Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-16

nearby barracks Joined the besieging
forces. The excitement was intense. The
enormous crowd hindered the operations,
and had 10 be driven back.
Six inspectors protected by sheets Of
steel cautiously approached the house
They encountered a murderous fire. but
were not wounded. Three of the police.
however, fell from the bandits bullets,
seriously wounded. In the meantime the
police and spectators who had gathered
on the viaduct Of the eastern railroad
heaved enormous rocks on to the roof OF
the house which stood adjacent to the
vladuct Soon the roof was wrecked and
fell in. but the bandits continued firing.
The woman, Vuillemin, emerged from the
house. She was arrested.
When NJ. Lepine. the project OF
police. arrived he Immediately assum-
ed command, and the scene took on all
the military aspects of a battlefield.
with reinforcements constantly coming
in. NJ. Lepine held a council with the
captains of the gendarmes and the
zouaves, and finally decided to blow
up the bandits lair.
CROWD GETS IN WAY
The zouave bugler sounded cease
firing" and then retreat" The
crowds were now almost overwhelming
and the severest measures were neces-
sary to force them back beyond the
danger line. With the piercing notes
of the bugle. the clamor Of the surging
multitude was suddenly hushed. Word
was passed from mouth to mouth
among the crowds in the nearby streets,
which were jammed by jostling and
excited people. that the villa was
about to be blown up
Soon the roar of an explosion broke
the silence and masses of people rush
ed forward and tried to force their
way through the police lines to see the
result Inspectors and artillery lieu
tenants had thrown dynamite bombs
from the viaduct. The explosion was
so great that IT shook the entire town
and gave the impression that an earth
quake had occurred but when the
smoke and dust from the wreckage
cleared away. the sharp crack Of rifles
from the interior of the building
showed that they had failed to &C.
complish their purpose. The zouaves
and gendarmes answered the fire.
When the bandits resumed the aggres-
eive. M. Lepine himself had a narrow
escape from death. Although some dis
lance from the villa bullet passed within
an inch of his shoulder and buried itself
in the wall Of house, sending up n
shower of fragments into the projects
face. The crowds. forced back further
and further, lost patience and vented
their feelings in wild chorus Of Death
to the bandits"
BANDITS FIRE FROM ATTIC.
The arrival of brigade Of reserve police
gave the crowds chance to cheer. II
was evident after the explosion that the
bandits had taken refuge In the cellar.
They then mounted to the attic from
which they directed a steady fusillade.
In the uncertain glare Of torches. the
scene was dramatic in the extreme
Trains from Paris. conveying the work.
Ing people to their homes slowly passed
over the bridge affording thousands a
view Of the fight
At 1915 NJ. Lepne ordered electric
searchlights from Paris. as there was
great danger in the obscurity OF the
besiegers accidentally shooting their fel.
lows AS matter Of fact the captain of
|
a lucky escape. their hea Is being grazed
by bullets fired by civilian members of
the tracking party whose ardor was
better than their skill and judgment.
The project also reQuisitioned extra
dynamite bombs and CARTRIDGES from the
military barracks at Vincennes. Several
detectives. armed with a new tyne of
steel shield which the police arsenals re.
within 10 feet OF the house. Holding the
shield with the left arm and crouched
behind II they fired. One shield was
pierced nut the detective was not wound
ed. Sergeant Fleury. who was danger
ously wounded earlier in the battle while
protected by a steel sheet, owed his
injury to the fact that he turned to ex-
plain 20 comrade how we'll his armor
was working. thus exposing his body
THEIR FIRE NEVER CEASED.
There was considerable indecision as to
when the final assault on the house
should be made. Some OF the officials
advised that they wait until daybreak as
the proximity Of the other villas made
dynamiting at night dangerous
However. another bomb was exploded
| followed by the clatter OF broken windows
| and crumbiing walls. But the bandits
seemed really possessed of the tabled
charmed life. Despite the fact that the
villa cracked and was badly damaged.
II remained standing. and a seemingly in
| exhaustible hail Of lead continued to pour
| from within.
The firing ceased for time, the band
Its either being exhausted or saving their
~ n H.
FORCED to discontinue pending the arrival
OF a new stock Of cartridges from Fort
Nogent
AT l;25 two more dynamite cartridges
We're exploded, and portion Of one of
the walls toppled over Nevertheless the
bandits apparently succeeded in finding
shelter in what remained of the struc-
ture,