The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-02 00:00:00

THE EXECUTION OF VERGER, THE

PARIS ASSASSIN.

In the greater part of Saturday's impression, we
published a telegraphic despatch announcing the
execution of Verger, the assassin of the Archbishop
of Paris. Since then, we have received the follow.
ing details :
_ _

• PARIS, FRIDAY, JAN. 30.
But little time was allowed to intervene
between the determination of the Court of
Cassation and the last act of the tragedy which
opened at St. Etienne du Mont. There was no
object to be gained. by prolonging the ago:ay of
the criminal a day or two longer. For him hope
had ceased to exist, and the sooner the pang was
over the better. Orders were given last night for
the execution to take place to-day, and this
morning at half-past eight o'clock the criminal ex•
piated his guilt on the scaffold, He who for a long
year had brooded over murder, and who, without
hesitation or compunction, stabbed to the heart
his unoffending and defenceless victim—he who
had in solitude conceived, cherished, and perpe-
treted his crime—trembled at the last moment
when the real terrors of violent death displayed
themselves before his own eyes. The order of the
court for carrying out its sentence was received at
the prison of La Roquette at midnight. The
bearer was the executioner himself. At two o'clock
this morning the scaffold was already erected
in front of the prison. In spite of Vise silence
which had been observed as to -the day of the
execution, and the early hour at which the prepara-
tions were made, an immense crowd assembled on
the spot, and so early as three o'clock a considerable
number of carriages were arriving. Before seven
o'clock the Place de la Roquette and the streets
adjoining wore encumbered. The whole of ves-
terday Verger passed in a state of feverish
restlessness ; his agitation increased as the day
wore on. He frequently asked questions about
what was going on in the Court of Cassation, and
manifested intense anxiety as to the result of his
appeal. As night came, on he began to entertain
hopes of its sueseess, from the fact of his having
received 113 news of the proceedings; and about 10
ss'eleeis he asked those who watched with him in his
cell how many days were usually accorded to con-
victs after the rejection of their appeal in cassation.
This question he repeated as the hour waxed later.
Of the Court he at last began to entertain
misgivings ; but he still clung tenaciously to the
hope that his safety would come from the
Emperor, and that the capital sentence would be
commuted to perpetual banishmeht. He threw
himself on his pallet, but for some time he found
little repose. His agitation was extreme, and his
slumbers feverish, till two o'clock, when nature
being exhausted, he fall into a profound sleep,
which was not broken by the noise made by the
workmen in preparing the scaffold. It lasted till
half-past seven o'clock, when the liirector of the
prison, the Inspector c--
..eneral, the Chief of
Pelice. and the (1'-
—siaplain (Abbe Hugon), came
to awakeno'ina, and announce the terrible news
,osss
last hour was approaching, and that
he must prepare for death. It was the chap-
lain who undertook the office of informing him
that his appeal had been rejected, that his petition
to the-Emperor was equally unsuccessful, that no
further hope remained, and that all that was now
belt him was to prepare for death. The wretched
man raised himself on his pallet, he held his head
doWn for some instants, and turned it about be-
wildered, as if he had awoke from some terrible
dream. When he became conscious of what was
passing, and when the dismal words, that hope
was no more—were fully comprehended by
him—he cried " Impossible, impossible !"
The chaplain repeated that, unfortunately, it
was too true, and that all was over. At once
he became excited, and his excitement rose to
fury. " I will not die F' he shouted. "It is impos-
sible that my appeal and my pardon are both
refused—impossible ! I cling to life ; my life is
my own; and you have no right to take it from
me !" The Chaplain endeavoured to calm and
console him, but in vain. He refused to listen to
his prayers; he broke out into violence, and
reviled the priest with language similar to that
which he had used before the Court of
Assize. The Director of • the prison at length
interfered. Verger cried, " Give me but an
hour—an hour—but one hour—no more. I must
write-1 must send an express to the Emperor I"
The Director told him it was impossible. "impos-
sible no, I will not die ! I will not—l will defend
myself to the last! You may murder me in this cell,
but from it I will not stir 1" At these words he
threw himself again on his bed, clung to it with
head, hands, and feet, and resisted all attempts to
lift him. The gaolers had to be called in, and they
Were obliged to put on his clothes by main force.
During the operation Verger made the greatest
resistance, but, finding all his efforts vain, ho all of
a sudden relaxed and fell into a state of ,prostra-
tion. At a quarter to eight the executioner entered
the e.ell to put on him the dress of the scaffold. Ver-
ger underwent this last operation without making
a movement or uttering a Word ; he only shrank a
little when the cold steel of the scissors that cut the
hair From the back of the head touched his neck.
The chaplain again approached him, and with tears
in his eyes and a tremulous voice once more exhorted
him to think of his soul. He at first listened to the
priest in silence, and then retired with him to a corner
of the cell. He knelt, joined in prayer, and probably
confessed, for the chaplain pronounced the
absolution. Eight o'clock sounded, at the last
stroke. he issued from the cell, and proceeded to
. the scaffold. He appeared calmer,, and almost
resigned to his fate. Nevertheless, when bidding
farewell to the director of the prison and his
assistants, he once more implored for one hour
" to write to the Emperor." At a few minutes after
eight he issued from the prison gate, when at once
,the scaffold, in all its hideous reality met his eye.
During the short passage ho was supported by
the chaplain on one side, and on the other by
the director of the prison and the executioner.
As he moved ho was heard to utter the words,
" Amende honorable—Jamais ; plus tarn.'' He
mounted the steps of the platform slowly, and on
reaching it he appeared as if he wished to speak,
but any words heuttered were not heard distinctly.
It was thought they were " Vive Jesus—Saute la
• France; sauve l Emperor." He was again exhorted
by the attendant priests. He knelt on the ground
and. once uttered some words, it is hoped repentance.
for his crime, and prayer to Heaven for pardon.
He slowly rose, cast a glance in the distance, took
the crucifix in his hands and kissed the image of
the. Saviour; gazed for an instant or two on the
gold and clear sky. above, flung himself into the
arms of Abbe Hugon, and then surrendered him
self to the executioner. He was fastened to the
plank, and his neck placed under the instrument
f death. At the given signal it fell, flashing in
of
cold light of the morning, and all was over.
The morning was bitterly cold. . had frozen
duiitig the night, yet many persons must have
remained on the ground to witness the dreadful
spectacle.

ATTLMPTED ASSASSINATION OF A
NEAPOLITAN ARCHBISHOP.

NAPLES, Jan. 2t3.—A. priest has attempted to
assassinate the Archbishop of Matera while he was
giving his benediction to the people. The arch-
bishop was wounded, and a canon who attempted
to protect him was shot dead by the assassin.