The record-union., 1899-09-21
THE GREAT FARCE.

Inc EfeQcn love ID6dlI1CdIS. LASy
are dramatic in all they do. The whole
nation poses for effect. A half dozen
stalwart policemen of any large Amer
lean city would have gone into Guerin's
house. have made him prisoner and
have marched him off to Jail without
any difficulty. But Guerin has sur
rendered. Like the sagacious General
who yields to superior numbers, he has
capitulated and marched out with the
honors OF war, but remains a prisoner
in the hands of the enemy.
But how was this victory achieved
after a six weeks siege in the very
midst of the city Of Paris, during which
time Guerin stood. off the French ma
ton? Tuesday the Government resolved
upon heroic measures, and this is how
it proceeded. 1t sent an ultimatum to
Guerin that he must surrender at
a m. on Wednesday or take the conse-
Quences.. Note what these were pre-
prepared to be, and judge if this lone
rebel was as wise as Davy Crockett's
coon2
The Government surrounded the en-
tire section for a quarter of a mile in
diameter with troops and officers of
police, closing all the streets and sus-
pending communication for the night
between all houses in the vicinity of
Guerin's residence. In each street lead
ing to the house it massed swarms
of policemen. Next to these was a
double row Of mounted municipal
guards; supporting these a Gordon of
policemen. In front of the first array
of police was a double hedge Of infantry
heavily armed and equipped for field
service; in front of the infantry and
within twenty yards of fort Guerin was
aLother row of infantry, and in a semi
circle in front Of the house was an
other row of municipal guards.
The preparations resembled the pre-
liminaries for assault upon a strongly
fortified town. The Gordon about the
place was maintained with the great
est strictness. But this was not all the
force called out to capture lone man
and half dozen companions whom the
police did not care to take.
There were 200 military engineers on
hand with all their trapping and mining
outfit There were troops Of cavalry in
addition to the mounted guards, squads
of secret service officers were stationed
here and there and detectives in cabs
were close UP in every street leading
to the fort, while plenty of ambulances
were at hand to carry away the wound
ed and prisoners.
Every house near Guerin's was occu-
pied by swarms Of police, and to top all,
there came 100 firemen with several
steam fire engines and miles of hose.
The hose men mounted the walls of
adjacent houses; lines of hose were run
up to them on ladders; the engines were
fred up, suction taken and steam kept
at high pressure. AS the hour for the
expiration OF the truce approached, a
Colonel in full uniform arrived, and
then two Majors, and then a Command
ing General. The troops saluted, opened
ranks and the officers passed through
Then came Chiefs of Police and police
departments. one or two high officers
Of Government, and a swarm of lesser
officials.
The plan was to have the 1000 po-
lcemen attack the house. If there was
resistance, the infantry would come to
the rescue. Just where the mounted
guards and other cavalry were to come
in does not appear. but they were on
hand. II 1t became necessary to order
the infantry and municipal guards to
charge, then the flremen were to turn
on the water and flooding the place
drown Guerin out like a rat from his
hole. As he emerged the 1000 police
men, the regiments of infantry, the
troops Of cavalry, the companies of
mounted guards, the battalions Of mu-
nicipal guards, the 200 engineers, the
scores Of detectives and the platoons
of secret service agents would close in
and capture the fleeing man.
- "1S d HoDlS pAdn' d nefolc measure
and it won a glorious victory for
France. Guerin hung out a black flag
In defiance, a white flag in token of
surrender, opened his door, bowed to
the police, stepped into a cab and was
carted off to prison and there was an
end of it. If the. writers of Opera Bouffe
and farce comedy miss this opportunity
of their lives they deserve to die de-
spised of men and the scorn of the ages.