River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-08-24
WORK OF WILD MOB.
Days of Commune Are Recalled in
France.
Police break Up nm Anarchist Meet
Ing = Crowd Attacks and De-
spoiIs Church--Many
Persons Hurt.

Paris, Aug. 21.--Paris was on Sun
day the scene of most serious dis
turbances, recalling some aspects of
the commune. In response to an APP
peal of the Journal lie Peuple, and La
Petite Republique, groups of anarch-
lists and socialists gathered about three
o'clock in the afternoon in the Place
de la Republique. The police had taken
precautions, and there seemed no dan
ger of disorders. Sebastion Faure and
Faberot, well-known revolutionary an
archists, were the ringleaders. Faure,
standing on the pedestal of the statue
which rises in the center of the Place
de la Republique, addressed the crowd.
Among other things, he said that the an
archists should be masters of the
streets.
Police Take a Hand.
The police then interfered and dis
lodged Faure and Faberot, making
three arrests. The crowd at this
point dispersed, but column of dem
onstrators, headed by Faure and Henri
D'Horr, made for the Place de la Ma
ton. The police broke through the
column and struggle for the mastery
followed. Shots were fired and NJ.
Coulter, commissary of police, was
twice stabbed with 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'Horr jumped into passing street ear
that was going to the Place de la Re
publique and the ear driver on arriving
there gave signal to the police, who
Immediately arrested them boil to-
gether with two other anarchists, Jo-
seph Terrier and Jean Perrin. All were
conveyed to the Chateau d'Eau bar
racks. Only D'Horr was found in pos
session of firearms.
Mob Attacks Churches.
In the meantime the anarchist mob
retraced its course TO the Place de la
Republique, smashing the windows OF
religious edifices on the way. Sud
denly, either at the word of command
or in obedience to impulse, the col
umn made loop and curved toward the
church of St. Ambrose, where the riot
ers smashed the windows. Proceed
ing thence toward the Faubourg du
Temple, which reached at the corner
of the Rue Darboy and the Rue st.
ri-Popincourt, they formed up into
a compact body. Hatchets were sud
denly produced, with long knives stolen
from the counters of shops, and con-
certed rush was made upon the church
of ST. Joseph. The aged Sacristan, see
ing the mob, hastily closed the outer
oates, but these were soon forced with
hatchets and bars of iron. The massive
oaken doors were then attacked.
Church Ransacked.
According to the first account the
instantly became a scene of pillage and
sacrilege. Affairs and statues were
hurled to the floor and smashed, pic
lures were rent, candlesticks, orua-
ments and hosts from high affairs were
thrown down and trampled under foot.
The crucifx above was made the target
for missiles and the figure of the
Saviour was fractured in several places.
Then, while raucous voices sang the
-Carmagnole," the chairs were carried
outside, piled up and set on fire i'll the
center of the square fronting the
church.
Crucifx In the Flames.
When this stage was reached the cru
cifix was pulled down and thrown into
the flames. Suddenly the cry was
raised that the statue of the Virgin
had been forgotten and the crowd re-
turned and tore this down also.
Police and Mob Fight.
Meanwhile the sacristan, who had
been captured by the anarchists, es-
capped and called the police and repub-
lican guards, who promptly arrived,
with many constables. They were com
PEELED to fall back in order to form
up into line of defense, as the anarch-
lists attacked them fearfully with
knives. At length the officers began to
gain the mastery. A score of anarch-
lists took refuge in an adjacent house.
Others intrenched themselves in the
belfry and fiercely defended themselves
by showering missiles on the republic
an guards, but finally these were dis
lodged. Twenty anarchists were arrest
ed, taken TO the police station, searched
and found to be carrying reyolvers,
loaded sticks and knives.
Two Cafes wrecked.
Besides ST. Joseph church two cafes
were wrecked.
At late hour 10000 people were in
the Boulevard de Magenta, which runs
past the end of the Rue de Chabrol.
They were kept constantly moving by
the republican guards, who made a re-
markable display of force. Large bodies
of police were constantly operating in
and around the Rue de Chabrol and a
large force was held in readiness at the
nearest barracks.
Over 500 Hurt.
Paris, Aug. 81, $3.50 a. m.-The pre-
lecture of police gives the following
statistics of yesterdays riots;
Injured, $50; taken to hospitals, $50:
police agents wounded, 81; arrests, $50;
detained in custody, SO.