Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-17
PELEE ERUPTS AFRESH
RESIDENTS OF NORTHERN MAR
TINIQUE ANIc-sTRICKEN.
Burying the Dead at st. Pierre-Eng
hsh Officer Caught Looting
q Church.

A dispatch from Fort de France, Island
of Martinique, yesterdays says: Great
flashes of very bright light were emitted
from Mont Pelee between 10 and IL O'Clock
last night. They were visible from here.
Thick, glowing red clouds, interspersed with
flashes of light, are issuing from the vol
cano this morning. Showers OF cinders.
lasting for twenty minutes, accompanied
the activity. The people in the districts of
Lorrain, Marigot, Sainte Marie and La
Trinite are panic-stricken
A new crater has formed on Mont Pelee
and seven craters are now visible there.
Last night there was a light rain of stones
in the environments of Fort de France, ac-
companied by loud detonations.
Last night from twelve points fire il,umi-
mated everything around MOrnc Rouge.
Raj nof cinders fell at Basse Ponte. and
lava, in a stream of 500 meters wide. flow
ed down the course of the River Blanche.
The village Boury, near st. Pierre. has
been evacuated owing to the stencil of
decomposing bodies of people and of ami
mails
Funeral services in memory of victims Of
the volcanic eruption were held here today
in the presence of the officers of the French
ship Suchet, the German man-of-war Fake,
the Danish ship Vaikyrie, and the United
States navy tug Potomac. Intense emotion
was displayed by the audience.
At some parts of the coast the sea has
receded thirty meters and the surface is
covered with dead fish Sharks have re-
appeared.
English Officer Charged With Looting.
st. Pierre Is infested with pillagers, who
are forcing safes. The authorities are TAX
ing severe measures. Fifty Of the ghouls
have already been arrested and imprisoned
in Fort de France, where the population
wanted to lynch them. The pillagers have
been sentenced to five years Imprisonment.
The government has appointed accredited
representatives of the commercial COM
munity to explore the ruins in St Pierre
for valuable books and papers.
An English officer accused of r0bbing
the sacred vessels in the ruins of church
has been taken to st. Lucia on board the
United States cruiser Cincinnati and will
be placed under arrest there. Troops have
been detailed to guard the ruins In st.
Pierre, with orders to fire upon pillaSers.
There We're 663 bodies inferred today,
| making a total of 1900 buried thus far.
The work of interment is presenting great
difficulties.
The inhabitants of the north part of the
island are now distributed in the various
districts of the south.
Some italian sailors were saved who were
thought to have persisted at the time of the
eruption.
Suchet to Investigate.
The French cruiser Suchet sails from here
tOIlOTEOW WIN the principal local autnOr-
ities who will be landed at st. Pierre and
proceed to the northern part of the island,
in the direction of Basse Pointe, to thor
oughly investigate the situation. 1t is fear
ed that pillage, is rampant there.
PARIS, May I6.-ProvinciaI France seems
now to have fully grasped the situation in
Martinique Most of the towns and COM
munes throughout the country are actively
at work raising funds and voting resolu-
lions of sympathy with the sufferers The
government is placing collection boxes in
all the post Offices An official of the for
efgn Office said this morning:
I'VE well understand that the energetic
Americans are surprised at our seeming
slowness in this emergency. The habit
of centuries leads Frenchmen to wait for
the government to take the initiative. Be
sides, the magnitude of the catastrophe at
first so stunned us that we were unable to
think what to do"
The total Martinique relief fund at noon
today was 100000 francs. The Bank Of
France and other financial concerns are
opening subscription lists in aid Of the
fund, and in most of the cathedral towns
masses have been celebrated for the re-
pose of the souls of those who persisted.
These ceremonies have been accompanied
by much pomp, leading to large collections
The minister of the colonies, NJ Decrais,
during the day issued official note to
the effect that comprehensive arrangements
had been made to assure food supplies for
Martinique. The neighboring French col
onies had contributed largely, while gen.