New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-17
ODDITIES OF FRENCH LIFE
EXCESSES UNDER THE ESPIONAGE LAW
OPGAN-GRINDERS ~ CONCERT.

Paris. July l.
fear we mus. regard the epy mania as an
endemic complaint in France. just as IL APP
pears 10 have passed away in one spot IL breaks
out in another with increased fury. IL Is not
like malaria localized in any one district. out
like its kindred disease CTetinism ~ 10 De loaha
all over the country, and in all classes OF popuia-
ton There are plenty OF educated frenchmen
who are afflicted with spy-mania in as rampant
q form as the suspicious peasantry' 10 "uon the
foreigner is always an object of dlstruse
The new legislation against espionage
which hitherto has not been considered an ohence
in time OF peace has been framed under the IN
duencc OF the spy-mana. II is indiscrminate
and ferocious. resembling Chinese rather IMAM
European legislation II amounts to this that
tourist who takes a view Of a landscape WIN
camera, and has the misfortune to ihciude q
distant fort in the field OF his picture is ilaoe ~
criminal prosecution. The jury IN e"ee VI
espionage has no mercy. The TWO EneiS"Neh
who some months ago nc Saint Etehue oo'aihe"
possession Of rife which Is beihs ihaue w
private firm there for the Russian uoVerhu'en''
were convicted under this elastic act ana sen
fenced TO two years imprisonment An H"iia"
was sentenced for the same crime. Among tte
CHARGES against him was that he cut out mill
tary paragraphs in the newspapers ana sehV t"eni
~ his Government At Aurillac in the centre OF
France few IN nthS ago. an English ARTIST was
arrested for making a sketch OF mountainous
Landscape in his skctch-boOk lie was put III
handouts, was mSle TO walk thirty miles 10 uhe
district Town and was locked mp in the Jail there
for couple Of days The spot where the
alleged crime" was committed is 300 miles from
the nearest frontier or fortress, and no invading
army has ever passed it since the tame or
julius Caesar There are worse cases stu.
uuartcrmastcr at Annccy detained Tor SIN
months on a charge of espionage and was only re-
leased yesterday, his innocence having been con-
clusiyely proved.
The competitive concert Of organ-grndcrs at La
Chapee was well worth attending. The trial cf
organ grinding skill, and Of the loudness sweet
ness or relative tunecsSncss OF their performances
tool! place at wide street crossing under trop-
ical sun The occasion for the competitive CON
cert was the fair rather the ietc. Of La
Chapele a suburb whose inhabitants are mostly
street-swcepcrs scavcngers, itnerant showmen and
showwomen and male and female phenomena, good
for Barnum show in it's infancy. Many OF the
organs were gaudily new, and made for eNporta-
tim to Belgium, where they are wanted for beer
saloons Others are 10 90 10 Germany and South
America for similar uses These instruments were
mounted wagons drawn By dray horses Ihey
led of q procession Of Olganlss ana portable
organs in which the dminuendo principle was
observed At the tail end marched the iiIncrant
members Of the organgrindnS craft, who carried
their organs There were in all forty Of
them The smaller Cncs tby far the most numer-
GUS were often owned by mutilatcd persons.
The promoters OF this novel aud interesting
concert agreed 10 Civ. every grinder live francs,
thus causing the hearts Of all 70 rejoice. BESIDES.
%. IN Tiyax
one Of which amounted TO twenty-five francs The
other awards were respectively for sums " twenty
and fifteen francs Then there match.
which was 10 be won by the first second and third.
in a haf-milc walk. the contestants carrying their
organs. OF course the crippe- could not compete,
but their wives were allowed to be their proxies.
They had 10 keep grinding out tunes as they adj
vanccd woman won a first prize. The player
who held out the longest WIS to get the highest
prizc in money and a medal The organs at the
end OF this curious match were arranged ~ form
an orchestra. and three local brass bands accom-
panied them blowing blariug fanfares or hourishcs
" trumpcts. All the organs did not start AZ the
sauie time but the dogs land they were legion
howled al the same instant Small boys Joined III
the cacophony with which they were delighted.
FortysiN tunes were ground out, but they were
drowned by the dogs aud the far more sirIdcnt
sounds Of the cllrions. In all justice the canine
vocalists should have been rewarded with s,me
special prizes.
This is a country Of sensational funerals People
attend "a grand funeral they might 20 10 the
theatre 4 remarkable one has just stirred Nancy
where regi Us fanatcism, and antireigious iana'-
icsin also, run high. II was that OF an old maiden
lady. who bore the name Of Manuals. She was an
ca primary school mistress who when far adj
vanced in lie VAS left u fortune Of 10000 francs
which she IN turn bequeathed to the town OF
Nancy. She ordained that she was to have free
thought funeral. that tie hcarsc was to be that OF
"a pauIrr, and that her coffin was to be- painted
with the national colors. There was provision 10
dress fifty young girls 10 attend her ohsequies. In
ircolored muslin, and 10 provide them with
bouquets 10 match. The Project, Mayor. Town
Council and other local magnatcs sympathizing
with the free-thinkins principles OF the deceased
walked behind the hearsc, and the Prclcct anu
Mayor delivered funeral orations over the grave.
f.. &.