Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-10-11

What with our recent experiences Of
mob law in America and the attempt oil
certain agitators 20 establish IN the Uni
ted States. the Commune, the history OF
the Commune in Paris, in 1871, will be
found to possess for Americans addi-
tional interest to that which It must al
ways provoke. There was no more
brutal and cowardly episode of that
"redfoot fury Of The Seine" than the
massacre OF the hostages and butchery
Of the Dominican priests, the full story
Of which is now told for the first time
by M. Maximum du Camp. Archbishop
Darboy and President Boniean OF the
Court Of Cassation-Chief Justice We
should say-with the ether hostages ar
rived at Mazas April 6. On the 10th
was arrested Jean Baptiste Jecker, the
banker whom the Mexican expedition
had brought into notoriety. He had
gone to the prefecture to obtain a pass
port under false name, but after get
ting it was recognized by casual pas
ser, who had HIM arrested as a hostage
worth keeping. Baron Haussmann's $
father had gone on similar crrand, but
was stopped on the stairs by mercifuI
official, who whispered to him to fly
Liable Crozes, almoner Of La Grand
Roquettc, took his Imprisonment phil
osophicaily; it gave him a chance to
read up his theology. in which he was
gettingrusty. Mou,on, the governor Of
the prison, treated his prisoners well,
and w Ould have provided for their es-
cape in disguise, but the Archbishop
refused lest the rage Of the Communists
should be famed against the clergy and
NJ Bonjean because a magistrate should
not run away. Meanwhile the Protes-
tant pastors had protested vigorously
against the Archbishop's arrest and Of
fcious negotiations for the release of
the hostages had been begun, the insur-
gents Offering TO barter several ecclesi-
astIcs against Blanqui. Lbbe Eagarde
was sent TO Versailles on parole, and
MIR. Washburne, our Minister, interest
ed himself. He had permission to vis-
It the Archbishop, TO whom he brought
newspapers and wine, and finally he
sent TO Versailles a note written bv the
venerable prisoner urging that Blanqui
should be set free. This the Papal
nuncio communicated to NJ. Theirs, who
declined TO recognize the Commune by
treating with it, and expressed belief
that lives of the hostages would be
spared, an erroneous opinion, as both
Cardinal Chisi and MIR. Washburne de-
clarcd at the time.
Raoul Rigault. decming Mouton's rule
too mild, sent to Mazas as Governor
the locksmith Garreau, whose brutality
was extreme. You are id Gu
rious' was his reply to prisoners who
sought to know why they had been ar
rested. "lf you prefer it, we can shoot
YOU, TO those who complained Of their
treatment. ''lfthey aintsatisfed, all they
have to do is to die he said, when
told that the Archbishop was suffering
and NJ. Bonjcan an invalid. May II.
the Commune organized a jury of accu-
sation to decide whether or not the
designated individuals were hostages"
The jury only sat once. and then il ac-
Quilted one prisoner. but he was taken
back TO La Roquette, nevertheless. and
massacred in due course. Edmond
Rouse 6dioaHier oiihe Paris bar vas pro-
digai OF efforts 10 secure the liberty, or al
least the better treatment OF the hosta-
ges. On the Goth Of May he saw them.
The Archbishop was calm and resigned,
Father Duguerry gay and cordial As
ever: Father Caubert confident that
France would come out Of the struggle
stronger and more Catholic than ever.
NJ. Rouse was to have paid them ano,h-
cr visit on the esd.
On the 22o keeper whispered to N.
Rabat. one Of the hostages, that the
French troops were in Paris. 1T is
your delverance, said the keeper:
My death, replied the prisoner. A,
. p. n. the hostages were hurried from
their cells aud ranged in the corridor,
whittier to 60 none Of them or the keep
ers knew. The Able Croxes and NJ.
Core were at the last moment pushed
back into their cells by . keeper and
saved. Their removal was in obedience
to an order Of the committee Of Public
Safety, dated I Prairial 70, .,gned by
c. Ranvier. Eudes and Ferd. Gambon,
requiring that the Archbishop, the dill.
lcTent cures, Bpniean, Senator. and all