md 26th of May:
The selection (says NJ. Delmas) of the
place at the prison of Mazas on the evening
of Monday, the 22d May. All the clergy Of
the Archbishop's household, four in num-
Der, and more than thirty other priests,
Cures, Vicaires and Religious were trans:
ferred from Mazas to La Roquette. AS for
myself was seized at the Presbytere Of
st. Ambrose at noon on the 23d, and was
dragged along through the streets by Ma
tional Guards completely intoxicated, aud
surrounded by q multitude of furious wo-
ton in the public streets. was in my
slippers and without my hat, and was
| brought before the commissioner, and
thence, without any formality, to the
Grand Roquette." No one then believed
that t1e hostages would be put to death,
Au6886CI08
trial In 1898. On the fatal oath of May the
Imprisoned ecclesiastics all received per
mission to see each other and converse to-
gether In tho prison yard. This was the
first time that the Archbishop had been
allowed to see or speak to any Of his clergy
on the 4th of April. When his Grace en-
tered into lpnversation with us, which he
did with All his usual calmness and urbani-
y, he said: Eight days before my arrest,
had been warned that was to be i'm
prisoned, bat thought it my duty to re-
be becoming in me to escape when my
clergy and their focks remained behind"
" On being arrested" he said, in reply to
q que stion which could not refrain from
putting to him, 81 was brought before the
citizen Ssad n. !Raoul Riganlt), who turning his
years you have been shutting us up in has.
tiles, you have been torturing usv I re-
piled, my children, what are you thinking
abontf They answered-speaking all at
once We are not children. we are men
pie think we are.'" They wrote down his
replies to their questions, heading the de-
Paris" He said, 'sDo you think You will
make me sign that 2" 'why not u "Be-
cause II sadly it is as impossible for you to
also because Archbishop of Paris I have
been, l am, and, even if I were at Pekin,
shall be to the day of my death.n Then
they scored out the word and wrote in
stead, The sieur Dsrboy. who calls him
self Archbishop of Paris" own icon.
tinues the Able Delmas) was amazed
when learnt from the Archbishop's own
lips that he had been treated, in all re-
speets, like the vilest Of criminals. Even
after his removal to La RoQuette, he had
no bed but paillasse without ed-clothes.
a. L..
repeated. The Archbishop merely re-
piled with q SMILE"
The same day the Able Marcy, of St.
Vincent de Paul, insisted on his Grace's
accepting his cell, which was slightly land
but slightly less incommodious and squalid
Archbishop had let his beard grow. The
Commune, when he was arrested, had or
dered his razors to be taken away. They
sent barber to shave him, but the Arch
bishop said, The Commune would put NO
confidence in me. 1 must beg to return
the compliment, have no confidence in |
the Commune's razors."
That evening, about seven, there was |
great disturbance in tho prison; shouts and |
cries were heard, and noises rs of persons |
running to and fro. shuddered with ap-
prehension. Soon afterwards we were all |
loud report of an irregular volley of mus |
kerry close under the prison-wall in the |
yard. The next day, Thursday, when we |
met in the yard, there were six absent. Six |
martyrs! No one grieved.
The Able Bayle, Vicar General of Paris, !
described to me the scene of the previous
evening. A hundred National Guards |
posted themselves in the passage leading |
into the yard. Then the names were |
called out slowly and solemnly, Bonjean !! |
Deguerry! Du Coudray! Clerc, Ailard (! I
Darboy! The Victims passed through a
double rank of the " Avengers of the Re-
public" The majority OF these men were
poor youths of from fifteen to eighteen,
and had certainly no idea of the terrible
crime they were being forced to commit.
The Archbishop and President Boniean
walked arm in arm. In reply to the in
suits of the populace who had been admit
ted into the interior of the prison, the
Archbishop said, " have always loved the
people, and could have proved it if had
been allowed a trial. May my blood pro-
duce peace. pardon those who shed it.
One of the guards cried out, {" we must not
H. ~. D. Al.