Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-11-21
FRENCH CHURCH BURNS SUI
PHUR

| he net results OF lDe ihNeutViJ "P0i
ations conducted throughout France yes
terday and last night show that total
of over | 800 inventories were made.
In only few cases were there serious
collisions between those who resisted the
intrusion OF the government commis-
siopers and the troops. The reports
show that altogether four gendarmes and
several peasants we're wounded, and that
about one dozen demonstrauts were ar
rested. They were at once tried and
sentenced to short terms in jail. In sew
eral instances the people are still holding
out, and remained in the churches
throughout the night
The work of inVeDtoryiDg has been
completed in GO out of the total of Sc
departments. There still remain 1000
inventories to be taken in the other %
departments, aud in some places stout
| resistance is anticipated,
Premier Clemenceau said 10 the Cham
Der OF Deputies last night that the troops
had been ordered % exercise patience,
but that if they were fired on they would
reply.
When the soldiers battered down the
doors of the church at Vlllsl )ugue-de-la
Sslaugue they we're driven oul by sui
phur fumes, and the rreiect WAS COM
PEELED to postpone taking the inventory
In most cases the parish priests and
hishons after protesting. Welded TO n
show of force, but some Oi the priests
defended their churches until the doors
were broken down. In hundreds OF cases
the priests were taken by surprise, the
authorities and soldiers arriving before
daylight and completing their work be
fore an alarm could be given.
At Armentleres, department du Nord,
after the doors of the church had been
broken in. the authorities found the yes
try fortified with breaslwork of chairs
bound together with bsrbed wire. The
congregation filled the church and sang
"The CarmaguUle' while the taking of
the inventory was proceeding.
When the authorities arrived at the
seminary of Alencon, capital of the De
partment Of Orne, they found the Bishop
barring the door in person and the sol
diers were compelled to eject him.
At St. GinOlph, on the Swiss frontier,
troops occupied all the approaches to the
church in order to keep back the enraged
pOpulace.
Resistance was general throughout the
Department of Herault Violent resist
snce occurred at Pignsn, where the
church was filled with the fumes ofburn-
ing sulphur, which was shoveled into the
building from The vestry and the roof,
and again aud again forced out the SOL
diers, while crowd of men and women
outside shouted maledictions on the
troops and hurled stones and hOwer-pots
at them.
The church was finally cleared by q
charge of infantry in order to premit The
firemeu to food the church, but it was
then discovered that the water mains had
been plugged.
At st. Bauzille the church bells were
wildly rung, summoning the clericals,
who surrounded the church The force
at the disposal of the prefect was not sur
ficient to attempt taking the inventory.
The church at Couroonsec was barri-
caded and the parish priest defended the
door, but the military engineers cleared
the way and the inventory was taken,
while hundreds of clericals outside sang
hymns.
At Grabels it was also necessary to
batter in the church doors, and the TAX
ing of the inventory was accompanied by
the imprecations of the multitude.