The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-21

dIlSJ Aug. Iu.--E airs was lOudy the
scene of most serious disturbances, re-
calling some aspects of the commune.
In response to an appeal of the journals
lie Peuple and La Petite Republique,
groups of anarchists and socialists
gathered about o'clock in the after
noon in the place de la Republique.
The police had taken precautions, and
there seemed no danger of disorder.
Sebastian Faure and Faberot, we'll
known revolutionary anarchists, were
the ringleaders. Faure, standing on
the pedestal of the statue which rises
in the centre of the place de la Repub-
lique, addressed the crowd. Among
other things, he said was that the an
archists should be masters of the
streets. The police then interfered
and dislodged Faure and Faberot, max
ing three arrests.
The crowd at this point dispersed but
column of demonstrators, headed by
Faure and Henri IIorr, made for the
place de la Nation. The police broke
through the column, and a struggle for
the mastery followed. Shots were fired
and NJ. Coulter, commissary of police,
was twice stabbed with a knife
This threw the police into moment
airy confusion. The mob reassembled
and ran toward the place de la Nation.
The police, reinforced by squad that
had been held in reserve, made an
other attempt to stem the current. and
fresh, fierce fighting occurred, three
constables being wounded. Faure and
d Horn jumped in passing street car
that was going to the place de la Re-
publique, and the car driver, on arriv-
ing there, gave signal to the police,
who Immediately arrested them both
together with two other anarchists, Jos.
Terrier and Jean Perrin. All were con-
veyed to the Chateau d Eau barracks.
Only dHorr was found in possession of
firearms.
In the meantime, the anarchist mob
retraced it's course to the place de la
Republique, smashing the windows of
religious edifices on the way. Sudden
ly, either at the word of command or
in obedience to impulse, the column
made loop and curved toward the
church of St. Ambrose, where the riot
ers smashed the windows.
Proceeding thence toward the Fa-
bourg du Temple, which they reached
at the corner of the Rue Darboy and
the Rue St. -Popincourt, they.
formed up into compact body. Hatch
cts were suddenly produced with long
knives stolen from the countless shops
and a concerted rush was made upon
the Church of st. Joseph.
The aged sacristan, seeing the mob,
hastily closed the outer gates, but these
were soon forced with hatchets and bars
of iron. The massive oaken doors were
then attacked
The wild mob burst into the church
which instantly became a scene of pill
lage and sacrilege. Affairs, fonts and
statues were hurled to the floor and
smashed; pictures were rent; candle
sticks, ornaments and hosts from high
affairs were thrown down and trampled
under foot. The crucifix above was
made the target for missiles and the
figure of the Savior was fractured in
several places.
Then, while rancous voices sang the
"Carmagnole." the chairs were carried
outside, piled UP and set on fire in the
center Of the square fronting the
church.
When this stage was reached the
crucifix was pulled down and thrown
into the flames. Suddenly a cry was
raised that the statue of the virgin had
been forgotten and the crowd returned
and tore this down also.
Meanwhile the sacristan who had
been captured by the anarchists, escap-
ed and called for the police and re-
publican guards, who promptly arrived
with many constables. They were COM
PEELED to fall back in order to form up
into line of defence, as the anarchists
beat them fearfully with knives. At
length the officers began to gain the
mastery. Most of the anarchists took
refuge in an adjacent house. Others
secreted themselves in the belfry.
Twenty anarchists were arrested,
taken to the police station, searched
and found to be carrying revolvers,
Loaded sticks and knives. When the
police entered the church the anar-
chists had just set fire to the pulpit.
plete wreck. Several valuable pictures
that can never be replaced were ruined.
After the mob had been driven away
Able Lacour the incumbent, collected
the fragments of the sacrament and
replaced them in the ciberium. AS he
did so he was heard bitterly lamenting
The people Lying in the houses nearby
extinguished the bonfire.
Midnight.-Since o'clock the de-
monstrators, as far as Care de FEST,
have been repeatedly driven back by
police charges, the crowd crying 'Vive
rarmee," and "vive la republique."
The police also dispersed a crowd of
gamins, who were burning bundles of
newspapers.
About 10 o'clock disorders occurred
on the Boulevard de Magenta and
Boulevard de Strasbourg. Several re-
volver shots were fired but nobody was
inturea. Eve nswspaDer kiosks were