OUTRAGE ON BRITISH SUBJECTS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2162, 8 December 1875, Page 4

OUTRAGE ON BRITISH SUBJECTS.

A most unwarrantable outrage was committed on British subjects on Sept. 13 by the Paris police authorities', and one which, says the Times correspondent, is likely to be the-, subject of some correspondence between the Foreign Office and the Ministere de's Affaires Etrangeres'.' Mr Francis Robins, late an officer in the 60th' Rifles, and grand-nephew of the last Lord Thanet, left Montrouge 1 with/fhis' wife and two young children by an omnibus which plies between' Montroiige and the Place' St. , Michael, and corresponding with another line going to the Boulevard Montmartre. Mr Robins "was seated in the conveyance between his wife andan elderly Frenchwpman,one Madame, Besse, belonging to th!e lower middle claW of 'society, the two children -being on their* parents' knees. At the Ptece St r Michel the passengers got down,'and.proceeded to the salle d'attente to wait for the Montmartre omnibus. Here Madam© Besse accused Mr Robins of stealing her purse, and called a serjent rfcaiZte, who, notwithstanding Mr.Robins' protests, took him, his wife, and children infio custody, and marched them through the crowded streets to the nearest Comxmssaire de Pplice. H ere Mr Robins pro? his card and a letter which he had in his .pocket,, from Colonel Mackinnon, dated from llie United Service Glub. '■' Search, them," said the commissaire, jpaying the least attention to Mr Robins' 'indignant appeals. Mr Robins was accordingly- taken to-a room, where he was made to*- take oft' every particle - lr of. clothing, even to his boots and socks. Mrs Robins was treated in the same way, being actually obliged to take down' her hair. After this Mr Robins was subjected to a minute crossexamination conducted in the most offensive way. " How many times have you been arrested P " ,was one of the questions put, afterwards altered, on Mr Robins refusing to answer such a gross'insinuation. A police agent then conductedMrßobins to the Omnibus Office in the Place St. Michael, where the omnibus was searched in the most thorough manner, but with .no.result. On returning to the policestation, Mr Robins found that the'prosecutrix had disappeared after her name and address had been taken. The elder boy, two years old, ran up to his father as he came an. This action was a 'revelation to the zealous myrmidons' ot the law. "We have not searched the children," they cried, and forthwith the two poor infants were subjected to the same degrading ov-,-dcal as I heir parents had just undergone.

The father, while the children were being searched, bad to turn away his head- to hide his emotion. ■ " Do you know," said the commissaire, " that your nation supplies us with most. pfthe^^Msin:.Paris ?'■'- But though the innocence-of themocnsed was plain, no apologies were offered for the indignities committed, nor did thei offensive manner of the police authorities alters Mr Bobins was ordered to bind htl^ ojeß.H"lsy|roi%£ tV'^^t Parquet ir Viiiledupon, and "finally, after two hours' examination, he, his wife, and children were dismissed with tbe ? words. " Allez-vous en.'- -Mr Kobins^has-placed his case in the hands of the British Embassy, but nothing has come of it.—Home, News.