National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-07-19

is murder and plunder, but who do not
agree 50 well when the time comes for
dividing the SPOIL The witness -"There
ls great deal of truth in that. must
ask your pardon, for that view of the
question escaped me-" The prosecutor
1T was quite in the regular course Of
things, you see, that those persons should
have fallen out with each other The
eloquence, too, when it came to the Com
missary of the Governments reply, was
amazing. Here is choice specimen ::
You, it is you who dare to say that the
French army is wanting in loyalty and
generosity towards its enemies. Were
there need, and without passing beyond
France, ] would appeal to the shades Of
all those who have laid down their lives
in battling with us, and would say, Rise
up, you English and Spaniards, who saw
us AT Toulouse. Rise up, You Russians
and Austrians, who met us in hundred
battles, at Montmrail and Champaubert
Rise up, even you Prussans, or all men,
who have seen us so often, alas at Sedan,
Coulmiers, and other paces--come to tins
bar and say if ever the French soldier,
whether conquered or conquering, was
wanting in loyalty or generosity towards
his enemy'" Outbursts of this sort were
invariably followed by enthusiastic APP
plause from the audience. When Mon
sieur Chevrieu had stated that he had
seen one OF the accused at the execution,
and question of disputed identity arose,
our prosecutor was again equal to the
occasion "What :" said this fervil orator,
"when witness like this inspector OF
the Lyceum-a man who refused the
noble offer made him by one of the mis-
sionaries to take his place; man fostered
in a university, and with past history
worthy of being compared to the most
splendid achievements of Greek and
Roman history-when a man like this
steps on this platform and says, Il recog-
nize him, ne was there, | saw him from
my cell, | defy any mortal TO have the
least doubt of his sincerity" This was
very well in its way, though, unfortunately,
wholly beside the question, which was
whether this witness might not have
been mistaken. And very awkwardly for
the eloquence of the prosecutor it turned
out that he ,ras mistaken. One of the
Iaost exciting and dramatic episodes that
ever occurred during IA trial was connected
with this incident, and is worth recording
in this place.
a certain Pig erre was among the
prisoners, and lay under the serious accu
sa,ion of being one of the officers of the
party told off for shooting the hostages |
This was supported by the testimony Of
several witnesses, and above all by several |
of the accused. The prosecutor fairly |
enough considered that he had secured |
this prey, whose fate might be considered |
certain. The man, indeed denied the
charge, and said he was fighting in n
different part Of the town at the time, but
This was only too common "A form of de-
ence. Witness after witness came up.
Ramain recognised him distinctly as the
eader who had threatened him with the
sabre. " He is the cause" he added, "ot
NY being in this place, Vattier, who
'arried the light for the dismal procession,
recalled his face at once Latour did the
same. Then Pigerre, being interrogated,
spoke ont, and told his story frankly. He
aid he had never even known of the exc.
,ution of the hostages until he was taken
Up and put in prison. "Picon, one of my
ellow prisoners, came up to me one day
md said, ais it possible that you don't
;now what took place at La Roquette on
he oath of May ?" mo" | answered
for the FIVE months that have been
lere, | haze seen no one from outside
And you don't know that they shot the
and five others2'' was
He then called over Vat
ier, and asked him if he knew me- To :.
ny amazement the other replied, "Yes, !!
e commanded the firing party J
hought this was a joke, and took no ;
office TO it. But two days later Waiter !
anne again, and sat down by me. $50 '
ou weren't at the prison on the 24th2"
e asked. said "No." "You are Jean u u
'aptiste Pigerre, amt you ?" "Of course
am "Well, then, it was you who '
the firing party ~ My arms
Ill to my side, my tongue seemed par |
lyzed. They had all made plan to .
estroy me-" He then questioned the wit u
esses against him, and asked them all if !,
hey recollected how he was dressed and Il
ow he wore his beard. One said he had a
cap; another that he had more beard 4
han he had at present; third that he =
Hu II I0OuSittits 4NpN. Stlti L iGtITt, | ,
think can show the court that there "
mistake. | never had hair upon my d d
pper lip in my life, as doctors can prove, /.
they examine it." The president said,
ryly, that "the court would give its
alue to the fact" Then another wit II
ess came up, the respectable Monsieur I:
hevrieu before alluded to. 81 was par 81
cularly struck" he said, "by the face of =,
!, officer, in the dress of National =, !,
uard, with scabbard trailing after him, ~,
arching with a curious nonchalant ex- "a
'ession, and appearing to take the least -
terest in what was going on, and l =, -,
all never forget him. The face was "
red in my memory. My duty is to tell 81 e,
9 court that it was very like his IL
'igerre's)." When he had finished his =, q,
idence, Pigerre begged ofhim to come .
ose to look at him again The other did IS IS
and after fixed stare adhered to the y, y,
inion he had given. "Then," said the i, N
cused, as he recognized the sabre. ~ ~,
tice a member of the court with one ex- - -
tly like mine. Oaughter). He was n
ked what officer. "Captain Reporter" ~
id our prisoner, "would you be kind ~
ough to show your sabre 2" cloud ="
lghter). The president: "Silence! gen
men. there is nothing TO laugh at in all C,
Is" But the sabre led to nothing, and re
eerre was in worse condition than be- 81,
re. Another witness, Soison, police tn
icer, came up, and swore he saw the en-
isoner with the firing party. Again Ir
gerre tried to shake him, what dress, ha
nat cap he was wearing2 He could not lis
y-he had only once noticed his face. an
ell, let him look again, say at the pro- II
,. This police officer stepped forward, tic
d after a moments gaze, said No Al