The Sun.
London, England, 1836-02-22 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF FIESCHI, MOREY,

AND PEPIN.

(From the Gazette des Tribunaux and Galiananh afternoon
edition of Friday.)

This morning, at ten minutes past eight o'clock, the
awful sentence of the law was carried into effect upon
Fieschi and his accomplices. Up to the last moment a be-
lief prevailed that the capital penalty would be commuted,
irfar as regarded Pepin and Morey,- but at a quarter-past
seven o'clock, it became evident to the public, in the im-
mediate vicinity of the scene of death, that no mercy could
be extended to any of the convicts, as at that hour the
dreadful preparations for the execution commenced.
At six o'clock this morning, Pepin called for some re-
freshment, and be very quietly ate the wing of a fowl.
Fieschi would not eat any thing. He only asked for a
glass of liqueur. " Something strong," said he, " but not
brandy, because I do not like that."
At seven o'clock the executioner, accompanied by nine of
his assistants, arrived at the prison of the Luxembourg, and
exhibited to the Governor the order for the execution. He
was immediately conducted to the Hall where the prepara-
tions were to be made. This Hall, which is rather exten-
sive, leads from the Register Office to the prison. The
executioner caused a bench to be placed between two of
the pillars of the Hall ; behind it were immediately sta-
tioned three gendarmes, with sabres drawn, and opposite,
next to the wall, were paced three chairs.
Fieschi came out first, attended by his keepers. He wore
blue pantaloons and a waistcoat of woollen stuff. His head
was covered with a black silk cap. He came forward with
a careless air, holding his head high, and casting his eyes on
every object around him, and he took his seat on the bench,
as he was told, without saying a word. Three of the exe-
cutioner's assistants then came up to him and asked him if he
had not a frock-coat. " What_ need should I have for one ?"
said he. " Because it is cold," was the reply. "Oh ! I shall
not feel it long ; but yet I•think you are right ; pray let my
coat be fetched." When his hands were about to be tied be-
hind his back, he requested that they should not be tied very
tight. Several times during the operation be exclaimed, "It
is too tight, you hurt me ; lavish to have my movements
free." One of the assistant executioners slacked the cord,
and was proceeding to tie his legs, when Fieschi said, " Well,
this very night I dreamt that you were tying my legs."
While these sad preparations were going on, Fieschi conti-
nued talking with great volubility, addressing himself to every
person around him whom he had known in the prison. "Is
that you, Prussian ?" said he to one of the keepers; "and you,
young one?" addressing another, " you who was my friend,
you come here to see me tied up in this way ? go, go away ;
all the others who arc here are doing their duty, but you have
none to perform here, therefore go." He then held his
head down for a moment, and appeared to be thinking ;
then, assuming a solemn air, he said, " Why was I not
killed in Russia, instead of coming to have my head cut off
in my own country? But I declare to you all who are here
present, that I have done service to my country by stating
the truth ; I do not repent having done so, and I ought to
serve as an example on thestscaffold."
,The preparations being completed, Fieschi stood up and,
spoke thus :—" Gentlemen, I request you will bear wit-
ness that I have bequeathed my head to M. Lavocat. I
have done so in writing, and I suppose the law allows that
my will be respected. Where is the man whose business it
will be to pick up my head ? I tell him it shall not be his,
but M. Lavocat's. /es, my head belongs to M. Lavocat,
my soul to God, and my body to the earth. Now, let the
others be brought forth ; let them be placed before me ; I
want to see them ; this is my day of festivity."
The executioner took hold of his arm, and assisted him
to one of the three chairs placed against the wall. At this
moment the chaplain of the Luxembourg, the Abbe Gri-
vel, made his appearance, when Fieschi immediately made
a sign to him to approach, which the chaplain did, with
tears in his eyes ; on observing which, Fieschi said, " Why
do you weep ? Must it be .me who is to give you courage ?
Come, come, let this cease ; I 'am happier than you are ;
I die with a tranquil conscience, and without' any fear."
The Abbe assured him he was confident that he did so,
requested him to remain calm, an4.fix his thoughts on God
alone, and presented to him the crucifix, which Fieschi
kissed with eagerness.
Morey was brought forward next, supporting by two of
the keepers. He was dressed as at the audiences, with a
brown great-coat and a black silk cap : his attitude was, as
usual, calm and resigned. He sat or rather dropped down
on the seat, and underwent all the preparation without
pronouncing a single word. Now and then he raised an
indifferent look on those who surrounded him.
This silence and immobillity formed a striking contrast
with Fieschi, who was placed opposite Morey, ad did not
cease talking.
After a moment's silence, Fieschi rose, apparently to
speak. The executioner invited him to sit down—
" What !" said he, sharply, " can't I stand up ?"—" Sit
down, if you please."—" Well, then, I shall stand up."
Fieschi then raised his voice, and exclaimed with impatience,
" Where is M. Lavocat ? What IM. Lavocat won't
come He has not then been told that I wished to see
him. . . • . He shall come ;-. . . yes, if M. Lavocat
does not come, I shall die damned." On the utterance of
this expression, the Abbe Grivel, placing his hands on
Fieschi's mouth, said with mildness, " Oh, my Friend, what
a word ! hold your tongue. I have written to M.
Lavocat." Fieschi appeared to become more calm, but he
repeated several times his regret at the absence of M.
Lavocat, and asked after him frequently.
During the preparations that Mercy was undergoing in
silence, a man was seen close to the pillar, in a gray great-
coat, with a fur cap on his head, smoking his pipe. He
appeared to be looking on as an indifferent spectator, and
addressed a few words to his neighbours on the-details of
this ceremony. This man was Pepin.
On being called by the executioner he'placed himself on
the side of Morey, took off his coat and neckcloth, which
he gave up to a keeper, saying, " Give these things to the
Director ;" and while his hands were being tied he conti-
nued smoking his pipe. His face did not. show the least
emotion ; his voice was not altered—be spoke very little.
But, when the collar of his shirt was cut off, he turned to-

