The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-22
NJ. CONSTANTS COURAGE.
The Minister OF Ia Interior Once Frc
vented u Terrible CarnnXc.

The M,nyster or tho Interior Once Pro-
vented a Terrible Carnage.
Comparatively few Frenchmon exist who
reoolleot that M. Constans, the able aud
determined miniGtor OF tho interior, was
once the hero OF an exploit equally IA full
OF daring md devotedness "a that per
formed on Friday at Fourmies by the Able
| Margerin, VII o rushed between the troops
as they were about to fire and the crowd of
miners. The adventure of -. Conatans
happened at Toulouse duting the commune
OF 1871, which had broken out with great
violence in the south of France az we'll aa In
Paris. In March. 1871, Comte de keratry.
an ex-minister of police. but at that time
project OF the department OF the liaute-
Garonne, was directed by NJ. Ihiers 10 pro.
coed ut onse to Toulouse. in order to quell
tins revolutionary disturbances there. Inc
situation wAa a periious ono enough Tor
the government. asthe commune had ALREADY
been proclaimed ut Marseilles, Carosssone
and ST. Etienne, while Toulouse possessed
an arsenal full Of artillery, munitions and
stores, which made it the key OF tho south.
Comte dc keratry arrived IN the town Just
as the insurgents had succeeded IN oaptur-
ing tho prefecture and the capitol. tie had
before his eyes the fate of another project,
whose throat had been cut in his office at
st. Etienne, and that of Admiral Cosnier.
as old sea dog. who. being compelled to
CHDltOlnJe TO tho H1bISSlllSS COAhAIAAAAAotos
blew out his brains in despair.
Nevertheless, the count resolved to aot
with promptness and energy. be had with
him sixty Dragons, and, advancing toward
the arsenal, met several generals n oil-
cials who were parleying with the rebels.
One Of the former gave MN an agreement
which had been signed by the communist
leaders, but this document M. DC keratry
tore up c~ontemptuously, and obtaining a
reinforcement from the local troops OF the
government. consisting of sixty artillery
men, armed with mitrailleuses, he look up
rebels, we'll supplied with rifles and cannon,
we're in possession. Then the project
crossed over boldly to the insurgents, hav-
ing previously told his mon to open hre
With the mitrailleuses if he did not re-
turn. He asked the rebels once
for all to give ~ up tneir arms
ers conferred for a moment together and
then replied in the negative. very well,'
said the project, taking out his watch, IN
ten minutes time the mitrailleuses will
open fire on your. He then saluted and re-
turned to his own side. just as the ten
minutes were up the procurator-Eeneral OF
the local court emerged from the midst of
the government forces and read the riot act,
or rather called on rebels three times to
surrender. NJ. de Keratry, hearing. no re-
,sponss, called out to General des koettes,
uncle of the Marquis de Gall!het, do
your duty. Open tire.'' AT that dangerous
moment i've mon rushed out of the crowd
of communists toward Nd. Keratry. at the
peril Of their lives. One of them was nj. Con-
STAINS, then a law professor at Toulouse, and
he supplicated the project, in the name of
the living God. to give him and his COM
panion five MINUTES in order to parley with
the mob. The request was granted. Pro
lessor Constans induced the insurgents to
surrender, and a seemingly inevitable car
mage was obviated.-London Telegraph.