Horrors of the Commune.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 95, 21 April 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

Horrors of the Commune.

A yotjng linesman staggered into the courtyard, bareheaded, ghastly pale, his tunic half stripped off. His neck was cub deeply open ab the bottom of the righb side for a length of nearly six inches, and the severed flesh hung down on to the shoulder in a 'thick scarlet fold; he dripped with blood, and literally epabtered it about him aa ha reeled in. Ho still held his rifle with hia left,hand, and with his righb he dragged ; after him a young woman, with nothing ou her "bub a torn chemise and uniform trousers (which indicated that she had been a'cantinie're'of the Commune). With a lasto effort the soldier flung tho woman towards us, stammering oub hoarsely, ' She haa killed my captain ; she has killed two of my comrades; she has cub my throat; and yet I bring her to you alive.' And then tho poor young fellow dropped heavily, his rifle ringing on the stones as it fell with him. * Tie thab woman's hands behind her,' ordered the commanding officer, bb the soldier was put upon a litter for conveyance to the ambulance. Silent and breathless stood the woman ; she seomed to expect immediate death. Her shoulders, her tattered chemise, her arms and hands were splashed everywhere with blood ; the expression of her white face, with the hard glazed eyes, the clenched teeth, and the strained distortion of the mouth,. was demoniacal. Straight she stood up before us, her head thrown back as if to dare the woreb; she made no answer to tha questions pub to her. There was a discussion among the officers as to whether it was not their duty to have her shob ab once. Bub, though the case was clear, they shrank from commencing executions by a woman, and, after some hesitation, spared her, taking it for granted that when tried she would be condemned. Her arms bound back, she. was sent into the cellar. She was, however, the only one let off; from thab moment every prisoner, man or woman, broughb in red-handed was taken across to the park and executed straight away.— •Blackwood'a Marine.'