Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/196

 bridge of Asnières. The projectiles from the Porte de Clichy were directed sometimes to the battery at the junction of the St. Germain and Versailles railways, and sometimes to the neighborhood of the Moulin de la Tour.

The official organ of the Commune published a decree commanding the various railway companies to pay within forty-eight hours two millions of francs, which, according to the Commune, was due the State. An order was also published declaring that in consequence of the gallant conduct of the battery at the Porte Maillot, the delegate of the Commune at the War Department accords to the men composing it thirty revolvers. It was also announced that the gates for the victualling of Paris would be opened at five in the morning, and closed at seven in the evening.

At the sitting of the Commune, Citizen Vésinier read a report from Citizens Langevin, Gambon, and himself, who were all three delegated to Bicêtre to make inquiry about four National Guards of the 185th battalion. He and his two associates went there accompanied by Citizen Raoul Rigault, Procurator for the Commune, and Leo Meillet. They all paid a visit to Scheffer, of the above-mentioned battalion. The man—who was in the sick-ward—declared that on the 25th instant, at Belle-Epine, near Villejuif, he was surprised, with three of his comrades, by some mounted chasseurs, who summoned them to surrender. As resistance was useless, they accordingly threw down their arms, and the soldiers surrounded and took them prisoners without any violence or menace. Only a few moments had elapsed when a captain of chasseurs came up and threw himself upon them, revolver in hand. He fired at one of them without saying a word, and killed him on the spot; he then discharged another barrel at Scheffer, who received a ball in the chest, and fell by the side of his comrade. The two remaining guards recoiled with horror from this assault; but the ferocious captain