The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-28
Suppress Irish College.


M. BRAND, Minister of Public Instruc-
ton, has just notified the British Gov
eminent that in consequence of the
Separation of Church and State law, 1t
Is proposed to suppress the Irish COL
lege In Paris, which has existed since
three centuries.
It was founded by the Irish clerks"
who, during the reigns of Henry VIII
and Elizabeth. were forced to seek
shelter in France ON account of relig-
fous persecution. After having fig
ured with honor in various Paris COL
leges. they obtained authority by let
ters patent to acquire for their own
use the Old Lombard College, which
was at that time really part of the
University of Paris.
After a time this place became too
small for them and at the date when
the famous Father Lawrence Kelly was
principal of the college, they were au-
thorized by the King to buy a build
ing in the street now known as the
Rue des Irlandais, but which at that
time was called the Rue du Cheval-
Vert. This was in 1859. and the es-
tablishment. founded and supported by
Irish money. has continued to follow
its own pursuits regardless OF politi-
cal changes in its adopted country. and
all the Governments of France during
these three centuries have recognized
and protected. The only difficult period
for them was the time of the Revolu-
ton.
Besides the main building which the
Irish converted into hospital: for the
wounded French soldiers during the
war in 1870 the college still owns the
Old Lombard College. It was interest
ing old place that James II, after
having lost his crown. held his first
levee for the Irish in France, and sew
eral old Irish tombs and votive tablets
still exist there.
Under the new law, Catholics cannot
be teaching bodies in France. and NJ
BRAND has proposed to the British Gov
eminent to sell the college and Danish
the professors and students. The pro-
ceeds will be invested in 8 per cent
French Government bonds and placed
to the credit of the British Government,
which II will use for the benefit of
bursas chosen from English. Scotch and
Irish students
The Irish are terrible opposed to the
plan, saying that It means disaster as
well as a serious loss for them as the
college consists of foundations bringing
in 1-2 per cent.They also claim that
the Irish college and its foundations
exist by virtue of kind of minor con-
cordate between the French Govern
ment and the Irish Catholics, and that
this can only be broken by consent of
both parties concerned.
The exploints of the "Araches" at
Marseilles are striking terror into the
hearts of all the women in that city.
They are even more dreaded than are
their brothers in Paris, for their favor
its method of robbing is to cut off the
ears which wear earrings. and the fin
gers of ladies which bear valuable
rings.
Recently a lady was returning home
early in the evening when she was sud
denly approached by well-dressed
stranger who demanded her earrings.
She started back In alarm, but a min
ute later there was a scream of agony,
and she fell fainting to the pavement.
When she was lifted up by passing peo-
pie, 1t was discovered that both the
lobes of her ears had been cut off and,
of course, the earrings with them.
Since then several such cases have
occurred Another lady was walking
in broad daylight in one of the princi-
pal streets of the city, when she was
accosted by a gentlemanly looking per-
son and requested to give up her ear
rings. This she refused to do and be-
fore she could offer any resistance,
both her ears had been cut of with a
small sharp razor, and the man made
off with the ears and the parl earrings,
which were set in gold.
Numerous other ladies have suffered
in the same way. Some of them have
even had their fingers Hoped off, and
in each case the criminal has
made off with his booty unmolested. A
man accosts a lady who IS wearing jew
elry of any kind and asks her politely
to give 1t up. If she offers no resist
ance, the objects are deftly removed
the robber raises his hat, thanks the
lady and disappears. but II, on the
other hand. the lady resists, her ear
or her finger has to suffer, as conse-
uuence, the ladies of Marseilles are
leaving off wearing jewelry in public
and are no longer seen walking in the
streets of the city unescorted.
1t is believed that a whole gang of
these ear-cutters are prowling round
MarseiIles, and that they have brought
their terrifying methods from Naples.
Two of these detached ears were after
wards found and are now in the pos
session OF NJ Cavaillon, the Marseilles
investigating magistrate.
Plays which have as their heroine
an American girl who comes to France
~ saak a titled husband seem to be