Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-10-25
IFrnm the Knickerbocker
EXECUTION OF FIESCIlI AND HIS
ACCOMPLICES


ACcOMPLlCES.
The guillotine had been erected during the
niyLt. 1t wos formed of wood, painted red,
aud constructed so as to be erected and taken
down at every execution. A flight of some
eight or ten steps led to a platform about
foniteen feet square, raised some seven feet
from the ground. Immediately opposite 10
the steps, two parallel beams, placed near
the edge Of the platform, rose l2 or ID feet
high, and were fastened by cross beam at
the top. They were le inches or two feet
apart. The axe moved up and down In
grooves, in the sides Of these upright posts
aud the height to which il is drawn, with the
weight of its metal, gives the blow with suf-
fcent force to sever the neck with unerring
certainty. The blade OF the axe 10 vide aud
thin, ond the edge forms diagonal line with
tho parallel sides of the beams, so as to rendor
ih. cutting more essy. When the criminal
asccnds tho scatIold, he is placed on step
attached, at right angles, to board rising
perpendiculary in front Of him, and reaching
few inches above his head. To this board
lie is lashed by the executioner, so that his
body is held firmly in its place. When THIS
il done, the board, with the prisoners body
bound to 1t, is turned over upon a sort Ut axle,
the prisoner being thus thrown upon his face,
rolled, until the neck Of the victim lies in-
mcdiately under the axe. The neck IL then
placed in a scmicircle cut in board, placed
between the two beams in which the nxo
moves aud another board, with cores
ponding semi circular opening, Is fastened
upon the first, so az To hold the neck fixed
immediately in the line along which The axe
dcscends.
Tie foot of the scaffold was surrounded, st
"a distance Of some 20 or 30 feet, by line of
infantry, 3 or 10 deep, the sharp blades os
whose boyonets formed dense hedge, al
most impenctrable TO the eye, above the not
very elevated heads Of the dwarfish houpS
de iigne. Infantry and mounted troops lined
the Boulevards 10 the right and LETT, and
cho! ed up every approach to the scahold,
except that through the Rue Faubonrg 81.
Jaqucs, by which we had come. The walls
of the city enclosing the Boulevards, tho
house tops in the vicinity, and the trees which
overlooked the walls, swarmed with count
less multitude of people. There could NOT
have been less than seventy or eighty thou-
sand persons within sight Of the scaffo!d: and
this vast crowd had assembled at seven in the
morning, about sunrise, although the exccu-
ton had been kept secret and all the streets,
but one, leading to the place Ind been closed
by troops; and at the very instant that th's
great assemblnge was collected at the Bar
rerc ST Jaques, an almost equal number were
assembled at an opposite extremity oi The
city, expecting the execution TO take place
there
4 Iwas looking around for an eligible posi-
iion from which to gam a view of the esccu-
ton when, for a small fee, myself anda friend
secured a couple Of places in window, look
, ing on the Place, and raised some four fee
above the ground. A correspondents of soms
London paper had got into corner oi III,
window, and We found 10 little difficulty II
eliecting an arrangement by which all might
look out at the same time. We fastened
handkerchief across the window, which sup
ported Us as we leaned forward. Our posi-
lion was extremely uncomfortable; and but
for the intense excitement OF the scene, ana
its short continuance, would have been III.
tolerabe. We accomplished our object,
however, Of looking over the heads OF the
crowd and the bayonets Of the troops and
were not more than % or 80 yards from the
scafI,old itself.
The crowd thickened in the Place. A
+ fevcrsh anxiety seemed To render it unusual
, ly re slless yet there was no struggling for
, choice positions. A great number oi women
y Of the working classes were present. had
scarce cast my eyes over the curious scene
before inc, when we discovered the plume'
of horsemen moving down the Boulrvards
!, from the direction of the gardens Of III
4 Luxembourg palace, and recognized the pro
:. cession preceding the cars OF the prisoners
II The great officer charged with tie superlhten
dsnce Of the execution, Marshall Of Franc
believe, and his staff, rode in front The
= entered the space formed by the circle q
infantry, and the mounted men that accom-
panied them formed line within this circle
, The cars containing the three prisoners, &C
companied by priest apiece, followed mex
in the order in which the criminals were Il
be executed. The procession halted. I
moment was consumed in preparation. Pre-
sen,y the long trembling form OF PePin wa
seen ascending the scaffold. lie wore cal
that fitted close to his head, ana The nsuo
cloak in which criminals are dressed Tor th'
scaffo,d. after The ceremony of the toilette, a
IT is technically called, has been performed
This is disposed of just before leaving th
prison, and consists in cutting the hair clos
to the back of the head, aud tearing on tn
collar of the shirt, SO as to leave the nee
clear for the axe. This is generally consld
cred one Of the most painful moments ~ th
whole process. The reader may recol'cc
the vivid description of the sensations pro
dnced by the cold touch Of the scissors OF
the bare neck, in Hugo's "Dtrnier Jour dn
Condemne" Pepin placed himself on ih
e, foot board the executioner threw aside hi
cloak, and tossed off his cap. with al air
profes .ional coxcombry. Ills body was hrn
ly bound, aud the board on which IL wa
p dashed was rolled under tho guilloiIne. Ia
or neck was fustened. The executioner s'ePpe
aside, aud touching a spring. The axe oe
scended The head rolled into pa"n'e
prepared TO receive it, and the body wa
nushcd of the side Of the scaffold, ana was
Instantly removed. The axe was raised va
ol broad blade red with blood and a lew nanu'
fuls of sawiust we're scattered over the p'A''
form. . n, .
Marcy csne next. lie was an old man
y eornnlea, and extremely in6rn. The terro's
y ,S I,n,h Ind manned Pepln and hlmsclf.-
- n,ih exhibited the most dreadful npprchen
" s;ons throughout the whole Of their trails
. Ue nscrnded the scatfold, went through, III,
same ceremonies, and was dispatched will
+ the same quickEcss. Fiescl,i was the her
" Of the piece. The multitude waited Wit
,,npat,ence for his Z" last appearance" lie ne
h crnded the fatal steps. His face was pall'
!, ms death. When he had reached the plat
, form. he turned toward the people. his hea
Al. "A al