The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-08-10
TRIAL IN FRANCE
Sentenced for Giving Information to
the Germans.

Sentenced for Giving Information to
the Germans.
Paris Letter to the New York World
Z trial before court martial which
has ended in the sentence to death of
two OF the accused (they are most sure
to be shot has made deep impression
on public opinion, though The latter has
grown cailous to sentences of death
and to military executions. The cir
Hcumstances of the crimes for which
these accused were arraigned were I'M
usual. A few days before scissors
was invested the German army was
obliged to halt on the left bank Of the
Aisne river until u bridge could be
thrown across it, They had planted a
detachment at a village called Pom
mlers, on the rivers bank, aud
some two and half miles from Sois-
sons. This intelligence spread through
the ne1ghboring village, and the Mayor
of one of them, Pasly, went to
scissors to- communicate it and ask in
Structions. He received advice to re-
sist the invaders, was given some am
munition, and was promised military
support. The National Guards of Pas
ley and Vmirezs were called out for
the following night, arms and ammuni-
ton were distributed, and at the ap
pointed hour some sixty men were as.
sembled under command of nj. Des-
bordeaux, the primary school teacher.
They began to fire on the enemy.
Their ammunition speedily ran low.
No military support came from Sois.
sons. They found themselves Obliged
to retreat. They dispersed and went
home. They felt, secure, because they
were regularly organized National
Guards, were acting in obedience to
orders, moreover they were sure
their fellew-citizens of Pommiers
(where they had met and at
tackled the Germans) would
not betray their names. The Germans
made their bridge and entered Pom
miers. They arrested its Mayor, pri
mary teacher, curate, Captain of the
National Guard, aud one municipal
councillor. The Germans treated them
with great harshness, in order to force
them to disclose the names and resi-.
dences of the persons who had fired on
them. The efforts of the Germans
were vain SO long as they We're directed
only to the educated class of Pommiers:
but when the invaders threatened TO
lire the village some of the peasants re-
vealed the secret. nj. DeSbordeaux
and NJ. Courcy Were arrested and shot
Immediately after having been de-
nollnced. Poulette, l. Etofte and Des-
qulrez, who belonged to another vii
lage, were arrested and also shot as
soon as found. Oh. Adolf was massa.
cred i'll house while resisting the
Germans entrance. FIVE peasants
have been arraigned and tried before
a court martial here for surrender.
ing their patriotic neighbors to the in
vader and causing their death. The
accused allege they revealed their in
formation under menace of death. 1t
was, however, proven that the informer
who caused LEtotte and DeSquirez's
execution was moved solely by jealousy.
He believed both of them criminalv in
innate with his wife Another accused
denounced his countrymen solely be
cause they had refused to elect him
their leader, and had indeed failed to
ask him to JON them. Two of the five
accused have been sentenced to death.
One WAS acquitted. A witness (who
had been severely reprimanded for civ
ing information to the enemy under
menace of death, and for the cyncism,
or rather ignorance Of moral law, with
which he confessed his deedl commit
ted suicide the evening after he Ia
given evidence. The sentence Will be
executed in Pommiers.