Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 November 1901 — COMEDY OF THE RUE CHABROL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMEDY OF THE RUE CHABROL.

Wby M. Guerin Defied tkc French Government In Ilia Beaieired Houae.

BY HOWARD SPENCE SINCLAIR.

One of the Incidents which have supplied a comedy feature to the tragedy of the second Dreyfus court martial has been the siege of M. Jules Guerin and his little baud of anti-Semites in the house in the Hue Chabrol, Paris. M. Guerin, besides being the president of the Anti-Semite league, is the editor of The Autl-Juif, oue of the most scurrilous journals in France, where there is plenty of competition in that particular line’. ’M. Guerin enjoys the confidence of the Duke of Orleans, whose money he has been spending freely. Probably he thinks that his defiance of the whole garrisoli of Paris, the government and the police entitles him to further consideration from his employer. M. Guerin Intrenched himself at the offices of the Grand Occident, In the Rue Chabrol, which was blocked by a strong body of the Republican guards, horse and foot. Antl-Jewish demonstrations took place In the neighborhood. Three of M. Guerin's supporters, who left the house armed with a revolver, two or three hatchets and other weapons, were Immediately arrested. Through a wicket in the door M. Guerin was served with a warrant for his arrest. Thereafter he became technically an outlaw, and in further dealing with him legal formalities were not observed. The street was open to traffic on Aug. 16, the police having orders to wait quietly until M. Guerin should capitulate of his own accord, which would be, the officials decided, when he had come to the last cartridge, or, rather, the last siphon of soda water. It is not known generally that the house in which Guerin and his comrades took refuge in Paris is called “Le Grand Occident de France,” In op-

position to the Masonic Grand Orient. The Anti-Semite league declared from the start of the Dreyfus affair that the Freemasons were, like the Protestants, the friends and supporters of the Hebrews and of the Jewish captain. The ferocious M. Guerin lias been recognized not only ns the head of the Anti-Semite league, but also as the general delegate of the "Grand Occident” of France. The regular and ancient order of Freemasons In France cannot be said to have taken any active part in an official manner in The bitter Dreyfus tight.- But, of course, the French Masons have repeatedly, as individuals, manifested their sympathy for the cause of justice and consequently for the revision of the sentence dictated with closed doors and without communication of the Incriminating documents to the accused person, by the court martial in December, 1894. Still the anti-Dreyfusards pretended that the close vote by which the chamber approved the ministerial programme of M. Waldeck-Rousseau and maintained in power the present cabinet, which they represent as favorable to the Dreyfus cause, was obtained only through a Masonic maneuver. They say that at the critical moment M. Brlsson, a high dignitary in the Masonic order, jumped to the tribune and delivered a speech, in which he made, with his hands over his head, the mysterious sign of the “grande detresse” (great distress). On seeing this sign the few hesitating Masons in the chamber obeyed the rules of their order, and, understanding that the latter might be Ip peril if they did not heed M. Brlsson’s cabaljstic Indication, they voted as he required—in favor of the new cabinet. The real grievance of M. Guerin and his anti-Semite followers against Freemasonry is that the order Is tolerated in France, while the Patriots’ league, the Anti-Semite league and other similar associations have 1 to be authorized by the government. A campaign has been made in the press and In public

meetings, muter tne direction or 41. Jules i.emaitre, Jules Guerin and others, to get the authorities to apply to the lodges of Freemasons the law which Is enforced against other associations. The secretary general of the Grand Orient, M. Bergere, published a complete answer to these attacks. These declarations did not prevent M. Guerin from starting the “Grand Occident,” In opposition to the “Grand Orient” of France. He placed the offices of the general delegate In the Rue de Chabrol, in the house which has been besieged by the forces of the French government.

M. GUERIN’S BESIEGED HOUSE.