HORRIBLE OUTRAGE IN PARIS.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 430, 27 May 1871, Page 2

HORRIBLE OUTRAGE IN PARIS.

Ox the 26th February there occured an incident which was at once barbarous and French. On the Place de la Bastille a body of some 200 or 300 men were seen emergiug from the Rue St. Autoine, escorting, or rather dragging, a well-dressed man, who, bareheaded, was held by the collar by two Ohasseurs-a-pied. Loud cries of " To the river !" " He is an informer, a spy of Pietri's !" were heard, while other voices exclaimed, " They want to restore their bludgeon days. Wo pity ; away wiuh spies !" It was stated that this person had been sen, pencil in hand, noting down the number of the battalions which made their appearance upon the Place. This exasperated the crowd, and the unhappy man was dragged towards the canal into which he nwas about to be cast, when some betterdisposed persons thrust him into the guardhouse, and the officer commanding the post ordered the gates to be closed. The quays were thronged with an excited and furious crowd, who demanded the surrender of the prisoner, and the execution of the popular sentence. The officer climbed upon the railings and explained to the mob that it was his duty to retain the prisoner in order that he might be conveyed to the Prefecture, and besought them to be calm. His exhortation was not listened to. Cries of " They want to let him escape!" "Give him up to us'" drowned his voice. Some Foot Chasseurs got over the railings, and were followed by many of the crowd, and recaptured the poor "wretch, whom the National Guards on duty made no effort to save Blows fell "thickly upon him, he was hustled and kicked, and appeared almost dead. There were at the time about 20,000 persons collected on the Place de Bast ille, but although those who called for the death of their victim only numbered 400 or 500, of whom a great portion were mere gamins, no attempt was made to prevent the execution of their bloodthirsty decree. The prisoner was dragged towards the Boulevard Bourbon, he begging to be allowed to shoot himself. The Chas.eurs who held him put him upon a I bench, and submitted the question to the,

crowd, " Will yon allow the prisoner to blow out his brains with his own revolver ?" "No!" was the response, followed by cries of, «J 0 the water with him!" A move was then made towards the Quai Henri IV., and there doubting whether their victim would be able to swim, they took the precaution oftyin»his arms and legs, and in that'condition carried him as a mere bundle on to a barge, whence they flung hitn into- the river. The current immediately bore away the helpless mass, at which showers 0 f stones were hurled. .Some men belonging to river steamers attempted to ca9t life buoys to the drowning man, but they were driven off by the furious execrations of the mob, and ultimately desisted. The body drifted under the piling at the point of the Isle Saint Louis, and was no more seen. These horrible scenes lasted for upwards of two hours. Upon the Quai Henry IV., two person;, who ventured to exclaim against these brutal_ proceedings, were themselves assailed as police spies and threatened with death. Other persons were similarly treated, and barei V saved themselves from ill-usage by opportune flight. In the meantime the Place de la Bastille continued to be thronged, and the cafes and wine shops drove a flourishing trade.