The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-27
POOR PARIS.
HORRORS OF THE SIEGE.
Statement OF an American from the Beleaguered
city-sscial Anarchy and the Spy Mania
An Interview with da,nbatta-War to
tho Bitter Eaa-!ie Would Sacrifice
His Best Friend in the War n


OF his departure Being an ardent friend or the
French republic, he adroitly managed to convey
through The Prussan line two cases, containing I'm
! portant dispatches from the Paris government to
the ministerial delegation at Tours. For this great
service he was received with distinguished nonors
| by Gambetta and his colleagues. ana as mark OF
their high favor invited TO dine with them on theb
occasion. But let him tell his own story:-
| About tho date OF my departure PARIS was In
state OF dependency, and IL was already apparent
that the end was near AT hand. All the
THEATRES HAD BEEN TURNED INTO HOSPITALS,
and where Patti and Nilsson sang ana Lemaitre
| played one heard only the means OF the wounded
aud the light, muflled football OF the Sisters Of
Charity. AS fast rs the wounded are brought within
the walls they taken to the theatres the hotels
and other public and private buildings thai had been
turned into ambulances. In the very box where
the Emperor and Empress sat and clapped
their hands with pleasure many victim OF this fell
war has sighed his last.
THE NEW OPERA HOUSE,
which was erected at a cost OF SS,00o,0oo, Is now
used for the slightly ncongruous purpose OF d
powder mill bakery. hospital! and provision
storehousc The roof Is also used as post OF OBJ
serVatIon and the piazza In iront OF 1t is the point
OF departure Tor the balloons That gives an idea Of
tho
SOCIAL ANARCHY
which prevails In Paris II a prussan she'll should
fail into the powder min there would be lively
tine. Loaves OF bread would mount Into the air
N COMPANY WITH TaE MANGLED LIMBS
ola heroic soldiery and lids powder barrels with
the spygasses OF the observatory. Sucn explosion
WOULD destroy III, adjacent neighborhood OF build
ings, Including the Grand Hotel, the splendid Hotel
OF The American Washington CHM and the Sporting
| Club. Tho pre,tiest and most popular actresses,
such as Blanche d'Antigny and Nile. Massin. are
often at TortInis "a celebrated caro- clad In the
uniform Of vlyandleres administering to the wants
THE PALACE OF THE TUILERIEs
and the Louvre are protected by sandbags, and I
used both for hospital and gun factory. The prtn-
clpai singers OF the Opera such as Faure, Cap0ul
aud others, ere shouldertng chassepo,s, and have
seen them on guard at the several public buildings
All the American banking houses excepting that
| Bowies Brothers are closed Mr.. w. Bowles "
| the captain OF the American ambulances which
have rendered such important services In the held.
| Where the IRE OF the Prussians made the
Be found on their errand OF mercy. All
| that has been said about the formation OF
was huge Joke. The originator OF this crazy idea
was an escaped lunatlc The private houses have
piled barrels filled with water upon their rooitops.
| tlons by the explosion OF Prusslan shells. All the
trees which constituted the chief ornaments OF the
! RUTHLEssLY CUT DOWN
to supply the population with fuel. The houses In
are now dimly lighted, and only at intervals, by
wreched oil lamps; Every citizen Is Obliged TO be
| sons are challenged and required to show their
papers tor purposes OF identification.
has been one OF the most ludcrous features OF the
siege. Almost every hour light halred people are
Of being taken to the prefecture Tor no other
than OF their having foreign accent or light COM
SLAMS. He is charged with inactivity, and M.
Picard, the Minister OF Finance, y generally DIS
| liked. Henri Rochf0rt has dwIndled down into
| utter inslgnidcance-in fact he Is completely for
| gotten. r6
though generally considered as being OF q weak and
hesitating character, now and then comes out with
some startling procanatns, which arouse the peo-
pie for the time being but have no lasting effect He
! lacks frmness and selfreance. Should Paris sur :
render and the present members OF the government
be made prisoners there are men OF intellect lett
holding at present inferior ollces-who would seize
the reins Of government and headed BY Gambetta,
] WAR TO THE BITTER END.
With regard 70 the defenders o. Paris must state
the sad fact that the old men are more patriotic aud
more ready to. bear the fatisues OF war than the
! young ones. Nearly all the women belong TO the
tue spirit Of seIfsacrldce, and devote themselves
I with ndOmtable ard0r to the Task OF alternating the
sufYerlngs OF the wounded.
the open air sanitary system, as used during the
| American war, Is found to work admirably DR..
performed The most successful operations upon the
wounded, and stands high in the esteem Of the Pa
THE MORTALITY IN PARIS
| IS very great on account OF the number OF people
from the provinces who were driven thtther by the
| wards On Sunday would be led TO imagine that
no change had come over The vas, city, Il the fact
\
| more Or less gauly shabby aid not remind one OF
the sad reality. The French
are for The greater part, but III provided with win
ter garments, wnllo the, Prussians have big fur
| only cotton blouse and thin rug to protect him
| against the lnclemency OF cold winter night.
hs my ssy Of he ann % in
| consequence, entrusted with important dispatches
as a, sa bs s IS last S s
| with safc conduct OF Minister Wasnburne, made
my way through the German lines, ana. upon max
ceived with marked courtesy by the Irussan ofcers
= THE ENGLISH REFUGEES
| did not receive such considerable treatment at the
hands OF the German officers: on the contrary. they
were looked upon with specia, dlsavor. or course
| my luggage was not examined by the Germans, else
I should not now be aIive to tell this narrative. /
arrived q Amiens on Che eve Of the capitulatton.
and met there N. odiou Barrett the celebrated
French lawyer. doing his best to encourage the
| population met with no further impedlments, ana
reached Tours on the 25ih oil December, twelve days
after my departure from Paris The various corps Of
German. were represented, formed curious sight
with their motley variety OF uniforms Having pre-
invited dine the following day with Ganbetta and,
~ Laurier, the second OF the leading spirits that
ton. Nj. Leon Gam6ctta is r man Of thirty. three
years OF age and consequently the youngest member
naughty p and has the faculty OF mak,na himself
feared by his interiors. There Is fact concerning
HIM " hch is not generally known. He was
THE ONLY MEMBER THE LEFT
! who voted for the war against Prussia. He Is I'M
doubtedly at present the leading spirit OF France
| and tho new armies organized Tor the defence owe
their existence TO his ind0mitaDle energy. His face
is pale, with two black eyes glowing with the dre Of
| marvellous activity. Unlike NJ. Favre Gambetta
~ very fond Of the applause OF large crowds and of
ostentaiion AS he himself told the writer, he mad
| no fortune and few wants. NJ. Gambetta is pas
sionately devoted to his country. In his dress
he Is slovenly ana Negligent, and he IL
man OF few words aud of retired natnrc Sttll,
It Is said that his determination never to surrender
Is owing 70 the influence Of his surroundings. The
conversation was about the first Army or the Lore
which then numbered 10000 men, but to my mind
rescmbled more lF
MOB OF ARMED MEN =
than an army. IN Gambetta,r said ~ have some
doubts as to tho efficiency oil the Army Of L0ire.'
| Gambetta replied, ut takes SIX months to make