The Irish standard., 1903-05-23
Populace Of Surrounding Country Camped
Days and Nights in the Woods
To Repel the Police.
Army Officers Resign, With Statement That
They Did Not Enter the Army to
Eject Monks and Nuns.

A correspondent of the Evening
Post describes the closing of the fam
GUS monastery of the Carthusian
monks, as follows:
The excitement of the Catholics in
France over the present expulsion of
the religious orders, which has already
resulted in riots in different parts of
the country, and in the resignation of
several army otticers-among them
the distinguished colonel of the Fourth
Dragons, Monsieur de Coubertin-is
particularly apparent here in Grenoble
and the surrounding Dauphine region.
For time it was supposed that the
Carthusians of La Grande Chartreuse
would not be included in the forced
exodus of the "religieux" because of
the financial benefits accruing to the
country from their presence. When,
however, Monsieur Combes, the ''de-
froque," as he is invariably called by
the Catholics, owing to his being an
ex-priest, sent forth the order expell-
ing also the monks of La Grande
Chartreuse, the indignation was great
in all Dauphine.
In Grenoble especially, these monks
are highly regarded and beloved. Their
liqueur factory at Fourvoirie gave en-
ployment to large number of work
men; they built and sustained free
hospital at st. Laurent-du-Pont as
well as an asylum for deaf mutes
near the monastery. 1t is claimed that
large part of their immense revenue
was given away yearly in charity.
The majority of the monks have al
ready gone, taking with them their
treasures, their library, their chron-
icles, and the appliances for making
their precious liqueur. Only a hand
full of brethren remain to represent
their order in that bleak monastery
high up in the mountains of the Mas
sif de Ia Chartreuse, where since 1889
Carthusian monks have lived, prayed,
and died. 1t is true this handful had
OCSll SClCClCO, anu O1llS dUlS-
bodied men, keen-witted, and of cool
judgment were allowed to remain to
hold the monastery against the gov
ernment. They have barricaded the
doors, no one is given exit or entrance;
they are provisioned for three months.
and it is their avowed intention to
compel the government to forcibly
eject them, and by so doing, said
Father Clovis, 'violate in our persons
the rights of citizens'
AS the expulsion was expected to
take place on the night of the Goth,
small party of Americans myself
among the number, determined to visit
without delay the famous monastery
before it's extinction.
1t is not the time of year the aver
age tourist selects for visit to La
Grande Chartreuse. The snow lies
too deep yet on the mountains, the
road is not without it's dangerous
places, and the air is far too cold for
comfort. Nor are the "vOitures de
service" running. and those who con-
template an excursion must either
walk or engage a private carriage.
At seven o'clock on the morning of
the Goth of April. we accordingly
started for the monastery.
We We're accompanied by Madame
la Comtesse c.. whose husband, an
ardent Catholic. is among the vast
numbers arranging a manifestation
when the moment of expulsion comes
We drove past the little village of
Corenc. along the ledge of the "Col
de Vence," where we commanded n
magnificent view of the valley Graisi-
vaudan. watered by the winding Isere
and the more distant lying Drac. The
white houses of that "coquette vile"
Grenoble glistened gayly far below,
unawed by the grim. gray walls of
Fort Rabaut above it. On our right
lowered Mount Saint Eynard, it's
bleak fort isolated in the clouds.
The snow became less deep as we
descended into the valley of Saint
Hughes. where small hamlets snug
. gled costly on the side Of protecting