Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-12-05

Port au Prince, Haiti.-President
Alexis has been deposed.
President Legitime has been pro-
claimed.
With the French tricolor draped
about his shoulders for protection, and
with men and women hurting curses
at him, Nord Alexis left his palace Dec.
2 under pressure and was driven to
the harbor, where he boarded the
French training ship Duguay Trouin.
Never since the bloodthirsty scenes
of the Paris Commune In 1871 have
such attacks been made upon an or
ganized government as have been seen
here.
1t is one of the revenges OF time
that President Alexis should have been
saved by French officials. In the last
disturbance on the island, a few
months ago, he was ready to go to
war with France because certain re-
bells were protected at the French con-
sulate. His life would have been the
forfeit recently had 1t not been for
French protectors.
General Antoine Simon, leader OF
the revolutionists, is marching up the
peninsula with an army of 5000.
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 o'clock a salute of 21
guns announced his departure from the
palace. Thousands had gathered there
early in the day and they had surged
round the entrances threatening to
tear down the walls to drive out the
president and his loyal followers.
AS the hours passed the great mob
became infuriated, shouting for him to
leave the country. The mob was
armed, and men and women, beside
themselves with rage, heaped curses
on the head of the aged man who had
been deposed from the presidency OF
the republic, but who had fiercely ex-
pressed his determination to fight to
the last.
So serious was the situation that the
French minister, NJ Carteron, ana
other foreign representatives, 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 precincts Of the palace and
into carriage which had been provid-
ed. /
M. Carteron, carrying the French tri-
color, sat beside him, and the minis
ter threw the folds of the flag over the
shoulders of the deposed president to
protect him.
An immense crowd of men and wo-
men had assembled at the wharf, and
the arrival of the presidential carri-
age, escorted by battalion OF infan-
try and a squadron of cavalry, was the
signal for wild tumult and riot
All along the route the people who
lined the streets shouted, jeered and
cursed at the fallen president, but
when the landing stage was reached
the mob lost all restraint. The scene
was tragic and shameful. Infuriated
women broke through the Gordon of
troops and shrieked the coarsest in
suits into the very face Of the presi-
dent, who stroye bravely to appear un-
dismayed.
They tried to hurl themselves up
on him, and fought with hands and
feet against the soldiers, who found
difficulty in forcing them back. In or
der to disengage him the troops dis
charged their muskets, several shots
being fired.
Meantime space was cleared, and
Nord Alexis, with the French colors
draped about him, was hurried aboard
skiff in tow Of steam launch, his
suite tumbling into the skiff after
him. As the launch drew away, three
Haitian gunboats and the French
warships in the harbor fred a salute
to the fallen president.
Just as Nord Alexis was embark
ing woman succeeded in reaching his
side, and, drawing a knife, made
sweep at his body.
The blow fell short, however, and
before she could follow 1t up with an
other she was seized by a soldier. A
man succeeded in striking the presi-
dent with his fist, but the blow was
glancing one on the neck. Nord Alex
is turned to M. Carteron and, shak-
ing his head, said:
81 told you so, your excellency."
A trunk which was left behind on
the preclpitate departure of the presi-
dent and his party from the wharf
was seized upon by the rioters and
broken open. 1t was found to contain
some $4,000 in gold and 10000 Hal
tian gourdes. The specie was scattered
about and promptly pillaged.