Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-04-04
nApoLEon,s BAD TEMPER.
corsican Love OF Vengeance Gets the Bst-
ter OF the Conqueror.

ter OF the conqueror.
The French commandment of a town
through which Lutzow, had passed on
ais return journey TO the Elbe had en-
Nrtained him at dinner--as a matter VI
courtesy to a fellow-soldier during an
armistice. Napoleon heard of this, and
Immediately ordered him to Dresden,
there to explain his conduct. The
French commandant hurried to his mas
ter, and at once sought to justify him
self by showing that Lutzow had acted
in perfect accord with the rules of war.
But Napoleon interrupted him with vio-
lence,, and heaped upon him gross in
suits. He told him he should have
seized zee brigand Lutzow, chef du
corps de la Vengeance" that he should
at once have tried him for highway
robbery, or, better still, ordered him
shot at once without trial. The poor
commandant, who had done nothing
but his duty as a soldier and man of
honor, sought in vain to justify him
self. But Napoleon was mad with
anger. Lutzow at the moment seemed
TO have escaped him, and his Corsican
love of vengeance clouded every other
feeling. Though his commandant was
decorated with the cross of the Legion
of Honor, so furious was the emperor
that he snatched the epaulets from his
shoulders and ordered him to Ego to the
devil"
This circumstance was related to Lut-
zow by the French commandant after
the allies had entered Paris and Napo-
leon had been removed to Elba.
But Napoleon was still more angry
when he heard that these Lutzow brig
lnds" had been received with demon
STATIONS of sympathy after their cap
ture by the troops of Alright. He made
an order, dated June 20, placing Leip-
zig under military law, making all the
police subject to the military author
ity, and providing for a forced con-
tribution by way of punishment.
Two days later the Corsican kinsman
Alright announced that "the town Of
Leipzig has incurred the displeasure of
his majesty the emperor to a high de-
gree, on account of the bad behavior in
connection with recent military and
political events. Therefore, be it en-
acted that whatsoever shall hereafter
show aversion towards the French, or
incur suspicion for behavior towards
their allies, shall be treated as a traitor,
be arrested at once, and brought before
the French military authorities for the
severest punishment"
Six days were allowed in which the
citizens should give up every weapon
they had. All provisions were confis-
Gated by authority. and Leipzig was
still further punished by being forced
to furnish all supplies to the fortress
of Wittenberg on the Elbe-the Wit
tenberg of Martin Luther.
The city fathers of Leipzig came hum
bly, TO Dresden and begged an audience
of their mighty conqueror, but they
begged long before they were allowed
even to see him. Finally they were adj
mitted, and at once he turned upon
them the same character of abuse he
had heaped upon the French command.
ant of few days before. He called
them ounces and sleepy-heads, and said
they did not know what was going OH
under their noses; that they should
have seized the Lutzow men and sent
them to the galleys, or, better still.
have hung them.
Zach time that the city fathers at
to say anything, Napoleon !
broke in with renewed abuse, until he |
deemed his time exhausted, when he
turned his back upon them, slammed |
the door in their faces, and sent them .
home to ponder over the relative merits
of different forms of government
Bigelow, in Harper's Maya
zine.