The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-03
CAYENNE PEPPER
 THROWN AT TROOPS
Church Doors Are Battered
 Down in Paris
PARISHES ARE MILITANT
Bremen Break In Windows and Flood the Edifice In an Effort to Take an Inventory of the
 Property.

Paris, February 2.-As a net result of today's riotng, though the inventory was taken in but one church, that of St. Pierre Groscaillou. over fifty persons were seriously injured and a further consider able number slightly hurt The latter in- cluded a number of police and firemen who were almost blinded with cayenne pepper.
 Fifty arrests were made. The stormlng of the building was greatly protracted owing to the use by the defenders" of red pepper.
 After repeated efforts. the police and firemen only succeeded in entering the church by employing chairs as shields. The first two who got through the doors were knocked unconscious. Those who followed, although they were thoroughly exasperated. refraned from violent retail iation.
 VIII Resist Spoilation.
 It is said that the clergy have done their best by advice to their congrega- tions to remain calm, but without avail. the militant Catholics being nrnIy re- solved to resist what they term the spoilation of the many parish churches, containing many millions of francs worth of jewelry, military medals and decora- tons given by devotees as thanks offer ings, It is charged that the blame for the recent conflicts attaches to the Min ister of the Interior, because of his order that the inventory of the churches should be carried out before the regulations un- der the separation law are definitely drawn up This leaves the Catholics un- easy regarding the eventual fate of the church property. The authorities are de- termined, however, that the law shall take its course and the disorders will be sup pressed with the utmost vigor.
 Looked Like Besiesed City.
 The church of St. Pierre Groscaillou was the only other one where an in- ventory had been ordered to be taken today in accordance with the law pro- viding for the separation of church and state. The authorities adopted rigorous measures to repress disturbances and the threatened counter demonstration by socialists against the militant Catholics, who gathered at the church, and in conse- quence the Rue Dominique on which the church is situated, had the appearance of a street in a besieged city.
 When the prefect of police, M. Lepine, arrived the bells were tolled and the people inside the church, numbering about 5000 persons, began singing Psalms, while outside the rOWdy element snouteu reVO- lutionary songs. M. Lepine, thrice sum. moned the congregation to open the inside gates which the people refused to do.
 Bremen were then ordered to force an entrance, using their hatcnets As they mounted ladders in order to break in the windows of an annex church revolver shots rang out and the firemen retired. Later fire engine arrived on the scene and amid a shower of missiles the fire men scrambled up to the roof with hose which was turned on and the inter- for of the building was soon flooded.
 Doors Are Battered Down.
 In the meantime the doors had been bat tered down but the municipal guards found barricades inside and met with fierce resistance Numbers of the guards and the congregation were severely hurt, but the authorities eventually obtained the mastery and the demonstrators were captured one by one and led to the near est station house. In the meantime the unruly crowds outside had broken through the cordons of the municipal guards and attempted to reach the church and en- gage in the fight with its defenders, but the mounted guards dashed through them in time.