The Labor enquirer., 1885-02-07
sf ths 1ssASr ~ Lsuiss Michel. he
WsnAan q the People.

allow Louise Michel the poor privilege
of dropping flower on her mothers
coffin before it was lowered into the
grave, They were afraid that her pres
ence in the cemetery would lead to q
serious outbreak on the part of the An
archists and Blanqnists who they knew
would form the major portion of the
attendants. She could prepare the body
for the casket, they decreed, but this
done she was to repair to st. Lazare, the
hospital for invalid prisoners. where she
is to remain until her health, shattered
by her long confinement and this new
grief of her mothers loss, is restored.
She accordingly left her cell the even
ing before last, and accompanied by q
commissary of police, went to the house
in which her mother died. In the odken
coffin which contained the remains, she
placed her photograph, some flowers, a
lock Of hair, cluster Of red immortelles
she had gathered at the burial of Marie
Ferre, and the portrait of the latter.
With her cousin she passed the night at
the side of the dead.
Yesterday morning at Z o'clock Henri
Rochefort and M. Clemenceau, the rad
ical deputy, came to see her.
"My dear friend" said Rochefort as he
entered, Il have the sad mission to lead
you to st. Lazare."
"Oh, it is who will escort you" she
TRANQUILITY replied aOnly it's SO long
since I've breathed the free air that |
wish to go on foot"
Accompanied bv M. Rochefort and
Clemenceau, and followed by two de-
tectives, she started out for the hospital.
On several occasions. during the walk
she might have made good her escape.
They arrived at St. Lazare about 8
O'Clock, just at the moment when two
women, each with aichild on her arms,
were mounting prison van to be taken
to court. "Look. Rochefort," she said,
''isn't it sad to see these infants already
inprison? Thatyould alone be sufficient
to excuse what they. call our madness.
And they have no covering, the poor
unfortunate babies.' She fumbled in
her pocket. r ~
s'Do not search" said Rochefort. "you
have nothing" He then gave the di-
rector of st. Lazare 20 francs, with the
request to have the infants properly
clothed. : 81 /
After Louise Michel had entered her
quarters NJ. Clemenceau made his ex-
euses for not being able to attend the
funeral, while NJ. Rochefort went to the
house of mourning to superintend the
last details for the burial, the expenses
of which he paid out of his own pocket.
The door of the house was draped in
black. The bier was exposed to view
and covered with crowns and flowers.
A large Gown of pearls bore the Words
"To my mother" At quarter of II a
group of Anarchists arrived bearing a
huge red flag with the INSCRIPTION, "The
Revolutionary Sentinel, Communistic-
Anarchist Group of the Eighteenth Ari-
ondissement." The staff was surmounted
by a Phrygian cap. On each side were
two smaller red flags without inscrip-
tions, and the scarlet, gold-fringed ban
of the Group of Atheists of the Thir-
teenth ACCOMPLISHMENT and of Gentilly."
The procession, headed by the hearsei
and carriages containing the relatives
and friends of the deceased, set itself in
motion. On the way it was saluted by
cries of "Vive la Revolution Sociale,"
."Vive I Anarchie." AS it passed guard
house the men shouted, Down with the
army :" before a church they cried,
Down with religion"
1t was near O'Clock when the cortege
reached the cemetery, already full of
people. The remains were to be placed
in vault of the Ferry family, but the
hearse could not penetrate the crowd.
First the crowns and flowers and then
the coffin itself had to be passed over
the heads of the people. The orators
could not approach the tomb. They
were obliged to mount maidstone.
twenty PAGES from the bier, in order to
deliver their speeches.
The first speaker was Citizen Ernest
Roche, who said All factions of the
Revolutionary party are represented at
this ceremony. If the Socialists differ
as to the means to be employed to make
the, Revolution triumph. they are in ac-
cord as to the end aimed at. Let our
corpses and our martyrs serve as banners.
Let us recall that the corpse of Lucrece
overturned the Tarquins, that the corpse
of Victor Noir overwhelmed the empire.
The corpse of the poor woman which we
inter to-day, assassinated bv the hang
man and the tyrants, will aid us to throw
off the yoke of those robbers of millards
who, after having pillaged France, want
to sell her to the highest bidder"
Citizen Chabert, who followed, recon-.
mended the Socialists to be prudent
until the day when they would descend
together into the street to bear off the
victory. This did not meet the views Of
Citizen Emile Digeon, rabbid Anarchist
."What means these DELAYS. all this tenn