The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-07-29 00:00:00

BELGIUM,

EXECUTION OF THE COUNT DE BOCARME.—The exe-
cution of Count Hippolyte Visarte de Bocarme, con-
demned for poisoning the brother of his wife with essen-
tial oil of tobacco, took place at Mons, on Saturday. On
receiving the intelligence that his appeal had been rejected,
he exclaimed " impossible !" and became so violent that
he was obliged to have a strait jacket put on. On becom-
ing more calm, he begged of the Procureur du Roi to see,
the axe well sharpened. He refused for some time to con-
fess, but ultimately was persuaded, after several visits from
the chaplain, an Abbe, and the Archbishop of Cincinnati,
a distant connexion of the Count's. He subsequently in-
quired of the prison doctor whether he should suffer after
his head was severed from his body. M. Maths (the doc-
tor) having informed him that death would be instanta-
neous, he seemed satisfied. At a later hour, as if struck
by a sudden though, he jumped up and offered 100,000
francs to each of his guards if they would allow him to
escape. During the night the guillotine was erected, and
the first rays of the morning sun fell upon the scaffold.
The machine was tried once or two to see that the springs
were easy, and some sensation was created as the execu-
tioner proceeded to feel the edge and grease the blade.
At six o'clock an immense crowd filled the square, con-
sisting chiefly of men in blouses, women and market girls
from the neighbouring villages. All the hotels and prin-
cipal shops that commanded a view of the square closed
their shutters. This example was followed by many
shopkeepers in other parts of the town. A few officers
were visible on the balcony of the Military Club. Gen-
darmes on horseback kept the space clear in the immediate
diate ♦icinity of the scaffold. The most perfect silence
was maintained by the crowd, which looked on with awe
and emotion. At six a.m. the executioner and his assis-
tants proceeded to the prisoner's cell, to dress the priso-
ner, who allowed them quietly to do their work. A pri-
son van, escorted by sixteen gendarmes on horseback,
under the orders of a lieutenant, conveyed the prisoner to
the steps leading to the scaffold. The Archbishop of
Cincinnati, in his purple robes, and the Dean of St. Wau-
dru, alighted from the van with him. Count Bocarme
ascended the scaffold with a firm step, his head erect,
without support. His countenance was pale. His hair
had been cut short, but his beard was uncut. His shirt
was open at the chest. He was dressed in a suit of black,
white stockings, and new glazed shoes. His hands were
tied behind his back. Having embraced the two eccle-
siastics and kissed the crucifix, he seated himself on the
fatal plank, to which he was immediately strapped by the
executioner's assistants. During this operation, which
lasted nearly five minutes, he turned his head towards the
crowd. The only observation he made was, that there
was no hurry, and a request not to strap him so tight.
Whilst looking with apparent curiosity at the axe, the
plank revolved, and, of his own accord, he placed his head
on the cushion. The executioner made a signal, a dull
heavy blow was heard, and justice was satisfied. Five
minutes afterwards a hearse carried off the mortal remains
of Count Hippolyte Visarte de Bocarme.