FRENCH MARTYRS. Generals Lacomte and Thomas, Who Were Shot by the Communists.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 238, 21 January 1888, Page 2

FRENCH MARTYRS.

Generals Lacomte and Thomas, Who Were Shot by the Communists.

During the rise of fclie French Commune in 1871 the people were inspired with a spirit of > violence second only >to> that which marked, the fivst revolution. Two executions ;which' ( took place by order of "the Communards illustrate: the uncompromising -brutality of , the time. ' * r • •' l , j^inong the men. who. returned to- France after tho fall- of the, empire was demerit* Thomas, who^ after eighteen years of exile, ,had n come back to oner his sword to his country./ He had been sent out of France after .the i triumph of, the Bonapartists'iri 1851, , by one of 'the, '.'.mixed commission" then established, which, .without evidence,, often on vague and arbitrary suspicion, decreed the removal of' such persons as were ! ,qo,n£ideisd dangerous." Th'ojLisarids of good p^n, were thus torn" from their homes and serit int6"es;il'e." , " , , On. Gfeneral 'Thomas's return to Paris he .was * placed 4n con^'oj)d.\of,jbher National Guard, bihwfienits^ duties had'j erased he retired to 5 private" life. '- Af fc'exVthe^ breaking oufa^ofv'A new insu'rrfectioh £e 'was one day met,, in citizen's (elbthes, by,a" member of the Natioual Guar^. ;! ,' \\ ,\,;r»> & ' l - 3 ./. ''Are' you not General Thomas ?"j asked the soldier. T /. „ JT " Whatever' K6 my name, l have, v alway 5 s ddno:«ay duty, " KrisV^yed xht General.' ' " „ „ u You are,aiwretdhrahd } a tMtoff^^cVtep: the soldier, and ,^h*e waa^fifestls'dt' w Gefleral Lecomte, who had previouslymade prisoner by the insurrectionary^ National 1 Qua'rd^who'se guns l -ne"'h^:sen6 to take, away,, ,wa«o tried 5 a,iy% burlesque pdur|-m^rtja^ iTh6i£H^o'cki''tri^ "ibunal Uepidedj" withput,tfprm i^.^ere.mcinyji tth4tiili'd fWo 'gehei'als shbuldrbe lmme^lia^y .executed, , r t •'■ TIA .pVs&o&fof thestr?4tiotfal ?<3iutiM \vW *jnen; woceritake'n ?^irilsbf?th^' take"hi¥ plaQe J agkifist f the wall. tWsiivfih^tti^lepoH 6TO^kelfen€ the aW Isd^em^homas^U-'wifea fiis^acb^p. !* * 1 iw^ft^^H« M om^H isasjmsld Gdndral I^comle. » s »m^h^ltfe'^l'aavan r ceaWd?mfpihs^ey r thelbody.of Thomas, . t^imSmS^W&. iAs^ >mjbly decreejl that (pensioris s^p^l^'tfe| •and that a monviment should be erected to ;themTat/the expense of , the state,, '' v;' • ,