The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-10
LOUISE MICHEL IS DEAD.
Notable Figure OF French Commune
Was GO.
Special Cob, Despatch 10 THE Sun
MARsEIILEs. Jan. 9.-Louise Michel .he
noted Communist. il dead.

Hy the death Of Louise Michel. anarchist
fanatic and would-be murdereea. yet de-
voted. kindly and compassionate woman
withal, the world has lost one of liz most
picturesque figures, and France. the land OF
Joan of Arc and Charlotte Corday. a typical
daughter. Like the former she fought as
a soldier In the ranks; like the latter she
deemed murder a heroism. when the victim
was an oppressor.
Louise Michel was an Legitimate child.
She was born in 1870 at the CT ateau Vron
court in the Haute Marne where her
mother was a chambermaid. NJ. DC MaIlly.
the proprietor OF the 81 d,eau. took an
interest in little Louise ana would often tell
her Of the r EVOLUTION
The child soon came to consider the
word republic ms synonymous with uni
vereal virtue and happiness BY nature
Louise was all sympathy with the oppressed.
When the girl was "A years old her pro-
tector died and the chateau passed into new
hands and Louise ana her mother were
compelled to 60 forth into the world and
seek living Louise was well educated.
for there was a library in the cf A eau. and
she was a s'ionately fond Of reading
Indeed, it was from this library that she
imbibed many of the revolutionary ideas
which colored her after life Her fevorite
book was Les Paroles dun Croyant, by
Lammenas i violent Anarchist
In Paris Louise taught school until the
Franco-Prussian war, when she entered
"A more active and cOngenial field. When
he war broke out she Joined an ambulance
corps and did good service until the defeat
At Sedan and the fall of Paris. Against
the surrender she vehemently protested
She believed that all the disasters which
Franco had suffered were 20 he laid 70 the
charge of the empire. She declared that
only lack Of opportunity had prevented her
from assH ssinating Napoleon Ill. and that
all her preparations for the deed were
complete when the intended victim started
for the field Of Sedan. In the latter part
Of the war she even donned the uniform
of the national guard and fought with the
boldest Of the soldiers
But II was in the commune that Louise
was really in her element. She organized
the central committee Of the mon dies
Femmes and presided over the club of the
Revolution But for the scTlples of ferre
she would have murdered There. Al one
mornen, she would I've picking mp the
wounded Ia the midst Of storm Of bullets,
at another she was in her plhce behind the
barricadeS. cool and intrepid. clad in her
tattered guards uniform and With the
mune was crushed Louise was one of those
who held out To the lsst
In the last stand in the cemetery of Mont
martre she was brave 10 rechessness.
Her capture was due TO her devotion TO her
mother She had been wounded while
taking part in the defence OF lssy and on
the fall Of the town was captured by the
troops Of Versailles She escaped. but
hearing the next day that her mother had
been imprisoned In her place came back
and gave herself up.
At her trial she not only refused 10 de-
fend herself. but even declared that as long
as she lived she would pursue the ruling
powers with her vengeance. She was con-
demned 70 death, but the sentence being
afterward changed to TRANSPORTATION for
life, she was sent az a convict TO New Gale
donia. Here she endeared herself n her
fellow conviofa by innumerabe acts Of
seft-denlal.
In 1851 Louise profted by the amnesty
OF Gambetta She returned TO Europe and
is described as arriving at the Western
Railway station In Paris clad in black, with a
red flower in her hat. Her period OF exile had /.
not taught her TO abandon the unequal
struggle against Law and authority, Even /
Ganbetta, TO whose cemen?y she owed her |
release. was not spared in tie denunciation |
CT all those in hgli places
marked. The pig is too fat: he ought to |
be killed Immediately on her return /
to Paris she took up the thread OF her |
Anarchist life where it had been broken.
She addressed Anarchist meetings, she
edited an Anarchist paper. she wrote 10
all the leading journals extoling the pin
cples Of anarchy She even wrote An
lrohis, plays. one Of which. Nadine.
was ridiouled and Kissed of the stage.
In 1888 she got herself into trouble again.
She took leading part in the manifesto
tons at the Place des Invaides. and carry
ing aloft a black flag led the mob to the |
pillage Of the bakers shops. For this she !
was impr soned al Claremont for two years.
whence she was transferred 10 St Il zarrr.
30 that she could be al the bedside Of (
her dying mother Finally she was re-
leased by President Gr6vy.
Louise Michel spent most Of her last DAYS
in London where shc occasionally nd
dressed Anarchist meetings. but without |
coming in conflict with the authorities
The name Of which she was most proud 4
was La Petroleuse. her reward for her I
exeItions ai the harricades. Her motto |
was Tear everything down and begin !
again
TO CURE COLD IN ONE DAT