Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-03
CONGREGATION RESISTS THE TROOPS
On Attempting to Inventory Prop
erty---Enormous Crowd---M Many
Injured===M Many Arrests.

Paris, Feb. 2.-As q net result of to-
days rioting, though the inventory was
TAKEN i'll but one church, that of st.
Pierre Gros Caillou, over 80 persons
We're seriously injured and Il further
considerable number slightly hurt. The
latter included a number of police and
hreilen VINO We're almost blinded with
cayenne pepper. Fifty arrests were eff
ltcted. The stOrn.ing Of the building
was greatly protracted owing to the
use by the "defenderS' of red pepper.
Alter repeated efforts, the police and
hrelnen only succeeded III entering the
church by employing chairs as shields.
The hr.t two who cot through the
doors We're knocked unconscious. Those
who followed, though thoroughly exas-
perated, refrained from violent retana-
ton.
NJ. Louis Lepine, project Of Paris, and
other high officials and the newspapers
OF all shades of opinion. deprecate the
violent incidents. 1t is said that the
clergy have done their best by advice
TO their congregations to remain calm,
but without avail, the militant Catho-
lies being firmly resolved to resist what
they term the spoiliation of the many
Paris churches. containing many mil
lions of francs worth of jewelry, mill
tary medals and decoration given by
devCtees as thank offerings.
1t is charged that the blame for the
recent conflicts attaches to the minis
ter of the interior because of his order
that the inventory Of the churches
should be carried out before the regula-
tons under the separation law are def
mtely drawn up. This leaves the Cath
olics uncertain regarding the eventual
fate of church property and their
doubts On this subject have brought
about the resistance to the order and
its results. The authorities are deter
mined. however, that the law shall
take its course and the disorders be
suppressed with the utmost vigor.
Twenty-Five hundred inventories have
already been made throughout France
many without incident. but Paris con-
tains So Roman Catholic churches, of
which but half have been visited by the
officials. Proceedings will continue to-
morrow and in order to prevent a re-
newal of the disturbances the authori-
ties have kept secret the hour at which
the commissioners will visit the
churches.
Paris. Feb. 2-The only church where
an inventory had been ordered today
i'll accordance with the law providing
for the separation of church and state
was tbs church of st. Pierre du eros
Gallon. in the Rue st. Dominique.
This thOrOughfarc had the appearance
OF street i'll a besciged city this after
noon owing to the digorous measures
which the authorities adopted to re-
press disturbances and the threatened
counter demonstration by Socialists
against the militant Catholics who
gathered at st. Pierre du eros Caillou.
All the shops in the neighborhood Of
the edifice We're closed, cOrdons of
armed municipal guards on foot were
stationed at intervals along the street
and squadron of mounted municipal
guards with drawn swords patroiled
the thOroughfarc and kept the crowds
When the project 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 ele-
ment shouted revolutionary songs. NJ.
Lepine thrice summoned the congrega- 1
ton to open the inside gates which the