The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-07
END OF La CHARTREUSE
SCENES AT THE CLOSING OF THE FA-
NOUS MONASTERY.
Indignation of the P%Opulnce mt Expul-
sion of the Monks-HOw Their
Overthrow Was Accomplished.
New York Evening Post.

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 o~ficers-among
them the distinguished Colonel of the
Fourth Dragons, Monsieur de Coubertin-
is particularly apparent here in Grenoble
and the surrounding Dauphine region.
For a time it was supposed that the Car
thusians 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 ''defroque," as he Is invariably
called by the Catholics, owing TO his being
an ex-priest, sent forth the order expelling
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 Fourvoire gave employment to a
large number of workmen they built and
sustained a free hospital at st. Laurent-du-
Pont, as we'll as an asylum for deaf mutes
near the monastery. 1t is claimed that a
large part of their immense revenue was
given away yearly in charity.
lHC AldJOliy VI blC hiOAho nave oAASdNJ
gone, taking with them their treasures,
their library, their chronicles and the APP
planes for making their precious liqueur.
Only a handful of brethren remain to repre-
sent their order in hat bleak monastery
high up in the mountains Of the Massif de
la Chartreuse, where since 1859 Carthusian
monks have lived; prayed and died: r It is
selected, and only able-bodied men, keen
witted and cool Judgment were allowed to
remain to hold the monastery against the
government. They have barricaded the
doors. no one is given exit or entrance; they
are provisioned for three months, and 1t
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 18th, a small party
of Americans, myself among the number,
determined to visit without delay the fam
Gus monastery before it's extinction.
IT is not the time of year the average
tourist selects for a visit to La Grande
Chartreuse. The snow lies too deep yet
on the mountains, the road is not without
its dangerous places, and the air is far too
cold for comfort. Nor are the "voitures de
service running. and those who contem-
plate an excursion must either walk or en-
gage a private carriage.
At z o'clock on the morning of the 10Th Of
April, we accordingly started for the mon
astery.
ON THE WAY TO THE MONASTERY.
We were accompanied by Madame la
Comtesse G., whose husband, an ardent
Catholic, is among the vast numbers, ar
ranging a manifestation when the mo-
ment of expulsion comes.
We drove past the little village of Corenc,
along the ledge of the "Col de vence,"
where we commanded a magnificent view of
the valley Graisivaudan, watered by the
winding Isere. and the more distant lying
Drac. The white houses Of that "coquette
ville'' Grenoble gIfstened gayly far below.
unawed by the grim, gray walls of Fort
Rabaut above 1t. On our right lowered
Mount St. Eynard, it's bleak fort isolated
in the clouds.
The snow became less deep as we de-
scended into the valley of st. Hughes,
where small hamlets Struggled cozily on
the side Of protecting mountains. But, II
we left a snowstorm above us we found a
driving rainstorm awaiting us. We ar
rived at ST. Pierre de Chartreuse wet and
cold and hungry. We halted at the small
hotel for lunch. There was an air of sup
pressed excitement about the inn, and in
deed in the usually quiet little village as
well. From the direction of the convent
came a succession of women and children,
trudging along in the pouring rain, care
fully balancing under their arms cheap
framed pictures of saints, of the Virgin, of
the infant Christine farewell gifts of the
Chartreuse monks. But a longer process
mountain road to the convent, a procession
composed of peasants, some white-haired,
their backs bent with age, others in full
vigor and manly strength. and still others
not out of their boyhood days. Not for
MONKEY gifts were these peasants going
they left that to their omen-kind-but to
join the army of campers outside the con-
vent walls.
Nv attention WAS hovever nart;cularlv
attracted to a quiet, elderly man. military
in appearance and possessing a fine air of
distinction. He was keenly alive to all
that took place in the dining room, and
watched sharply each new arrival. Once
his stern features relaxed and 1 saw him
smile kindly upon a tall young man who
d~icating the new arrival. THAT is Monsieur
Poncet, the 'advocat' of the Chartreux
brothers" This young lawyer has for many
days past remained behind the convent
recting them in every step they take in
resisting the governments action against
their order.
Later during lunch Nine. G. learned
that our military-looking neighbor was
Count P de c.. with whom her husband
was we'll acquainted. She promptly made
herself known to him, at the same time
conversation with him. For eight days he
had been in camp beyond the walls Of the
monastery. He came UP on the first rumor
that gendarmes were to be sent to expel
the monks, and such was his haste that he
stopped for nothing. not even for a change
of clothing. He was in a white velvet
hunting costume, very much soiled as to
color from his long exposure In the noun
tains. He intended, he added, to remain to
defend the monks II any violence was Of
fered them. We heard him give an order
to send forthwith all the necessary ingredi-
ents for a punch, to the camp about the
convent. He turned to us with a smile and
said we must not suppose him capable of
consuming that amount OF liquor, that he
ii for his men in camp, who had
slept for nights in the cold and wet, with
out covering of any kind. 1t was almost
2 i'm the afternoon when we again stepped
out in the pouring rain and into our car
riage. The count had preceded us. his
picturesque figure enveloped in a long
black cape, and a "beret" Ga species of
tam-o-shanter) covering his gray locks.
GRAND CHARTREUSE MONASTERY.
-Three-quarters of an hour later we
reached La Grande Chartreuse. Behind
the great stone Enclosure of the convent
no sign of life was apparent. The heavy
wooden doors were locked and barred; the
~''avocat'' alone can gain admittance there.
But beyond the walls n curious scene of
animation reigned. In all the little sheds
and outhouses of the monastery bonfires
blazed: around them peasants were drying
and warming themselves, while on some
fresh-laid straw near by tired watchers
slept. One young fellow stepped up TO us
as we entered a shed and invited us to
share the welcome warmth of their fire.
He pulled a large log nearer the blaze, at
the same time appologizing that he could
not offer us more comfortable seats.
"When it Is wartime he said, lone
cannot have many convenienceS."
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