The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-26
n
SCHOOL ARE
R2<ARICADED
Pc EntS Fight Against
Their Closure.
BRETANS USE PITCHFORKS
Valatile is in a State of
Ferment.
BRETANS USE PITCHFORKS
Women Request Nine. Loubet to
Intercede With the President
and She Declines to Be-
come Involved.

Paris, July pa serious situation Is
prevailing in the Catholic country around
Brest an account of the closing OF the
unauthorized schools. The countryside
has taken arms and is determined to re-
sist any attempt at the forcible execution
of the orders of the premier.
Two newspaper men of Brest drove to
st. Meen, eighteen miles from Brest, in
an automobile to investigate the situa-
ton at the Sisters school. Immediately
after they had entered a commune boy
sounded a bugle and crowds of peasants
swarmed from the fields, armed with
pitchforks and iron-bound sticks, shout
ing Long live the Sisters" Long live
liberty"
Onc OF the reporters was dragged from
the automobile and the fanatics beat him
with their pitchforks and sticks. The
newspaper man explained in the Breton
dialect that he had only come In search
of information, but the crowd refused
to listen to him and the reporter had to
keep them at bay with a revolver. He
succeeded in regaining the automobile
and drove off at full speed, followed by a
shower OF stones
A school at Ploudaniel in the same
neiEhborhood has bene converted into a
fortress, barricades have been erected and
the inhabitants have formed a Gordon
about the surrounding area. The Lady
Superior said:
B1oodshed Threatened.
You see our barricades. They must
shoot us before we yield. There will
| be bloodshed II any one attempts to
enter"
The population of Landerneau, twelve
miles from Brest has formed relays to
| guard the school and peasant women sit
on benches opposite the gate knitting
| while awaiting the coming of the gen.
darmes. They are greatly excited and
| declare they prefer to be shot rather than
abandoned the Sisters. The Lady Superior
| of the Landerneau convent said:
Like true Bretons we will only yield
| to force The women and other people
| who are guarding the schools night and
day have given us a courageous ex-
ample"
The population OF Roscof is guarding
the schools day and night. Sentinels are
watching the roads and men are sleep
ing on ground in the neighborhood in
order to be ready at the nrst alarH.
Count Albert de Nun, the clerical leader
in the Chamber of Deputies, is stumping
the country, denouncing the action Of the
government and urging resistance.
Nine. Loubet Appealed To.
A strange scene reminiscent of stormier
and sadder days in France occurred to-
day at the Elysee Palace. A large dele
CATION of women including the wives of
several members of deputies assembled at
the palace to endeavor personally to I'M
plore Madame Loubet to appeal to her
husband to stop the school prosecutions,
Madame Loubet sent out word to them
by General Dubers, head OF the presi-
dents military household that it was
impossible for her to receive deputation
upon a subject which was solely within
the scope of executive. The wife OF
Deputy Reiile. made a violent protest.
Tell Madame Loubet." she said, that
the blood Of women will flow If measure
are not taken to stop this Ill treatment
of the Sisters, We will address letter
to the wife of the President in which we
will declare war upon the oppressors. The
| Christian women of France have decided
not to suffer in silence"