Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-06-16
HORRORS OF VICTORY.
How the Palaces and Private Residences Of
Piris we're Fired.


Paris (ldsy 28l Cor. London News.l
"Paris shall not exist, If Paris does
not belong to the Commune" Such
was their hellish resolve, and they
proceeded 20 carry out their threat Of
destroying the capital which they
could not retain. They set to work in
thrse distinct ways. In the palaces
and public offices which they COM
manded they disposed at regular in
terVsls, sometimes bottles, sometimes
pots of petroleum. When the vessels
Of petroleum were arranged at proper
distances, one Of them would be over
turned and ignited, the flames would
rapidly spread, and the whole build
ing would soon be past salvation. It
was In this way thst the Tuileries, the
Palais Royal, the Hotel de Vile, the
Palace of the Legion of Honor, and
other celebrated public edifices, were
set in flames. This arrangement was
all made in the Ministry Of Marine,
but the Wretches engaged in the work
OF destruction had to fly before they
could set fire to the pots Of petroleum
which they had planted in the most
likely corridors. There was a second
method adopted for the destruction Of
private houses. When it became nee
essary to retire from 3 particular bar
ricade, the Guards tore to pieces the
beds which formed part of the barri-
cades. took the tow out OF the beds,
dipped il in petroleum and loaded
their guns with it. Then they fired
the tow into the windows Of the
houses. 1t was in this way that the
block Of houses in the Rue ROyale,
facing the Madeleine, was set on fire.
Still a third method: Men and WO-
men were going about Paris with bot
ties of petroleum in their pockets, or
hid about their dresses. They threw
these bottles down into the ground
floors OF every dwelling they could
get at. II there was no room for the
bottle to get through, the neck Of the
bottle could get into certain air holes
which belong to the construction OF
French houses; the liquid would be
poured in, and a lighted match would
be sent in after il. In this way very
many private houses were set in
flames; and many hundreds of WO-
men were taken ia the act all day
some Of them shot upon the spot. All
day, too, the Inhabitants, apprlsed Of
what was going on, were engaged in
stopping up all the sky-lights, graf
ings and air-hOles which connected
their ground floors with the pave
ments. Wherever you turned, in
every street, you saw the inhabitants
busy, plastering, briCking O. shutting
up with planks the two feet Of their
houses next TO the pavement. Not
L. fol H4rrN
men also in great numbers were ar
rested. The fact is, that many adj
herents Of the Commune entered the
ranks Of the fremen, partly to dis
guise themselves, and partly to spread
the FIRE instead OF eXtinguishing it.
You have heard, doubtless, Of the
vivandieres Of the National battal-
ions, who have marched brightly and
bravely TO the combat with the corps,
or with the men who claimed their
wild and more than half unWOmanly
devotion. One woman Of this class,
straight, tall, splendidIy set, with
vigOr In her face and beauty in every
limb-she could not have been more
than twenty-five, and she was a WO-
man perfectly made-I saw suffer q
frightful fate. Captured, know not
how, she had killed with a revolver,
before her hand could be stayed, a
NeTsaillist officer and three Of his
men. She looked "Out and Out' a
fury; her handsome face was black
with powder, her lips especially made
livid by hasty biting Of cartridges;
her hair hung in disheveled taDgles
about her handsome but fevOciOus
face, and her eyes, cleaning with an
over strained courage that mounted
even TO madness, blaZed defiance on
the red -breeched crowd who had her
at their mercy. 1 will not linger on
| the scene. Her hands were tied, and,
with her back against a wall, she
died, pierced through and through
with shots from NJ. Thiers' troops. I
could not blame them, but could not
help being deeply sorry flr her.