Little Falls transcript., 1880-01-30
DURING THE COMMUNE.
A Graphic Sketch.

Meudon. General Duval, having been
made prisoner by General Vinoy, was
shot dead. The foaming rage with which
the fighting was carried on is indescrib.
able. Two combatants, one of the regu.
lar army, and a federe, had met at bath
establishment on the Avenue Neuilly
They began fighting, until, by successive
attacks made on one another, they reach.
ed the roof of the house. When they threw
away their rifles and began a hand-to.
hand struggle, the trooper trying to free
himself from the grasp of his enemy and
to MAKE his escape. Seeing this, the
federe drew knife from his pocket, and
as he was going to stab him, the trooper
laid flat on the roof, and by rapid
movement got hold of one of his enemy's
legs, and both fell on the pavement, a
height of twenty-five yards. Neither OF
them was killed, but the trooper had his
face smeared with blood and dust. The
tedere, having fallen on the troopers body,
had the best of it, and killed him by
stabing him in the head.
One could not help being struck with
the contrast presented in the city itself
destruction and death raging IN some Of
its quarters, intersectcd by barricades,
while cannonade was lcvelling to the
ground its beautiful cnvrons: and, at
the same time, its fashionable boulevards
crowded with. elegant folks, lettering
and smiling as if nothing was going on.
The theatres we're open. Light-hearted
people were heard saying, "Well, they
fight there; let us enjoy ourselves here p
The cafes were ordered to be shnt at mid
night. Useless precantion; you could see
the lights throug gh the interstices of the
shutters, and men and women chatting,
smeking' playing and drinking, while
the cannon was roaring in the distance,
the mitrailleuses rafting incessantly,
and the musketry cracking without in
termisslon. That was not all; after
spending part of the night in these dens
Of infamy, it was considered good joke
to spend the rest in hiring cab, and,
the weather being fine, to drive to the
'Arc de Tniomphe 20 see how the fight
was progressing!"
The troops Of the National Assembly,
reinforced by the arrival OF prisoners
made by the Prussians at Sedan. grew IN
strength, and their assaults against the
forts occupied by the federes and the
wall of the city became more successful.
Confusion and despair began to reign in
the camp of the Commune. They tried
to check the advance of the regular
Army by deeds of violence and cruel re-
taliation. They arrested, during the night
of the 5th, M. Dugue1ry, the cure of the
Madeleine, the Archbishop of Paris, and
several other dignitaries Of the church,
ana political men of high standing. The
sams night the Archbishop's residence
was pillaged. A men named Raoul Ri
gault had been appointed Prefect de
Police; unprincipled daring and unfeel-
ing, this officer issued a decree by which
any person suspected of being partisan
of the National Assembly should be i'm
mediately arrested and tried. He might
as we'll have stated, "Shot without trial. "
The delivery of letters was interrupted
gas was cut off; Paris was in the dark
with the exception of a few lamp-posts
supplied with mineral oil. lamps.
TO make good the deficiency by death
or wounds, in the ranks of the Army of
the Commune, groups Of armed men
were ordered to enter the houses atnight,
and to seize in their beds every fit man
to carry rife. Men above sixty were
exempt. Finding, however, that this
method of recruiting did not answer
their expectations, owing to many avoid
ing to sleep in their own houses, they
had recourse to the following stratagem,
which saw nyself from q window, car
ried into effect with the utmost brutal
ity. Ten men were posted at each side
of the two ends of q street, with their
backs close to the wall. The street had
no other issue except by the two extrem-
tiles. As soon as the street contained
sufficient number Of passers-by worth
catching, the soldiers coming from both
sides formed barrier at both ends, and
arrested every body. Women, children
and elderly men were set at liberty; all
the others were armed and sent to the
front to fight against the regular Army.
Terror and distraction were at the
highest pitch. The inhabitants Of Neuil.
", Courbevsie, and those who were still
ii the military zone, had been left house.
less. With whatever they could get hold
of they took refuge In Paris. Hundreds o.
small vehicles were seen coming in load
ed mattresses. blankets, kitchen utensils
&C., to take shelter wherever, they could
find it. Count Orsi.