The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-29

70 be understood among che Knowing ones that ASK
Ing promotion OF Dombrowski was about equivalent
70 signing ones ewn death warrant
= =. - HOPELESS STRUGGLE.
~ When ne TOOK command al the Chateau de Ia
Ninette the position OF the Commune was fast be-
coming desperate. From the moment the Versailles
troops succeeded In making lodgement in the
hopeless one, and only fought on because ne
thought 1t dishonorabe to abandon a cause which
to be utterly hopeless or this fact and OF his sin
certify there can be no doubt Several days before
me that be considered the position lost ana that Hts
friends were trying to
INDUCE HIM TO ESCAPE
while there was yet times THIS he might have
done IN more than one way, not only with safety,
but with profit. l myself had occasion to test his
sincerity anu ncorrupoilisy, for having often been
seen in his company in my business OF cor
respondent was approached by an agent
% know s 'efsae nrvls w sut nam
browskl and II thought he would be accessible
to 1000 900 francs III consideration OF surrenderng
one OF the gates under his command. told him
was pretty sure that he could not be bought. and
that II would be q very dangerous experiment to
take DombrowsHi aside one day ana tell hm OF the
ouer. This was not more than a s,week be-
lore the collapse OF the Commune, and ke was ex.
pcctng the fnal assault every day; indeed ne had
previously told me that II he had been In command
city days before YET he only laughed at the propo-
sl;ion, and SAID. .Les gl,euI; they think because
they are scoundrels themselves that everybody else
Is the same.n
There was stir another reason that Influenced
MIN IN the determination to light to the last He
had come to France alter the battle OF Sedan with
many other Poles to fight for the republic. and had
been rewarded for his pains like Garibaldi and so
many others who were foolish enough to believe in
FRENCH GENEROSITY
ana french gratitude. First he had been arrested
as prussian spy ana wnen proven innocent Of that
was accused OF forgery, and, although proven
equally innocent OF that charge. he bullled and
maltreated, and followed through the streets by q
howllng MOB OF savage idiots such as French
population only know how to produce, and in.
suited and illuminated by French officials who
had been seriously injured by these attacks, ana
there were many OF ms countrymen who believed
nun guilty, tie lelOrc look pleasure In defytng
his enemies aud showing them that rney were
LIARS AND SLANDERERS,
ana that the French government did not have
enough moGey to DriDe him into The commission Of
a dlshonoraple act. He adhered to TINS resolution
throughout IN spite OF the OF hts friends
IN spite OF the prayers OF weeping wlfe anu chill
dren, in spite or the certain death that ne knew
awaited him IN the barrlcades.
DlSGUSTED WITH THE COMMUNE
This resolution was the more remarkable tnat he
had become completely disglsted towards the last
with the proceedings OF The Commune. He said they
had lost everything by their stupid suspicious and
determination TO give no general power enough to
accomplish anything for fear he should wish to play
the roe oil Napoleon III. They refused to adopt any
energetic measures either for the organization OF the
army. III the maintenance OF discipline. or any
thing else, except talS and dispute and issue proc
laniatons. He found IL impossible 10 establish dis
ciphne. for The reason that the Commune wished TO
AVOID INJECTING the death penalty, ana whenever he
condemned soldier or oIicer 10 deat Tor dis0bey-
ing orders the sentence WAS revoked Dy their ORDERS
executed thar required exposure or danger ana had
no other means OF enforcing HIS commands than rep
1lnanding or dcprivmg or rations, or putting them
on bread ana water for few days--all Of which was
scarcely severe enough 70 make soldiers risk their
lives i'll storlning reaoubt or leading u forlorn
nope.
The LAST TINE I SAW HIM
was TWO DAYS before the entry OF the versailles
Guards to make q sOrtIc IN the Bois de HOuogne to
drive the enemy out Of the trenches They had
marched bravely 10 the Porte d'Aueull-witn
Tt(n n ftaUv fhnVu
selyes-but refused to 80 an lncn further They
were willing TO light behind the ramparts, put not
aud. curious TO Know what they had to say, made
the rounds OF the night, listening their CONVERSE
ton. hc invited me TO accompany hlm, and was
exceedingly amused by
WHAT HEARD.
They considered HIM rash and headstr0ng fool,
who wanted 10 fight for the mere love OF hgnting,
not stopping To consider whether they would he
Killed Or not.
"MAIs IL EST roU
cet hoyl7ne u u rent dcS0ute,N at17ater, d0sOiI.
qeent en- drI"t, togo'us et acan p0aa' nous j0tre
what Frenchmen aren said he, bitterly turning to
me. 'rhese are The men who wanted to march
AGAINST the Prussans. The next taing they Will
have IL that am q traitor.r
THIS IDEA seemed TO haunt him and prey upon his
mind continually, and may have confirmed him In
the satisfaction OF hearing him cailed u traitor by
tue men whose causc he had espouscd. He was
SHOT THROUGH TuE LUNGS
in barricade near the Care du Nora, and was car.
RED 10 the hospital Labroisere, where he soon after
eAptSu
''C'est eGor," he said, with o feeble smile TO the
physician VINO was examining lls wound, ats dirent
que ~ les al truhiS.p
The shadow OF tins fear, that he would be consid-
cred SPY or forger or traitor, darNened his last
moments aud made his death sad one indeed
goou man dying for q bad cause is ever q melan-
cnoly thing, ana the circumstances which accom-.
panied
DOMBR0wSKi'S DEATH
made IL sadder still. lie died like brave man nc
least scorning TO surrender himself by flight
refusing to betray MS friends, although they had be-
trayed him, treating with silent contempt the men
who had slandereo and illuminated him, when they
offered thousands for that honor they had esteemed
so lightly, dying at last TO prove he an honest
man anu TO show his enemies that they least were
not rich enough TO buv him. Wen might he say,
with king OF oldea times, "7out ESQ perdu nOrS
ph0nnetJ.v
lie died giving the highest possible proof OF mis-
sincerity ny sealing his profession OF faith with his
own blood. lie was on intimate terms with Carl
Daldi, ana, OF course, one OF his wOrshppers. He
told me that, having once become offended at the
great revousonist ne had written him very Often
sive and nsuitii. letter. although he knew himself
to be in the wrong. Garbaldi replied to him, ana
mildly asked his pardon heaping Goals or fire upon
his rasn young friends head and winning his love
forever.