The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-27
Ravachol Terr0rizes Court and
Escapes the Guillotine.
HE BOASTS OF HIS DEEDS.
The Frightened Jury Acquits ALI but
One of His Comrades.
Blowing Up of M. very's Restaurant
Has the Intended ETect-The Court
Room Full of Soldiers, and the City
in . PanIc-waiting for May Day.

Belea, Charles Ferdinand Chaumartin and
girl named Rosalie Soubere began today.
So many threats had been made that the
friends of the prisoners would attempt
some desperate act, that admission to the
court was severely restricted. The utmost
precautions were taken to guard against
any attempt to interfere with course of JUS
tice.. The guards about the Palais de JUS
tice were doubled, and every part of the
approaches to the building closely
watched. When the Judge entered he at
once summoned a jury, who presented
a greatly disturbed appearance. The
threats of the friends of the
frightened the jurors, and a journalist
present expressed the opinion that it
would require very strong evidence to
forcs them to render a verdict of guilty in
the face of threats of death made against
them If they decide against the prisoners.
The explosion last night had much to do
with the apparent unwillingness of jurors
to serve in the case, for that is taken to
prove that the poli,e will not be able to
protect the jurors after the trial has been
finished. After the jurors had taken their
places the prisoners, headed by Ravachol,
were brought in guarded by an immense
number of police. Proceedings were at
once commrnced by reading the indict-
ment, which occupied considerable time.
Everybody in the courtroom stared
at the prisoners as they stood listening to
the reading of the indictment. They bore
the scrutiny composedly, and appeared
more disposed to pose as heroes than to
pay attention to the clerk of the court as
he read the history of their crimes as set
forth in the Indictment. In the center of
the courtroom was table covered with
boms, the apparatus with which they
were made and everything the police had
captured. When the reading of the in
dictment had been concluded, Judge
Guese examined Ravachol concerning the
murders which it is charged he committed,
and also concerning the explosions. Raw
achol, in nonchalant manner, admitted
his guilt, and took upon himself the en-
tire responsibility for the Boulevard st.
German and Rue Clichy explosions.
Questioned as to his motives for causing
the explosions, Ravachol replied:
l had feeling of unfeigned anger at the con-
viction of Levallios and Perret. l do nos think
Benoit aud Bulot should have demanded the
death of fathers of families. Then, again, the
brutality of the police when they arrested my
comrades revolted my conscience, and deter
mined upon revenge With regard to the st.
Germain explosion, loaded bomb that con-
tanned sixty cartridges. / dressed myself in
broadcloth and went to Benoit's house
without attracting attention. After deposit
ing the machine and lighting the fuse,
ran down stairs and reached the pavement
just as the explosion occurred. The
operation in Rue Ciichy was much the same,
xlr-I r;aA flah y tn, h,nx
the powder became displaced. This rendered it
extremely dangerous to light the bomb, as it
might have exploded at any instant, Yeti did
not hesitate to take the risk.
Ravachol concluded his remarks with an
exposition of his theories. He said:
l wish to see anarchy established and the
whole people live as one great family, each
member ready TO share what he has with his
brethren. l committed these outrages in order
to draw the attention of the public to the needs
of the anarchists.
revelations were obtained from him. He
admitted completely in the outrages.
Chaumartin said. when questioned, that
Ravachol stole from Soissy cartrigdes
which he intended to use in blowing up the
Paiais de Justice. The other two prisoners
tried to exculpate themselves. Witnesses
were then called, and their testimony
corroborated all the details as set forth in
the indictment.
When Judge Guese questioned Ravachol
he admitted in an insolent manner that
his criminal history so far as it is known
to the police, but added that if he was
questioned concerning crimes of which he
was suspected and not accused he would
not respond. The judge asked him if the
sum of 5000 francs found in his room
when arrested was the proceeds of the
murder of an old man at Chambles. "Pre-
cisely," answered Ravachol, glancing
around as though enjoying the effect the
answer produced. He admitted that he
intended killing the policeman stationed
in front of the police station at Chchy,
but as prevented by friends.
In his address the public prosecutor de-
clared the prisoners to be assassins and
not anarchists, and that the trial therefore
was merely matter of com mon law He
caused sensation when he read a letter
from Belgian magistrate informing him
that anarchists were sending cartridges TO
Paris. He concluded by calling on the
jury to return a verdict against Ravachol
and Simon without any recommendation
of mercy, and to return a severe verdict
against Beala. The other two prisoners he
left to the discretion of the jury.
A force of municipal guards was kept
under arms at the prefectures all day,
while the Palais de Justice fairly swarmed
with republican guards ready to crush any
attempt at a demonstration or TO blow up
the place with dynamite.
Atop. m. the court re-assembled, after
recess. La Gasse began his address
for Ravachot and insisted that the
prisoners offences were political and
not common law crimes. Ravachol
only wanted to assist the poverty
stricken class to which he him
self belonged. He appealed TO the jury to
imagine themselves in world of misery
with which Ravachol was acquainted, and
said one must be of great strength of
mind to resist becoming an anarchist in
the face OF such scenes of misery and acts
of injustice.
La Gasse concluded his impassioned ora
ton. almost amounting to defense of
anarchy, by asking q verdict in accordance
with what he considered extenuatIne cir
cumstances. Simon's attorneys next ad-
dressed the jury. After the attorneys OF
the other prisoners had addressed the
jury, Ravachol was permitted to address
the court. He declared himself in full
confidence that his actions would bear
fruit, adding: May nay unintentional
victims understand and pardon my acts. "
The judge summed I'M lrieay and the