Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-08-26
RIOTS IN PARIS STREETS
Churches Entered and Pillaged by
q Sacrilegious Mob.
AFFAIRS AND STATUES SMASHED.


AFFAIRS AND STATUES SMASHED.
Tho Figures of the Savior and the
Virgin Torn Down, Brol<en and
rhrown Into IL Bonflro Built From
Articles Taken From the Edifice.
Paris. Aug. 21.-Paris was yesterday
The scene If most serious disturbances,
recalling some aspects Of the commune.
In response to an appeal of the Journal
du Pouple and la Petite Repub-
lique, groups OF anarchists and social
ISIS gathered about 3 o'clock in the
afternoon in the Place de Ii Repuh-
ipc The police had taken precautions
and there seemed TO danger of dis
orders. Sebastion Faure and Faberot,
well known revolutionary anarchists
were the ringleaders. Faure, standing
on the pedestal Of the statue when
rises in the center of the Place de la
Repmblique, addressed the crowd.
The police then interlercd and dis
lodged FaWe and Faherto, making
three arrests The crowd ut this point
dispersed, but Il column OF demon
strators headed by Faure and Henri q
Horn, made for the Place de la Nation.
The police broke through the column
and struggle for the mastery fol-
lowed. Shots were fired and M. Goul-
lier. commissary Of police was twice
stabbed with ii knife.
This threw the police into momcn-
Tim nj, G.pfn hln0
and ran toward The Place de ia Nation.
The police. reinforced by squad that
had been held in reserve. made another
attempt to stem the current. and fresh
fierce fighting occurred, three con-
stables being wounded.
In the meantime the anarchist mob
retraced its course to the Place de la
Republique. smashing the windows OF
religious cdiiices on the way. Suddenly,
either at the word of command or in
obedience to impulse, the column made
a loop and curved toward the Church
of st. Ambrose. where the rioters
smashed the windows.
Proceeding thence toward the Eau
borg du Temple. which they reached.
they formed up into Il compact body.
EIatchets were suddenly produced.
with long knives stolen from the count
crs of shops. and 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 horde burst into the
church. which instantly became scene
of pillage and sacrileee. Affairs 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 Saviour was fractured in
several places Then. while raucous
Voices sang the "Carnagnole. 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
cruciiix 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 his down also.
At length the officers began to gain
the mastery a score Of anarchists
took refuge in an adjacent house.
/ Others cntreuchcd themselves in the
belfry and iiercely defended themselves
by showcr:ne missiles on the republic
can guards. but finally these were dis
lodged Twenty anarchists were ar
rested. taken to the police station,
searched and fcund to be carrying re-
yolvers, loaded sticks and knives.
When the police entered the church
the anarchists had just set fire to the
rulnit. The interior OF the edifice was
a complete wreck. Several valuable old
pictures that can never he replaced
F: we're ruined. After the mob had been
driven away, Able Lacour. the incum-
bent. collected the fragments of the
sacrament and replaced them In the
cihorium The people living in the
houses nearby extinguished the bonfire.
An attempt was made 10 fire the
choir of st. Joseph's with petroleum
and the fremen were called to quench
the flames. Several parishioners were
/ severely maulcd in their efforts to de-
rend the church from sacrilege.
4 lamentabe feature of the affair
is that it will be regarded as a pro-
| Dreyfus demonstration and react
greatly to the detriment of the chances
of acauital. It is much to be feared
that yesterdays scenes were due to the
weakness the government has dis
played over the Guerin affair. The
governments liberation and desire to
avoid bloodshed has been misinter-
preted with the worst results.
The prefecture of police gives the
following statistics Of yesterday 'sriots:
Three hundred and eighty persons
were injured Three hundred and
sixty were taken to the hospitals.
Fifty-nine police agents were wound
ed besides Commiassaires Coulter and
! Domsimone. One hundred and fifty
persons were arrested, OF whom eighty
,,,.a 6otaipa1 in ruCtclV