The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-12-05 00:00:00

THE EXECUTION OF MONTI AND
TOGNETTI.

- - - -
Monti and Tognetti were executed, in Rome, at
seven a.m. on the 24th of November. Almost up to
the last moment hopes were entertained that the lives
of the prisoners would be spared, but these were dis-
pelled at noon, the day previous to the execution, by
the appearance of the taroloni. These are wooden
boards which are placed at the corners of the street,
and inscribed with the names, ages, and descriptions
of the condemned men, the place and hour of their
execution, and also an invitation to the faithful to
meet in certain churches and their recite prayers for
the dying.
The condemned were two working masons, aged
respectively twenty-three and thirty-three. One of
them leaves behind him a widow and five children.
The scaffold was erected during the previous night.
A large number of people were present at the execu-
tion, but were kept at some distance from the
guilliotine by the troops who were on guard. These
consisted of a battalion of Zossaves, some troops of
the line, some dragoons, and also some mounted
gendarmes, who galloped about and kept a clear space
in front of the scaffold.
At five o'clock the executioner and the priests went
to the condemned men, and they were conducted to
the Conforteria, or the chapel, where, according to
custom, they received the last consolations of religion.
Exactly at seven a.m. the brethren of the Misericorde
left the Church of St. John the Beheaded and pro-
ceeded to the Conforteria. which they entered. In
about ten minutes they reappeared conducting the
elder of the condemned men.
The executioner marched in front. A brother of
the Misericorde held a crucifix in front of the prisoner,
whose arms were tied behind his back, and who was
supported by his confessor. The executioner first
ascended the scaffold, and gave a glance round to see
that everything was in order; he was almost imme-
diately followed by the condemned, who appeared very
weak, and kept repeating " Misericorde !" Almost
immediately afterwards the head fell. Lifting the
dissevered head by the hair, the executioner showed it
to the troops, and then placed it on the scaffold beside
the body, which his assistants had taken off the plank.
He then wiped the knife with a sponge, and raised it
to its former position, while his assistants threw saw-
dust upon the pools of blood which trickled through
the woodwork of the scaffold. After that came the
turn of the younger criminaL Again the brethren of
the Misericorde entered the Conforteria.
The unfortunate criminal, who was in a very excited
state, begged for mercy. The confessors tried to calm
bins, but in vain; and at last he was led forth, a white
cloth having been thrown over his head in order that
he should not see the body of his companion. His sobs
and cries were barely audible, he could scarcely sus-
tain himself, and in a tremulous voice kept repeating
" Misericorde !" The priest assisted him to mount
the steps of the scaffold, and gave him absolution while
the assistants were binding him to the fatal plank.
Even as the knife descended, the cry of" Misericorde
rent the morning air. The executioner showed the
head to the troops as he had done the first, and then
the bodies were placed on a cart and carried to the
church of St. John the Beheaded.
The priest remained upon the scaffold, and made an
address to the people. The executioner threw a sack
of saw-dust over the blood of the criminals, and then
descended from the scaffold and disappeared, and imme-
diately afterwards the troops returned to their bar-
racks. The people remained very quietly, and after
the departure of the troops collected round the
guillotine, which was not removed until the evening,
and guarded by a picket of soldiers, until at last they
gradually dispersed.