New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-23
A MARTYR OF THE COMMUNE,
Pare Letter to The 81. yamess easette.

Porss Letter to The g. yamess Gazette. e
On Friday the French transport Navarin brougkf
nists. These men, released 80 much later than ths
Others the most desperate Of the whole colony
or at least were supposed to be 60 and their arriv
gave rise to no very enthusiastic demonstrations of
welcome among the people who saw them Land
There was one of the number, however who car, =
no sense be described as 0 criminal. He Is an I'M
fortunate man. possessed Of high talents chiysL
more steadiness of thought and conduct be might
have been useful citizen with little more luck
he might have become regarded as hero. His nans.
in the Imperial navy. and was believed to be mos
promising officer. But he quarrelled with b
superlors, was cashiered Tor insuoordinaticn end'
His first exploit after he had been restored to civil
life was to slap the face of NJ Paul de Casssgnse q
s scus
NJ. Jules Fayre, who had some years before o.
peared as N. Lulliers counsel in an action at law
The article in the Pays had no reference whatey0
to this action and the xlieutcnants defence Of Ii
former advocate was consequently purely gratui
tous. NJ de Cassagnac, redonbtable duellist as h
is, declined to punish H. Lullier with weapons bui
handed him over to the police aud prosecuted In
for assault. About year afterward the war broks
out and NJ Lulier BECAME an officer in the Nationsl
Guard of Paris. He fought with conspicuous bray-
cry; but could not refrain from mixing himself
up with political conspiracies, and after being
twice cautioned he was once more cashered Thca
the Commune broke ont, and the ex-lieutenant cast
in his lot heart and soul with the insurrection.
The talent he displayed as . commander and mill 4
tarv administrator was disputed by none. There
were lucid ntery ais in his life when he spoke with
tho utmost wisdom and acted with the happicsl Z
mixture of dash and caution; unfortunately Il
other times he would break out into acts of reck.
less insubordnation which set oil authority 1T de-
fiance. He would no moro obey the Commune THAI
he had Obeyed former masters. There seems to BE-
little doubt that he was afflicted with intermittent
insanity aud the best place for him after he bad
fallen into the hands OF the Versailists upon tbe
overthrow of the Commune would have been a q
asylum. So N. Theirs appeared to think, and for
long while 81. Lulliei's transportation was ID.
journed; but when NJ. Theirs fell all chance Of
mercy disappeared, and the ex-lieutenant was con.
signed to NOumea.
His existence there seems to have been long
martyrdOm. As doctors refused to certify him mad,
governors and jailers were fam to treat him ~
mutineer every time his Iampage0us fits came upon
him, and tho unfortunate man spent most OF HE
time under punishment Irons, dark cells the dle
IA hole In the gIoupd where prisoner stands knee
deep in water) the strat-waistc0at, dry bread and
water, shot-drill, the pumps-every indignity, y
brief, short of fOgglng was tried upon him. but ~
in vain. till disease stepped in mercifully to ha
rescue and robbed him OF bis exuberant vitality.
When he rose from his bed of sickness he was an al
tered man and he now returns to Europe, prema-
turely aged, cripple, and, so far as accounts 50.
with none of his old spirit Of devilry in him. Here
surely is an example Of much suffering due rather
TO some obscure brain-disease than to any moral
warp. Lieutenant Luller has never been accused
Of doing q shabby or dishonest thing His acts -
far as no was responsible for them were 'always
those Of high-minded man. :