New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-21
A Tale of Horror.


before one of the tribunals Of the Seine
During the late war, under the government
OF September, there were committed two O.
the most shocking acts of inhumanity anC
barbarity that it is possible to imagine. A
peaceable citizen of Brittany was taken
out and stoned. after which he was buried
alive, and a Sergea de rifle of Paris was
drowned in the Seine. There was still an
other case worth passing notice. There il
an old saying that when one wants to get
rid OF his dog he begins by accusing him of
having hydrOphoba. There was a moment
when neighbOr could be gotten out of the
way by calling him a Bonapsrtist. An ex-
policeman was chased by the crowd for this
crime, and took refuge in a house, but was
again driven into the street. The rumor
then ran about that he was mad, having
been bitten by mad dog, and hun
bred persons pursued him with sticks
and stones, killing him in the street
exactly as if he were a mad dog. But the
most curious case OF all was that of the
guard Vincenzini, which l give at length.
On Sunday, the twenty-sixth of February,
1871, the Farisians were out in their Sunday
costumes enjoying the warm air which gave
promise OF an early spring An immense
crowd had gathered in the Place de la Bias
tile to see company of the National Guard
salute red flag raised upon the column of
July. The entire city wore the air of
great fete day, and everybody seemed to
enjoy the warmth of the sun. From time
to time band of ragamuffins passed. bear
ing red flag and marching to the cadence
OF the Marseillaise, pausing from time to
time to cheer Ia Repubhque 0cmocrdGguc et
soeiale. Suddenly one of these groups
raised the cry of 'Mouchard," and it was
soon shouted in chorus throughout the
place. On the side of the rue ST. Antoine
one soon saw man in citizens
dress, tall, finely formed, and with
handsome, energetic face, running away,
pursued by the mob. This was the lnfOr-
tunate ex-Sergeant dc Vile Vincenzini, who
crowd, and In entering shop, No. 205 rue |
81 Antoine, kept by the widow Cauchois. |
The rascals who pursued him tore him from |
this place, beat him horribly when in the |
street, and only raised him from the ground |
when the crowd began to cry: "a Ia la3s-
te,ne! Hang him y An attempt was made
to hang him from the balcony OF Pierre Gu
vrier, Boulevard Richard Lenoir, but the
mob became impatient before the knot
could be made in the rope which had been
hastily brought, and it then occurred that it
would be more amusing to drown him. He
was hurried to the Canal st. Martin, but a
new difficulty here presented itself, and the
crowd started for the river. Seeing that
ne was lost, Nincenzini tore himself away
and threw himself upon his knees.
His appeal for mercy was met by fresh
his martyrdOm any longer, he cried: "Give
ne pistol, and will kill myself before
you here, since you will have my life' At
his moment a girl named Lacanel who has |
ust died at Saint-Lazure, where she was
waiting her trial, stepped forward and
Mapped the face of the wretched man, say
ng: IL condemn you to be drowned This r.
urinary Judgment was applauded by the
rowd, and once more the guard was pushed {
o ward the river, followed by thousands of I
ersons. Arriving at the banks of the |.
eine, charitable man cried that the vic | .
i'm knew how to SWIM. This had not been | i
bought OF before, but the idea was acted e
pom ana NlncepZlnl was strongly tied to a | =
lank and then launched into the stream. q
many persons crowded upon a canal Y
oat to see the dying struggles of the victim,
lat 1t gave way and a number were pre- :
pitated into the river. When this CON t
lsion arose poor Nincenzini was seen float /,
z down the river, his great strength | ?
labling him to keep his head above water. :
9 turned his eyes implOringly from side to s
de in search Of help, but at this moment p
e crowd began to stone him, and he was q
ruck several times. AT last he raised his VI
lad as far as possible. looked about upon -
is merciless crowd. and, seeing far below a
]
cir hands waiting for him, he gave up in g
spair. BY an effort he made a plunge; T
rned over under the plank, and in few ii
oments brought his terrible martyrdom N
close. His body was not found y
It'll three months atterward. About 10000 | 4
rsons witnessed his murder, and NJ Mace | a
one tried to save Nincenzini. He was $
dly maltreated, and came near sharing IL
e same fate. But although there were NJ
many spectators, no direct proof could 4
obtained for long time. One day the "
oman Lacanal was discovered. and sew N
al men have been arrested who were seen AZ
rowing stones. Some of the participants OF
We been already transported. many were
He'd in June, and only about half dozen
We been brought to trial The woman "
,canal and two of the men have died in !,
ison' anu the rest Will appear Tor Trial on ! III
twenty,third of February.-Pris Let iu
10 Neic York Times, II