New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-29
TWO FRENCH HEROES DEAD.
COLONEL FROIDEvAUX AND ADMIRAL
POTHUAN.

There is nothing which so deeply stirs the sensi-
tive heart of Paris the funeral OF some popuia,
| man or hero. This week we have had two erahu
mortuary spectaces. One was at Notre Dame-tne
other at the Invalides. The occasion OF the FORMER
was the death Of Lieutenant-Colonel Froideyaux,
of the fire brigade, who was Killed by the Ealing
ot n blazing beam at the great fire at Charonne.
Although he had been officer of the Nersaillist
army Rochefort the moment he heard OF his death,
wrote an obituary article in his praise aud an
nounced that he and the entire staff of the IHrdHsi-
0eaat would attend the obsequies. 1t was so rare
for man of the Coones position. said ROchefort,
20 be killed In trying to put out fire. Priyates
were stimulated to incur all the danger 10y their
superiOrs who TO reap all the honor. Lieu
tenant-Co onel Froidevaux originally an officer
of the Genie and was a man of quiet and almost
shy demeanor, but known to be extremely brave
He was very near-sighed and Obliged to wear
spectacles At the Charonne fire he lost MS
glasses and. daresay did not take the right focus
of the burning objects around him. When death
met him he was engaged in trying to isolate
building in which mineral oils and essences were
stored The beam that fell upon him split his
skull in TWAIN and laid him PROSTATE. The day
before a friend of his at a military breakfast was
describing in hIs hearing the terrible condition OF
Admiral Pothuan, who suffering from 4 cancer
in the stomach. FrOdevdux SAID: May heaven
preserve me from a lingering Illness! | trust 1t
Will be my tate to die in the excitement OF action
and of danger. l have always wished to end my
life on the field of battle in the active discharge
of duty" His prayer was granted. Although ne
WAS snoclzinolv INITIATED the blow he recth ed
from the falling beam must have caused insian-
tnneous and it may be painless death. The Uranium
was broken through from ton to base, and only held
to the neck by torn flesh and muscles. When the
body Of the hero was picked mp his nephew. Cap
tain Froidevaux. fell in with the bearers. This
young officer AMI his detachment had been warning
against the fire a distant part OF the factory.
They were all backened, scoIched and b.istered
At tho sight Of his uncle's dlsigured body the
Captain was unnamed. lie sand that he had lost
all energy and that it would have been Impossible
for him De of any further The corpse oil tne
uncle was taken TO a wine-shop, and LETT there
during the fire. At half past . 10 was carried by
the men whom he had led TO tho municipal BAT
racks The bearers were encircled with hremen
who had lgnted torches IN their hands. On the
walls of the room in which he was lad ont on %
camn bed with his head bound up there was still
posted the farewell address of General Paris TO the
Metropolitan Fire Brigade. Il contained tie fol-
lowing: u am unable 20 express the sorrow that |
feel IN seHarating from my old freud, the brave
Colonel Frodcylux. who. l au afraid, will be the
victim of Li. heroic courage and unseldshnc's.'
Francois Xavier were the baptismal names Of the
victim lie was brought mp to yenerate and to
initiate She virtues of the saint after HON he was
called. ItIsto the honor of the Voitairan Munici-
pal Council OF Pans which took upon itself to
belr the expense OF funeral that it dill not object 10
the obseouIcs being celebrated at Notre Dame
TIE invitations to the s0lemntty were thus
wordcd: The Colonel and officers of the fire
brigade of Paris have the honor 10 announce 10 you
fhe lrevous ioss they have experienced IN the
/ death of Francois Naver FrOideyauX, Lieutenant
Colonel of their regiment. officer of the Legion Ot
Honor and Of Public Instruction, who was killed
In battle tue at tcn the r Tia October, 1sS2, ut
in the morning at Charoune 10 his iftT-ifth year.
And they pray you to attend bis obseques, which
Will be celebrated in the metropolitan Cathedral OF
Notre Dame on the lOth instant al noon precisely
The tao az tcB' which IS given in the original IN
capitals means literally killed under fire, l. e., in
battle. 1t l.. l believe, the GTst time the fire
brigade has applied the phrase to the death Of a
memter of their corps in fire. Rochetort sug-
cested 10 them that it time for them to clam
the honOrs dae TO them as a most useful and heroic
BODY In France it has been long thought witty to
laugh at the TOaipic's or hreuen. RocheieTt asks
why tnIs should De, and tells his readers in what
high estimation the ire brigade Is held at New
York.
The Ministers of War and the Interior the Bureau
of the Municipal Council the President Of tue
Chamber the English Charge FAiaires, General
Pttie representing NJ Gr6yyl, and the Projects OF
the Seine and OF Police were among the notable
pcrsou. who attended the funeral In the QUARTER
st. Antoine through which the cortege passed. flags
with krots OF Grape on the end Of the slaves were
hung out of the windows from ground floor to
garret
Admiral Pothuan's death was lingering and ex-
| f,I Tu1a wi ed
hun to the tomb, fire. ueutly begged his doctor to
/ ain INTO the ulcer which he dressed some rapidly
! working poison. That writer died of smokers
| cancer and the Admiral of cancer in the stomach.
| Not an impatient word escaped from the brave
! seaman and courteous, hgn-souled gentleman when
the awful mala1y prcying upon him.
| Courage is needed, he once observed, to wait
quietly until the word is given for me to depart"
His son. bis sister, his brother inlaw and his young
| daughter we're with him IN has last moments. The
| Admiral would not allow Mile. Pothuan TO be sum-
moned until he felt that his end was drawing nigh.
She was by his wish, kept III ignorance OF his state.
Let her" he said, enjoy in tranquility the
country for few days and whenever there is any
change for the better it toI her sake published
I never knew q more thoroughly amiabe man
| than Admiral POthuau. He was born In Martinique
in Is D. and there part OF the world. from the
| poles TO the equator, in which he had not been IN
| active service. tie commanded Tor three years the
| Icrlandlc station, at the bOmbardment OF
| Tauglers MOgadOr and Odessa and TOOK a brilliant
part al the head of IA naval brigade III the siege OF
| SebastOpol. When Paris was threatened by the
! Germans he solicited a post of danger and was
| charged with The south eastern deiences. HIS
| bravery in wrestling the Care Bouts at Choisy
| e ltOi from the Prussans won for him much pOpu
lar favor. Paris sent HIM TO the Assembly Of BOr
| deaux, where Theirs offered him the Marine port
| folio. He reorganiZed the naval service and took
part in the operations of the Versailles artillery
against the Commune. Admiral POJhuan was a
man Of warm feeling but did not allow himself to
| be hurried away by his emotions He always pre-
| rypI "A auipt 1pusauor hot trviu the