The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-29
PARIS, August Is. 1871.


Guerre TO resume its sittngs black clouds gathered
the horizon, and the continuous rolling OF distant
thunder gave notice Of approaching storm. The
bright blue sky became overcast the wind howled
furiousy, sweeping across the Place d'Armes OF
Versailles and down the Avenue de Paris dense
clouds of binding dust and dried leaves rrOm the
trees wiIhered by long continued drought few
large drops Of rain made every rush for shelter;
then terrific hash OF lightning, followed imme-
diately by thunder claps and the storm burst over
Versailles with awful force as
COURBEr ENTERED THE COURT TO ANSWER FOR HIS
CRIMES.
His counsel. M. Lachaud, requested that he
might be allowed TO change from his usual seat
the third rank OF prisoners 10 the rst SO that he
might be nearer to the bench OF advocates. The
President OF course granted the request and the
artist OF Osnans descended, with an evident attempt
TO appear calm and dignlheu. 1t was apparent that
he mad suffered much, for his incarceration he
has lost his enormous proportions.
APPEARANCE OF COURBET.
There is no look Of the villain about Couroet On
the contrary, in appearance he is more fool than
Knave. He has indeed reason TO curse his Commun-
ist friends and the vanity which caused him to re-
linquish his former easy, triumphant career for q
short-lived popularity. In
HIS DEFENCE
he does not display the slightest malice or revolu
tionary enthusiasm. He makes excuses and &C.
cepts every kind OF humiliation. He would try to
persuade his judges that in the part he played In
the Commune there was nothing serious. l: can be
said favor OF Courbet that he voted against the
institution of the Committee or Public Safety, and
he insists that he accepted seat at the Hotel de
vile with the sole desire OF protecting the artistic
inches OF the capital. To hear CourDet reply to the
questions OF the Court; to observe him regarding
his counsel win umid anxiety, as If 10 say, Am
rgnty Is that good answerPi IL is impossible to
believe that he is dangerous criminal. Yesterday
i heard sightseeing Britsher, who was examin-
ing Courbet through race glass for the first time,
excsim, 'Why, that Newfoundland dog sort OF
man, with good-natured. stupid face, would trust
my life with him any day ~
coURBET ENTERED THE COMMUNE
the Goth April, after the Impeachment OF the gov
eminent and the demolition OF the Column Vendome
had been cecreed. According to his own account
be desired TO calm the unruly spirits and establish
complete honesty IN the government Of the CON-
mune. He proposed TO the government of Yer.
sailles that the Parisians should be considered as
Oeigercnts. He was named Director OF Fine Arts
On the 4tn OF September, and he entered the Com
mune TO protect not only French but European art
treasures and his influence as member OF the Com
mune preserved from destruction much that would
have otherwise persisted. He was forced to yield to
the wishes OF those who elected him member OF the
Commune. He represented the quarter Supce
He had batallions at MS disposition, put he
never violent Ii had been said that he himself had
broken With a hammer the antique statues and sold
the pictures the Louvre to the English; the
contrary he mad placed seals the archives and
all precious objects. He had demanded the exc
cutiol OF decree for the destruction OF the Col
umn. lie had been assailed by place-hunters anx-
lous for employment, bat he had not appointed any,
either friends or relations WIKI respect to
NJ THEIRS HOUSE,
he went there TO save the oIets d'ar thinking that
NJ. Tniers attached Importance to them souve-
Mrs. NJ. Theirs himself had said that It was not
possible Courbet had taken them, he was well
acquainted with all his o1jets dart and If he had
desired to take some OF them he wouldihave made
selection.
coURBET LEFT THE COMMUNE
on the nth May, when the Comie de Salut Public
was created. The Commlssaire uu Government in
sisted that his name appeared as assessor at
meeting on the ed May. Courbet explained
that on that day there was decision Of the mi
nority thus conceived I'VE abandon the Com
mune unless one OF us be judged; we meet TO sus.
tain our Commune. Then, Ciuseret having been
arrested, we were forced to perform our engage
being shot, He (Courbeu was always against war;
he attended the meetings of the International
Society. The pictures which lie conuded 10 the
keeper OF the Passage Saumon were TOR the most
part his own works. The Prussans had destroyed
all he had at Ornans He had placed the rest N
safety. lie had not proposed the
FALL OF THE COLUMN vESDoME.
Led away by public opinion and 10y that OF the
government OF the 9TH OF september, which first
removed LIE Petit Corporal az Conrbevoie unen
the Prince Eugene from the Boulevard, then Ma
poleon III. from the Louvre, and Influenced by the
DEGREES which ordered the statue OF Napoleon to be
taken nom the Column III order TO supply bronze
Tor the casting of new statue the town OF Stras.
bourg, he mad addressed 10 The Chamber PROPOSE
non mat tie Column should be transported 70 the
Hot nas
way than In the Place Vendome. While others com
planned that the continued eXhlblnon OF the war
trophy CALLING TO foreigners lie only considered
the point as an artist anu thought IL BAD repro
duction OF the Trojan Column; the figures were
Artistic Artistic zeal made him dislike the column
on the pace Nendome where IL was the
1nvaides it would be in ITS right place. small
gun, In the form OF q walking stick, which was
Sound alter his arrest in the house OF Nile. Gliard;
was, according to Courbet, paything he mad mad
maze aiter Ills own designs as q present for his
father; 1t was only dt to shoot sparrows He mad
never signed d decree. but on one occasion ID.
Beslay had IN MS absence, affixed his name TO a
placard. and he was excessively annoyed.
TIE WITNESSES WERE THEN EXAMINED.
A concierge, living IN the Place Vend 6me, said he
had seen man. rather STOUT, climb the ladder OF
said he was Cou1bet. he wore a blue or black
frocK coat, and small round nat. The accused,
he wore any other coat than mat now wear and
! DO not climb scaiod poles" The next
witness was Nile; Glrard, with wnom
2lst OF Nav. lie brought pictures TO her house, but
took them away again wnen he leH. lie took
refuge with Monsieur Lecompte. Her lodger wa:
easy going and kind A. NJ. Charlton, too Ill TO at
tend tee court, wrote 10 say that Courbet had triet
70 save the life OF Al. CbaDdey and that he mad onll
accented the functions Of member OF the Com
muue In order TO be useful to the art world. SIEVE
raj other witnesses were called, who gave Courbet
good Character The President requested the prs
oner's counsel 10 abstain from ealing witnesses ul
less their evidence was Of serious Importance. An
other counsel would have TUNED and splutefeG-
would have declared that his client mad need OF
cloud OF witnesses, and would nave wasted vaIuabl
time 10 no purpose Not 70 with NJ. Jachaud; con
scious OF power he is polite and concilIaIory in hi
manner. BE immediately announced that lie snoui
not call more than seven witnesses. MessieuT
Dorian,
ET1ENSE ARAGo AND JULES SIMON
were called. NJ. Jules Simon stated that Courbe
had never been Dlrecteur des Beaux Arts, he hat
been simply elected president by a consderab.
number OF artists at meeting called To consider