The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-10 00:00:00

A PARISIAN EXECUTION.

Maximo du Camp contributes an article to the Revue des
deux Mendes touching the manner in which executions are
carried out in France, and which, especially considering
the approaching death of Tmupmann, may be of some
interest to the English reader. After chewing the changes
which have taken place since the Revolution. the writer
states that no sooner has sentence been pronounced than
the criminal is led from the court to the adjacent Concier-
getie. Surrounded by guards, he is taken to a cell with
two beds, of which one is to be occupied by a fellow-captive
of the class know in prison parlance as mentors. Here he
is divested of his attire, and forced to don the prison suit
of rough canvas shirt, woollen trousers, and felt shoes. No
cravat is allowed, lest he should succeed in strangling
himself. A strait waistcoat of strong canvas, opening
behind and secured with leather strap, is next put on, in
spite of all resistance or entreaty, and the long sleeves
are attached to a cord which passes round the thighs, so
that he cannot raise his hands above a certain height, or
perform the simplect acts without assistance. This
camisole de force is never once removed during the long
period which precedes his execution. His food is taken
with a wooden spoon. Besides the prison spy, who
shares his chamber, a warder and a gendarme, whose
swords have been removed, and who are relieved every
two hours, keep constant watch upon his movements.
The appeal to the Court of Cessation is a tedious process,
and more than a month may elapse before the decision is
known. Then comes the final resort to the chief of the
State, and should the application for mercy be rejected,
the fatal word approur is signed, with the monarch's
initials. Then comes the day of days. The scaffold
is erected in the dead of the night close to the
prison walls. The high buildings of the House of
Correction and of the gaol for those who are destined to
the bagnes on one side, groups of dwarf-tufted trees on
the other, exclude the view. The law ordains that execu-
tions should take place in public. The good taste of the
execution has rendered them as little conspicuous
as possible. The executioner, a man of lofty stature,
and great strength (for at the last moment a powerful
arm is needed, and Chariot can still show the scar
where the teeth of Lescure mot in his unguarded
hand), receives from the State 9,000 francs to defray his
expenses, and 4,000 more for his own support. The final
sufferings of the culprit are needlessly prolonged. Once
more he is divested of his clothing, and made to resume
the dress which he wore at his trial. The camisole de force
is then replaced, and an officer guides him along the
narrow passages and up the steps which lead to the
guillotine. The almoner takes his last farewell, to return
after the fatal moment and render his last offices to the

corl~zo.

THE NEW TE LEG RA PH T ARM,. —A Subcom-
mittee of the members of the Preston Exchange and News
Room, appointed to examine the tariff of charges proposed
to be put in force on the transfer of the telegraphs t
Government, have just made their report. A schedule had
been prepared with great care by Mr. IV. Taylor, the town-
clerk's assistant, of the news at present supplied by the
telegraph company, each day's news being taken, with:the
number of words transmitted under each head of intelli-
gence, and then an average drawn of a month's nows, with
the cost thereof. On a comparison of the present with
the proposed tariff, it has been found that what has hitherto
been supplied for £lOO a year will on the basis of the new
tAriff, cost £l2l. It is suggested that tyq:kown Cciuncil
tike ACtiQR in 41.M4rt