The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-08-01
ARE EVENLY DIVIDED
CLERICAL AND AMTtCkRHicAL
DEMONSTRATIONS TAk4
PLACE IN PARia
NUMEROUS Fights Gd1h

Igle6slns Force Of Police and Mounted
Municipal Guards Has Much Troub-
ie In Keeping the UnruIy Crowds
Moving and al Times Were Com
PEELED to Charge-Many Women
Actively Participate.
Paris, July 28.-The demonstration
made during the day in connection
with the decree of Premier Combes
ordering the closing of the congre-
gationist schools proved to be quite
as much of q manifestation In support
Of the government as Of opposition to
its Anti-Clerical measures. The crowd
which gathered in the Place de Ia
Concorde numbered $4,000 persons,
while as many more thronged the
Champs ElYseea The Clerical and
Anti-Clerica1 forces about equally
divided the gatherings. TAs former
were distinguishAble BIZ tAs red white
and blue paper flowers which thay
wore, while the IAktsx Aported Fed
egIantines.
Though many fights cceurrsd, they
never became general. nor was any
person seriously injured. An impos-
ing force of police and mounted NUM-.
cipal guards had much trouble in
keeping the manifestants constantly
moving, and at times they were forced
to charge to prevent the crowd be-
coming too dense. On the whole. the
crowds were good natured and main
ly confined themselves to shouting
Liberty, liberty" Long live the
sisters" and 1--WE want the sisters"
To which the Anti-Clericals replied:
"ViVe lie republique" and Down with
the priests" The occasional appear
ance Of priest was signal for much
hooting and several fights were due
to their presence. A striking feature
of the manifestations was the large
number Of women, many of them
well dressed, who actively participant
ed Nor were these all Clerical In
their sympathies for the Anti Clerical
women were also out in strong force
and they occasionally made things
lively for their Clerical sisters who
the police had some difficulty in pro-
tecting. In one instance q detach-
ment Of mounted guards had to rescue
three well dressed ladies from the
hands Of group OF Socialist women
who were
Bent on Mobbins Them.
The Clercals made several attempts
to reach the Place Beauveau, on which
the Elysee and the ministry OF the
interior are situated, but were pre-
vented from doing 30 by strong cor
dons Of police and municipal guards
which were stationed at all the ap-
proaches In order to prevent demon
STATIONS In front Of these buildings.
The demonstrations eliminated
when group Of thirty ladies, some in
carriages, and some on foot, headed
by Mesdames Reille, De Nun, Cibiel
and De Ponmsrot, attempteRto reach
the ministry OF the Interior In order
to present to Premier Combes petit
tlon ON behalf OF the sisters. The
police, however, refused to allow
them to pass.
subsequently, the Clericals made
an angry rush on the Gordon guarding
the Avenue Gabrielle, and the soldiers
had to use the butts Of theiy guns to
keep back the crowd.
Another violent incident occurred
on the Champs Elysee where the
crowd began throwing the small iron
chairs bordering the sidewalks among
the feet Of the horses Of the mounted
guards. One horse fell, injuring his
rider. A number of prominent Ma
tionalists, including Deputies Mile
voye and Auffray, and several NUM-
cipai councillors were conspicuous in
the crowd, and were much ovated by
their followers and hooted by the
Anti-C lericals. By o'clock D. m.
the crowd began to thin out and an
hour later the Place de la Ccncorde
and the Champs Elysees had resumed
their customary appearance. A slight
shower fastened the dispersal of the
manifestants. About 100 arrests were
made.
The fact that throughout the day
vehicular traffic was not interrupted
shows how well the police handled
the great, unruly crowd with which