The Osceola times., 1880-05-29
Assassination A In Opera.
Pail Mall Gazette

1t was intended to employ againt Ma
poleon |. a destructive method of a
mixed kind. Rockets and grenades
were to be hurled from various parts of
the theater into his box. But to insure
his death conspirators armed with dag
gers and pistols were stationed in the
corrider into which the box opened,
with orders TO shoot him If, escaping the
missiles, he attempted to make his way
to the outer doors. The conspiracy ac.
cording to Napoleon himself who told
the story at st. Helena, was revealed by
captain in the line.
"What limit is there" said Napoleon,
'to the combinations of folly and stu
pidity? This officer had horror OF me
as Consul, but adored me as General.
He was anxious tnat | should be torn
from my post, but he would have beer
very sorry that my life should be taken.
ought to be made prisoner, he said, in
no way injured, and sent to the army 10
continue to defeat the enemies of France.
The other cOnspirators laughed in his
face, and when he saw them distribute
daggers and that they were going be-
yond his Intentions he proceeded at once
TO denounce the whole affair"
The lnformer having been brought
before him, Napoleon at first suggested
TO the Prefect Of Police that he should
not be allowed to 60 the opera that even
ing. 1t was decided, however, that his
absence would awaken the suspicion of
the other consplIatOrs; and everything
was allowed to go on as though the plot
had not been discovered. The sentin-
els outside Napoleon's box were order
ed to let no one approach who had not
the password, issued Immediately before
the Consul's departure for the opera, for
it was known that certain number of
cosspirators had taken up their position
IN the corridor to extinguish the lights
at the moments when the rockets were
to be fired and the shells thrown. The
opera OF the evening was'Les Iloraces, 4"
work composed by Porta TO a libretto
founded on Corneille's tragedy; and the
signal for action was to be the delivery
OF passage in which the Horatii swec, r
to conquer or die. Then all the l.ybts
were to be put out, and apart c.om the
shells intended :. specially fer the En-
peror, fireworks were to be cast indls-
crmnately about the theater, while the
general confusion was to be increased
by the cries of "Flrew The leaders ot
the plot, like claqueurs of the present
day, had attended the rehearsal of the
opera so as to note the cue given TO them
ior Their grand demonstration and at
tack. But at the performance the per.
lecture OF police was also largely repre-
sented, and there were altugeter up-
wards of 900 persons in the theater who
were paying no attention TO the music
except with view to particular ouar.
tet, in which the old Horatius op sned
the piece by calling upon his sons TO
swear que lie dernier de vous sera mort
au vainqueur." The instrumental. in.
PRODUCTION to the quartet wss, however.
chosen by the police and before the
singing hogan the conspirators were ali
n custody in one of the vcs;ibules of
the theater.
lhe SECOND attempt ON a grand scale
against the life of Napoleon was exc
Guted Two months later, on the oath of
december, when on his way to the opera
No was made the mark of an "infernai
machine" Haydn's Creation was 10
be given, and the performance had nj.
ready commenced, when during the soft
adaglo OF the introduction the dull re-.
por! OF an explosion was heard, In
mediately afterward Napoleon entered
his boy, attended by the eprincipal mem.
peFs of his staff Josephine's love of
dress had saved him, As she was oct
ung INTO the carriage she thought of
making some change in her toilet. and
going back to her apartments Tor a few
minutes, caused delsy but for which
Bonaparte and herself would, following
the othoI carriages, have passed before
!he internal machine at the moment of
Its explosion.