The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-07
Americans Claim Descent From Ney, Great Alsatian,
 ''Bravest of Brave

ATter war, repr1SalS. After the great tragedy. host of minor tragedies. dents of the aftermath or conflict was the execution of Michael Ney Ma po1eon,s greatest marshal, who had fought so gaI1antIy at waterloo. Just France and Alsace will honor the hero who was called .sfhe bravest Of the brave on the occasion of the ceute- nary of his tragic death.
 During the period of Napoleon's glory, Michael Ney, the A1satian, was the Corsican's abIest lieutenant. After the downfall of the Bonaparte dynasty Ney entered the army of the Bourbon king. When Napoleon returned from EIba. Ney, -smis1ed by some glorious memories and some new iIIusionss'. went over with his army to his for mer friend and master. At Waterloo the Alsatian rode at the head Of Na- poIeon's cavalry. Througk a ver1ta- ble storm of shrapnei and shot they charged the British, and victory seem ed within their grasp. But the tthin red Hne'' held firm behind it's fringe of steady steel. Again and again Iey hurled his helmeted and breast-plat- ed warriors against the stern British blocks. Thirteen times in all he or dered his men to charge, and thirteen times they were flung back. The de- feat of Ney sealed iNapo1eon's doom. Within a month after Waterloo the French royaHsts set in motion the | legal machinery for the punishment of those who had taken part in Ma po1ean's i1I-starred venture. Royaiists mobs were encouraged to wreak ven geance on the ImperiaIists. Many were slain, and nineteen leaders were charged with high treason. La bedoyere and Murat wera condemned and executed. News turn came next | Tn August he was arrested in the Il h0TISa of a 74<,
 prison. There was a great popular clamor, for Ney was still honored as a
 hero. At the trial Ney urged that l the amnesty act extended to all per- sons comprised in the equalization of EParis, and proved, that he was in the capital at the time. This was true. but News attorney, Dupin, was or dered to disregard that point in his l defenceI Ney was also included un-
 der especial amnesty act extended to l A1satians, but he refused to take ad- vantage of that point
 AS Frenchman I. fought the bat j ties of France,'' he said. "Now let me
 die a Frenchman.''
 His condemnation followed, and in I the early morning of December T
 1915. the death warrant was read to l the marshal in his prison cell He I was referred to as Duke of EIchingen.
 Prince of Moskvas Marshal of France the titles conferred upon him bS ISdpoleo4l-DuC NSy5 interrupted the l reading of the sentence to say, s'Ca1j
 me Michael Ney, and soon no more of I him.
 1 Ney's wife took her children to pris- 1 on to see their father, and then rush ed to the Tui1eries to see the king, He refused, 'ther demand not havinp
 sufficient object" In the gray dawn Ney was shot at a, spot, in Paris now
 marked by a. monument to his mem
 ory According to tradition the sol diers fired only with blank cartrfdees
 and Ney was spirited away and final lys reached Louisiana. There seems no basis of fact for this story. but K is firmly believed by many French people of Louisiana, and there are some who claim descent from the gal Iant AIsatian.