Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-11-30
SLAIN BY BONAF hRTE.
A Story That iie Killed a French Colonel
with His sword.

-
with His sword.
Tho National Zeitung relates a
story about Napoleon l which is
vouchod for by an old citizen of Err.
furt, who in 1872 WAS present when
the incident occurred being then q
member Of tho guard of honor cs-
corting NAPOLEON while III the city.
He states that Napoleon, while in a
fit of temper, stabbed and killed ono
of his staff officers OH the parade
ground. The old man says:
Great masses of troops on tho
march to Russia came in every day.
The contributions and acquisitions
became heavier every day, and the
sulferings of the inhabitants of En-
furt had reached II point that SEEM
ed intolcrablc and Il further in
crease could hardly have been posi-
bic, All private houses were over
ridden hy soldiers, and the ordinary
necessities Of life roso in price to an
extent heretofore unknown. All
commerce ard ordinary traffic wero
stopped. The French officers domi-
nccrel the local authorities, and the
inhabitants We're restricted in their
movements to the most narrow linn
its. Finally Napoleon himself ar
rived. and Il great ro|icw was ar
RANGED for in TIE vicinity Of tho
town. During TINS parade ii careful
inspection Of every regiment was
ordered by the emperor, who him.
self assisted III the work
AT one regiment OF artillery tho
emperor HAIRED, III %noanioa from
his charger and c:.ruiuiiy inquired
into the condition Of tho regiment,
personally inspA4tlnI the equip
mcnts of the ni'..iI,Tist.;, and, in
some cases, demanding OF the mon
to take off their Clol les, so that thoy
might be more carefully inspected.
1t was ru.nyrGd that n complaint
had been made to the emperor by
some men IRON that regiment that
the None, nat had boon provided
for now euU!pNiOntS Lad only par
tally been used Tor that purpose,
the greater l..It Of it having found
its way lHto IL PECK - OF the COLO
nci; also lunt tie iutluns were rath-
er scant uIi uf nll ia .lity. During
this in'pIrIpn tln CDGi.uundor OF
tho regiment rJ.lllialul ut the sido
of tho nul .y4'Or; tnulr conversation
being carried on il 50 low ii tone 10
one could understand what they
were speaking about. The emperor
seemed very mach dissatisfied,
Suddenly ,,.3 emperor drew his
sword and made ID lIngo with it at
tho colonel, who fell back with Il
deND wound in his breast. 1mmedi-
atCly tho Imperial suit made Il cir
Gle around ito $50, shutting out al
the rest OF the proceedings from the
Wow OF others present. Napoleon
returned to the city on horseback
short IS after thI occurrence, and the
colonel, VINO died shortly after he
was wOun,!cd, WAS carried to his
quarters on litter and buried the
next day. No paper dared to men,
ton the affair, and word was given
out to those present that they should
not dare to speak of what they had
seen, or thoy would be held respon-
sibo for tho consequences. The en-
poror's spies being known to circu-
late freely in Erfurt at the time,
good care was taken not to speak Of
the matter. Thus it was that this
murderous deed of the quick tenn
pered Co-sican was not mentioned
in historical works, although tradi-
ton has COB tinued it to our days.