The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-06
VIII Fight 1t Out To-Day in the Mu-
nfcipal Elections, Which Will BE
Held Throughout France.
BOLD ATTEMPT AT ABDUCTION
DAYLIGHT EFFORT TO STEAL A
CHILD ON THE CHAMPS ELYSEE.
Details of the Opening Of the Ameri-
can Pavilion at the Expedition
Selection of the Juries.

Copyright. 1900. by the Associated Press)
PARIS, May 5.-Foreign visitors to Paris
this week find the dead walls covered with
huge colored posters setting forth the cleo
toral manifestoes of the candidates at the
municipal elections which are TO be held
tomorrow Sunday throughout France.
The results are awaited with particular
interest, owing TO the announced intention
of the Nationalist to utilize the election
as a field of battle to test the feeling OF
the country on the government policy,
especially in domestic matters. This In
PRODUCTION of general politics into NUM-
cipal elections by the Nationalists is
breach of the truce tacitly entered into be-
tween the various parties during the
period of the exposition. The recent acct
dents at the exposition have served them as
a weapon of attack on the Ministry. and
this explains their incessant attempts to
cast responsibility on NJ. Millerand. This
campaign is intended largely for the cleo
torate of Paris. where the Nationalist will
make their most determined assault. They
have eighty candidates, and their success
or failure constitutes a barometer showing
the state of the political atmosphere. AT
the present moment. however, there is no
sign of political effervescence or grave
discomfort with the government. This is
shown by the tranquil manner in which
Labor day passed in France. On one LIST of
May the celebrations almost convulsed the
country. This year the day fell into COM
plete allegiance. Work proceeded as usual
nearly everywhere, and meetings of labor
committees, which formerly were a fea-
ture of the day, were few.
The Champs Elysee is the last place In
the world one would think would be chosen
for an attempt at child abduction in broad
daylight. This however. happened this
week. TO the amazement of all Paris. The
fashionable avenue was thronged. as is
usual in the afternoon, with a stream of
equipages and promenaders, when almost
in front of the imposing entrance of the
exposition a man rushed into the roadway
and seized by the head a horse drawing a
hacre in which were seated an elderly lady
and gentleman. in which also little
boy, about four years old. AT the same
moment woman sprang to the side of
the vehicle. A crowd surrounded the strug-
CLING group. The new conner explained that
the boy was her child whom the old people
refused to give up. The crowd Immediate
ly took sides with the mother and the old
lady, bursting into tears reinquished her
hold. 1t was then found that the child was
girdled with an iron chain, which was pad
locked TO the two occupants of the vehicle.
This discovery excited the wrath of the
spectators, who prepared 70 handle the old
people roughly. At this juncture the police
arrived and took the whole party to the
stationhouse, where 1t was explained that
the mother had been granted divorce and
awarded the custody of the child, but that
during an illness she had had him tenn
n no har
in-law, the Baroness Won Veldegg. The
latter, upon the mothers recovery, refused
TO return the child and the mother tracked
them until she met them on the Champs
Elysee The baroness. learning that the
mother intended TO secure the child forci-
bly,. If necessary, had the iron chain forged
and never left her house except in a car
riage and accompanied by an old Prussian
officer. who had one end of the chain. the
baroness holding the other. At the station
house the mother-in-law refused to un-
fasten the paddock and the oommissary OF
police was obliged to have the chain filed
in two. The child was then restored to his
mother, despite the protests and sobs of
the baroness The scene Of excitement pro-
voked by the dramatic incident on the
Champs Elysee can well be imagined.
XXX
An innovation has been introduced in the
French artillery service by the decision
to furnish the guns with a smoke she'll
Hitherto the cannon had been provided
with melinite and shrapnel shell only
This new shell is intended to be launched
at an opponents artillery, which, on burst
ing, ii will envelope in dense cloud of
smoke. thus hampering the return fire. The
new shell is the outcome of the introduce
ton of smokeless powder. Formerly with
the old powder the result now aimed at
was brought about by the guns themselves,
the firing of which produced smoke
which blinded their own gunners. Expert
ments show that this invention creates a
sort of veil before the enemy's artillery
Both the army and the navy will be sup
piled with these shells.
The date of the inauguration of the
American national pavilion in the exposi-
ton is now definitely fixed for next Satur-
day, two days later than originally
planned. The ceremony will be very sim
ple Charles A. Coolidge. the architect of
the structure. will hand over the building
TO United States Commissioner General
Peck. who in turn will transfer IL to Com
| missioner General Picard. The internal ar
rangement of the pavilion differs from that
Of the other national pavilions. which are
generally devoted to a display of additional
exhibits or to some artistic effects charac-
teristic of their respective countries. The
American building, on the contrary. will be
given up to administrative and reception
purposes, the idea being to have sort of
| club where Americans may fraternize and
| secure information. On the main floor are
located a United States postoffice and
bureau of information, as we'll as reading
and writing rooms. The postoffice is in
| tended to be an object lesson to Europeans
| of prompt and businesslike handling of
postal matters, and will itself form an ex-
l hibit of as great practical value as any
with which the other national pavilions
| are crammed. The second floor will be de-
voted to various state headquarters, the
rooms of which will be handsomely fur
| nished by the States OF New York, Massa-
chusetts and California. but will be open
/ TO all American citizens. The commission
reception rooms will occupy the third floor
while on the fourth will be found the head
| quarters of the juries, of the international
| congresses. OF delegates of the American
chambers OF commerce. of the women's or
| ganizations and OF the Loyal Legion.
The selection OF members OF the juries
has been a matter occupying Commissioner
Pecks serious consideration recently
Every mail has brought him a batch OF
petitions and letters from womens organi.
| cations i'm America for adequate repre-.
| sentation of women on these boards. Mr.
| Peck announces that full justice will bs
| done these claims and that n strong pro-
/ portion of the members OF the juries and
/ of the delegates 10 the congresses will bs
| selected from among women. America In
| this reSuecf will far ahead EtfrOOear