New-York tribune., 1899-12-04
PARTISAN "PERQUISITION.'
TIONIsTs' PREMISES IN PARIS TO
CHECK THEIR DIsLOYALTY
Paris. November L.

Popular reaction against the ecclesiastIcai
propaganda attacks upon the republic has al
ready been aroused. The police raid made on
Saturday upon the premises Of the Assumption
ist Fathers by order Of NJ Waldeck- Rousseau IA
emphatically indorsed by the Republican press
throughout the country. and Is hailed with en-
thusiasm by the entire Voltairian element in
France The Cabinet has sgnned It's intention
OF prosecuting the Assumptionsts and other
religious congregations as members OF Illegal
associations The domiciliary visits made At
sunrise on Saturday morning at the Assump-
ZIONIST establishments in Paris and the prov
inces including the editors compositOrs and
printing rooms OF the "Croix." the Clerical
newspaper which, as already described in The
Tribune, took leading part in the Dreyfus
persecution. are likely to be followed by similar
measures against other Roman Catholic asso-
Citations.
oDomiciIiary visits" and search warrants
are the favorite administrative weapons in the
present struggle between republican France and
her clerical and ant-Semite antagonists.
description Of the way In which these per
ouisltions" are executed seems just now to be OF
special interest.
The Assumptionists, or, TO give them their full
title. "the Augustin Fathers Of the Assump-
tion" were dispersed by the Gambetta and
Ferry laws In 1880. This militant community
has since gradually reganed possession OF its
former converts and property. and under the
ouise of religious propaganda and works OF
charity has for several years carried on politi-
cal campaign against republican institutions.
THE .Croix" feigns to accept the Pontihcal direc-
tjons to adhere to the existing regime but IN
reality the republic has no more bitter nor
more dangerous enemy. All the Boulangist Ma
tionalist and anti-Semte factions are backed
by the "Croix." which is clerical and royalist
above everything and cherishes merciless hatred
for liberalism and modern progress sincere
and broad minded Catholics like the late count
Montalambert, like NJ. Etienne Lamy' ana ike
NJ Cornely. are denounced in the "Croix as II
they were heathens. The "Croix,' with incred-
ih,a fanaticism and mendacity, also strives 10
MI, dovn the idea OF "rallying" to the republic,
ubich was commended by Leo XIII In his en-
cvcI,cal 10 the French bishops. AS the "Iemps
no,nts out. the Jacobin supporters OF the vio-
lent conflict between the Church ana the re-
public have had no more usefui co-opefato's
than the Assumptionist Fathers" The present
prosecutions, however, are not directed against
the Assumptionists because they are unau-
thorized congregations" Such measures VIII
nrobabIy be reserved for another occasion but
thev are proceeded against for constituting
secret society OF more than twenty-one members
an indictable offence by virtue OK Article -9l OF
the Penal Code.
The orders for the "perquisition' against ths
Assurntionists had been carefully drawn up
by NJ Waldeck-R Rousseau In his capacity ="
Minister of the Interior. At o'clock on Friday
evening the search warrants were In the hanos
q, the various magistrates at Paris, Bordeaux
cities where the Assumptionists carried on tnelr
onerations and where the "Croix and It's ANN
ated provincial editions are printed and circu-
lated Eight o'clock Saturday morning was the
time fixed for the domciliary visits at the AS
sunntionist establishments in Paris and the
nrovinces The "perquisition" in Paris was car
ried out as follows At 10 o'clock on Friday
evening ten police commissaries OF Paris met
Of the office of NJ. Fabre, juge dinstruction,
who had been selected by NJ. WaldecK-housseau
for the execution OF the order NJ. faore named
the search warrants to the police cofhhssarles
and told them to hold themselves In readihess
at g O'clock the following morning, Win esh'!
no,ica AGENTS IN front Of the buildings OF the
As.umntionists in the Rue FRANCOIS Premier ana
adjoining streets This unusual number OF
rol,cemen was necessary in order to prevent
the fathers from removing papers or documents
from one room to another during the search
The plan of the Assumptonist premises had
been previously distributed to the ponce agents
The buildings occupy nearly an acre IN e~'eH'
and are situated in the Rue FRANCOIS Frei'ie'' III
. faehionable quarter Of Paris where MANY
American families live. There are several .A-
frances opening on the Rue Francois Premier
the Rue Bayard and the Cours-la- RENE. snort
~ before 8 o'clock the premises were surrounded
Zach nf "a
missaries was accompanied by secretary.
no,ice inspector and a locksmth. This force
employed numbered 1870 and made quite an I'M
posing appearance. Commssary Guenn knocked
at No. s Rue Francois Premier. Commissary
Archer knocked at No. 3 Rue Bayard and Com
missary Mourges knocked at No 20 Cours-a-
Refine Father Bailly. editor OF the "Croix,
opened the door at No. Rue FRANCOIS Premier
He was dressed in brown cassock and wore
sandals He begged the commssary OF police
who displayed his insignia OF office in the shape
OF a broad tri-colored sash. TO walt moment
TO enable him to consult with the Father Su-
perior. The commissary, however. slipped IN,
and following Father Bailly to the door OF the
composing room said: Unless you open the
door I shall be obliged to force an entrance
and directed the locksmith TO get his tools ready
for that purpose.
The entire premises were then ransacked by the
police. Books and papers were examined. Sleep
ing rooms beds and bedding were searched
Closets and cupboards were opened. relocked
and sealed. The search lasted five hours. The
police agents discovered in old chest the
sum OF 100000 francs (about S360,0OO In
banknotes gold and silver. A large amount
OF this sum was in coins OF one. two ard five
franc denominations This secret hoard OF the
reverend fathers is said to constitute a sort OF
war chest" TO be drawn upon at moments
notice for the purpose Of fomenting revolution.
There was a strange scene In the composing
room Of the Assumptlonists where hfty lay SIS