Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-11-16

q priest should he sent for, to whom he mail.
confession of his crime. and desired that il ,bo,d
he disclosed to the public. At the exact hour h.
was conducted from his dungeon, anL placed a.
the fatal car; bat he was scarcely seated Thereon
when he was informed that the execution w,s
nut off two hours. The unfortunate man i'm.
ssined that.a respite had been received, but hi,
was not the case. For nearly five wears an ev.
cution had not taken place in this ,!ep,rtmsnt
The scaffoi,l was partly broken; one IF The eve
cutioner's assistants Was accused of ha,iDo dan,
it in order - play trick upon lis master.
The Kings procuiear gave immediate order,
for It's being repaired. and it was thought ha, a,
soon as the carpenter had finished his work. ,bo
execution would take place. The prisoner va,
again brought. at six o'clock, in the midst Of ar
immense concourse Of people; the gendarms.
with their swords drawn, Kept back the crowd
and cleared an extensive space around the s,,f
foid. The prisoner walked up with firm s,ep
aud was bound to the board laid across the seat
fold. The executioner and ,wn assailan,s b,t
taken their places close TO the unfortunate Grim,
nal Upon the usual signal the coavic,'. head
Nyas placed between the hmeVe. The knife f.n
bat with trembling motion. and did no, ,oq,l
the criminal. A cry of horror arose from The
crowd: the knife was again lifted, II fell second
time, bat without reaching the criminal. aecE.
! he then uttered piercing cries. A yoey Of stone,
was discharged at the executioner ard his men.
they attempted Tor the third time to execute II.
sentence of the iaH. but without effects tie knit
only inflicted slight wound, aud the reiterated
shriess of the Inflated man excited Thrill If
horror in the spectators.
The executiouers aud their assistants. alarmed
for their own safety, having beer wounded by tbc
missiles. were Obliged to leave the scalod. and
take fight. llebard continued all tins time. viii
his head fastened to the trisht!u, uacue block
In this crue' situation, he remained for some ml
nutes, scarcely with a wound The chief exc
cutioner once more en'erel the scanulI butwj,hm
his attendants; he made another attempt to sem
rate the criminals head from his body he ,w,,
lifted the knife, but it fell watering as beOr
and missed the criminals neck.
1t should have been stated tina, the last tine n.
fif.h) the knife. on being elevated aas deraD.L
The crowd continued throwing stones at The .cai
fold. and the executionrr was forced to seek lfsy
in flight The block being now partly renrCd
Heberd felt his head G(sensaged, and lifted 1t !.
from the tomb Some of the. popuisce cried Oa:
bravo such was their establishment at seeing
human being stand up afte- escaping the iHsn
ment of death no less than i've ,meS. The u
fortunate man pow begged Tor assistance.
workman approached the seailo'd. but was ainA
to ascend it. After a lapse OF a few minutes. he
Youngest of the eXecuiDners, deisIng the ure.l
and missiles of the crowd. mounted The scafJt
and had short conversation with Eeberd
would appear that the latter said TO him. "i'r
me from these cords.' for lie Was still! fas,elS
to the plank.
i The assistant told him TO turn hsicad, anil
the same time seized him by The neck and caves
vcral wound, with shoemaker's knife. h
barJ's head. nearly half oH,hung on h's ei' sho-
der, aud the cXecutioner vas Obliged to ieap'1'
the scaifod. and made bis escape amongst a'
zen d'arms. 1t was now ten minutes past ~
Hebard, who in all probability, still brea'bed.t
manned in this Situation for two hours eyDO'sdt
the gaze Of the spectators. Some persons decr
ed that they could perceive him move for NOR
than half an hou:, during which time he frequent
| " opened his mouth.
1t was impossible to remove the corpse wItho1
the aid of strong escort OF the military; and ~
the course of the evening. the crowd surrounded
the execuloner's house and broke all the "Odo"'
1t is but Justice to state, that the elecutIoDe~
not in fault, as it appears, from report Of '(I,t
tific persons, appointed by the Procureur du 10
that the sraffold was Intentionally damaged; an
strong suspicion attaches to former a''''a
who had been dismissed bv the executi"heT
some improper conduct. de 1r'O'"''
| Sept. 16.