Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-11-08

CHARGES ny A FRENCH COMMISSIONER
AGAINST THE EXHIBITION MANAGE
MENT

The Philadelphia Times says; Some
excitement was created in the city on
Saturday by the publication of dis
patch from Paris correspondent in
which NJ. Du Sommerard, one Of the
Commissaries Generaux of the French
department Of the Centennial Exhibit
ton, was charged with having grossly
libelled the Centennial management.
The libel consisted in letter which,
it was alleged, NJ. Du Sommcrard had
written to a friend in Germany, and
which, having been published in the
German newspapers, was reproduced
in the Paris Figaro of Thursday. The
letter said that the Americans set fire
to tho buildings containing the French
packing cases, with the hope of des-
troying the French merchandise; that
the police were chosen from the worst
and most degraded elements of the
United States; that the keepers were
thieves without exception, and stole
openly from the French department,
and that not only did the judges palli-
ate these acts, but they actually par
ticipated in and sometimes promoted
the robberies referred to. Not content
with these assertions, the writer made
a vile attack upon the manners and
virtue Of American women. With q
view Of learning their side Of the ques-
tion, a Times representative presented
himself on Saturday at the Office of the
French commission in the main build
ing. In the commissioners private
room he found Captain Anirye, the
deputy commissioner for the French
Republic. Captain Ahfrye made
statement substantially as follows:
NJ. Du Sommerard is the chief Of the
Paris bureau Of the commission, and
has not been TO Philadelphia during
the exhibition. The French commits
sioners here are NJ. Compte dc Bris-
bach and myself, the duty of sending
the official reports being my own.
There is no truth in the report that
| have accused the Americans of set
ting fire to the building containing the
French packing cases with the hope
Of destroying the French exhibits
The absurdity Of such statement is
evident when 1t is remembered that
the building in which the boxes were
stored was some distance from the OK.
hibition. The statement which | made
in my report of that occurrence was
that the fire was the act of an incen-
diary, and | did that upon the author
ity Of Director General Goshorn, who
told me the day following the fire that
it was undoubtedly OF that nature.
The second attempt which is referred
TO in the letter as having taken place
during the past month l know nothing
Of | have never stated that the Cen
tennial police were chosen from the
lowest and most degraded clements in
the United States, but at the same
time no impartial man can deny that
no large body of men can be got to-
gether without some bad ones being
amongst them. The heads of the Amer
lean commission have all been very
courteous TO us, but the subordnates,
from the sergeants downwards, have
done all they could to make matters
unpleasant and disagreeable for the
French exhibitors. | have often had
to complain in the most earnest man
ner of the insulting manner OF the
guards, but | could never get redress,
and my complaints went without rec
tiiication. On the occasion of the fire
outside the grounds, | was refused
egress from the building by the guard
in charge of the door, and when the
doors were opened at the extinction of
the fire, he addressed me in the follow
ing terms: Now, then, French COM
missioner get outP'
On another occasion, when the fire
occurred at Lauber's restaurant, my
foreman, whom | sent on my behalf, !
was refused admittance to the ground, |
although he had . complimentary
ticket ofadmission, but complaint to |
Director General Goshorn prevented
recurrence of this action. The scenes
which took place at the burning of
that restaurant were sufficient TO show
that the guards are not all that they
should be, while the same fact is prov
ed by the dlsbanding ofa company for
mutiny some time since. 1t is delib-
crate untruth to assert that | have re-
ported that the keepers were thieves
without exception, or that their dis
honesty has been instigated and con-
nived at by the judges. 1t is true that
| reported in strong terms on thehon-
esty of officials, but the circumstances
which had occurred IN the French de.
partment warranted me in doing so.
There had been several mysterious
Ihefts committed without any clue be-
ny found which would lead to the dis
,overy Of the perpetrator. On the 31st
of August one of the exhibitors in the
ewolry department took an inventory
,f his goods prior to his departure for
he night. At half past four in the
morning one of the watchmcn in the !
heard the click which would
,e caused by the shutting of the case, |
md in the morning some articles of I
cwelry were found TO be missing. The
guard withinwhose section
he robbery took place, was arrested, ;.
nut sworc that he was not at his post q
4 the time of the robbery, and was, 4
therefore,, discharged fron custody. i,
10 was reinstated in the French do !
'artment but his demeanor on his .
eturn was of such character as to =
reate strong protests from the French e
xhibitors. | waited upon General \
'oshorn on their behalf, and pointed n
ut to him that, even accepting the 4
yards statement as true, his admitted :,
bscncc from his post of duty was a i
ufiicient breach of discipline tojustiiy v
is dismissal. Tho result of my rep. :,
csentations was that the man was re- y
ioved into another building. | re. 4
orted these facts to my chiei, and | ii
lso informed him that | considered il r,
bsolutely necessary that a special q
ody of French police should be sent b,
yer for the protection OF the French h
xhibitors. N. Du Sommerard has 4,
ways considered that We could rely
pom the Centennial guard, but /
ointcd out to him that other foreign
ountries had their special officers :.
ngland having 25, Spain 25, and Bel. =
ium II. To what / have said in my &C
ilcial dispatches still adhere, and :,
lat is, that in case of fire, no depend. u
nee could be placed on the Centennial "
yards, but that connagration would III
, the signal for frightful plunder, W
nd considered without special m
rec Of police the French exhibitors d'
ere constantly in danger Tho gov 10