The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-03
FRENCH OFFICIALS AID
THE OLD PRESIDENT To
MAKE GOOD HIS ESCAPE
Nord Alexis Is Forced To Flee, and At
the Landing a Woman Tries To
Kill Hm-Ae Says He
Will Organize New
Revolution.

Port Au Prince, December 2.-Presi-
dent Nord Alexis has been deposed and
is now safe on board the French train
ing ship Duguay Trouin, and Port Au
Prince is in the hands of the revolu-
tionists. Gen. Antoine Simon, the
leader of the insurgents, is marching
up the peninsula with an army of 5000,
and a new president. General Legitime,
has been proclaimed.
At the last moment President Alexis
yielded to the urging of those about
him and decided to take refuge aboard
the French warship. At precisely 5
o'clock a salute of 21 guns announced
his departure from the palace. Thous-
ands had gathered there early in the
day and they had surged around the
entrance, threatening to tear down the
walls to drive out the president and
his loyal followers, and heaping curses
on the head of the aged man.
So serious was the situation that the
French minister M. Carteron, and other
foreign representatives., together with
members of a specially appointed com
mittee, forced themselves upon the
president, who finally consented to
withdraw. Shouts greeted him as he
stepped from the palace and into a
carriage which had been provided.
Protected BY French Flag.
M. Carteron. carrying the French tri-
color, sat beside him and threw the
folds of the flag over the shoulders OF
the deposea presidert Co ~. eet him.
An Immense crowd had asserrbled at
the wharf and the arrival of the car
riage, escorted by battalion of in
fantry and a squadron of cavalry un-
der command Of General Hippolyte,
was the signal for wild tumult
All along the route the people
shouted, jeered and cursed at the fallen
president, but when the landing stage
was reached the mob lost all restraint.
Infurated women broke through the
Gordon of troops and shrieked the
coarsest insults into the face of the
president, who strove bravely to ap-
pear undismayed.
They tried to hur1 themselves upon
Alexis and fought with hands and feet
against the soldiers. A space finally was
cleared and Nord Alexis was hurried
aboard a skff in tow of steam launch,
his suite tumbling in after him. AS the
launch drew away three Haytien gunboats
and the French and American warships
in the harbor fired a salute.
Woman Tries To Stab Alexis.
Just as Nord Alexis was embarking a
woman reached his side, and, drawing
u knife, made a sweep at his body The
blow fell short however, and the woman
was seized by soldier. A man struck
the president with his fist, but the blow
was a blancing one on the neck. Nord
Alexis turned to NJ. Carteron and said;
II told you so, your excellency."
A trunk, which was left behind, was
seized and broken open. 1t contained
some 5000 In gold and 10000 Haytien
gourdes. The specie was promptly ap-
pIopriated.
The unrest reached its eliminating point
carly this morning when regularly or
ganiZed bands Of citizens moved quietly
about the town and took possession OF
various points of vantage No shots were
fired, but the president barred himself
within the palace. One Of the leaders
charged tnat the American minister. ii.
W. Furness, was encouraging the pres
ident to resist, and he issued the 1olloW-
ing proclamation:
"Citizens-The danger is supreme; we
risk our independence if We do not take
good care. The old man would have
given up already were it not for the adj
vice of a diplomat who is preparing for
onr annexation. 4 clash is expected aad
tl.is diplomat wishes to precipitate one III
o, der to have a rrcteXt for colonizing las.
Let us. therefore, be docile, yet not
supnc
Would Not Abdicate.
Every effort made by those who begged
the president to abdicate proved OF no
avail during the early hours of tic day.
Nord Alexis was obdurate. He expressed
his determination to embark with Hoops
on the gunboat "Nord Alexis" and pro-
coed to Cape Haytien, where he would
arganlze "a civil war of the north against
the south.
That the infuriated populace would
make an attempt upon the palace at any
moment. and that certainly the night
could not pass without an armed assault,
which would doubtless mean the death
of Nord Alexis, was feared.
Deserted by his ministers, abandoned
nv those whom he had put into high
office and reviled by the whole populit-
tion. Alexis had little chance of escape,
except through the intervention Of the
representatives of the French govern
ment
Leeitime Hesitates.
A catastrophe was feared If the palace
WAS invaded by the police. In such an
event the foreign consus were ready to
have landed detachments Of sailors and
marines from the warships, in order to
protect the interests of the citizens of
their respective nations.
All the parties. those of Fouchard,
Simon. Ffrnnin and Menor were repre-
scented on the committee which urged the
presidency upon General Legftime. While
accepting the office of the first call, Cen