wards Morey, and said, with .a calm voice, " Well, my old
Morey, it appears that we are going together into the other
world !" Morey replied—" A little sooner or later, what
does it matter ?" A moment after Pepin cast his eyes on
Fieschi. " Well, Ficschi," said he, smiling, " you are
pleased, you are now opposite your friend (checking him-
self)—l mean your victim." Fieschi attempted to reply,
but was prevented by the Abbe Grivel.

At a quarter past seven o'clock the preparations were
finished. The condemned got up to bo led to the fatal
vehicle. Pepin, who continued smoking his pipe, said—
" Gentlemen, the crime of Fieschi is confined to him alone.
There is no other guilty man here besides himself."
" I have done my duty," observed Fieschi, " and all I
regret is not to have had forty days more to live, in order
to write a great number of things that remained to be told."
The three convicts were then led out of the hall, and
taken through the garden to one of the furthest gates, where
three vehicles were standing to receive and conduct them
to the place of execution. Fieschi walked first, and did not
cease talking to those who were around him. Pepin came
next, with his pipe in his mouth. Morey was last, hardly

able to drag himself along, and assisted b3' two executioner's

men, who held him under the arms, to whom he more than

once said, " Do not leave hold of me, for I should instantly
roll like a bundle." " Come, keep up your courage," said
one of the attendants to him. "
Moray, " I want none of that ; it is hat I am
in %milt of."
Each of the convicts was placed Ml. to vehicle,
with a confessor and two gendarmes. -1' .1 • • •rs of the
three vehicles were left open. Attended by party of gen-

armes and Municipal Guards on horseback, the procession
.arced from the Luxembourg at halfpast seven for*the place
f execution.

The melancholy cortege took the way of the Bonk-
Lrds, to the place of execution. A great display of the

•med force had been deemed necessary by the Govern-
Lent. Thom were 6,200 under arms, not including

the numerous agents of the police, who were stationed
so as to prevent the curious from traversing the
road through which the cortege was to pass. On every
tree of the Boulevards, and gardens adjacent, com-
manding a view of them there were perched from 10 to 15
persons. The dead walls along the Boulevards were also
crowned with crowds. We think it would be falling short
of the number to estimate at 25,000 that of the curious
who had taken their station from the extremity of the
Luxembourg garden to that part of the Boulevard which
adjoins the place of execution. The crowd would have
been still more considerable, had not the precaution been
taken of closing the external barriers.

A few moments before the arrival of the cortege, the
commissaries of the police on the Place St. Jacques allowed
that portion of the crowd which was nearest to a very wide
circle formed round the guillotine to take their station
within that circle, which was instantly filled with about
3,000 persons. Generals Dariule and Bugeaud, in full
Uniform, were on horseback close to the scaffiald. A little
further off, and seated in an omnibus, were the Juge d'ln-
sruction, Zangiacotni, and Messrs. Cauchy and La Chauvi-
niere, both of them registrars of the Court of Peers, who
had been stationed there for the purpose of receiving any
confessions or depositions which Pepin might be disposed to
offer at the moment of suffering death.
On the outside of the gate, at a tavern, the Duke of
Brunswick was to be seen at a window of the first floor,
looking over the gate on the scaffold with a spying-glass.
Pepin was the first to descend from his vehicle. He
mounted the scaffold with a firm step, and exhibited in his
entire deportment a degree of calmness and resignation that
formed a strong contrast with the weakness and irresolution
displayed by him during his trial. On reaching the fatal
platform he Lqwed t the asseuthled multitude, resigned