Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-02-23
41em s. fmk Shetrhes of an artist.
NJ NJ Err XIII.

FLoREscg. Dec. Is, 1912.
REMEMBRANCE OF A DAY IN ROME.
One day las, winter, observed upon the door Of
the churches in Rome pacard which attracted
my attention. 1t gave notice that an execution
was about to take place. at the same time request
ing donation for the use of the condemned, and
the prayers of the pious for their souls. 1t is the
custom in Rome, when offender is condemned
to DEATH for the churches to raise in this manner,
sum, which is placed at the disposal of the Grim
ina the day before his execution, 10 be given to
any friend relation he may select. The amount
j. sometimes considerable and the poor wretch has
in dying, the consolation of leaving his starving
family (for whom the robbery and murder
committed) in better condition than they ever
had been during his life time. dropped my mite
into he box. and on the following morning went to
witness the execution.
The hour is fixed generally at .un-rse; but in
the prisoner should refuse to confess and re-
pent, he has grace until sunset. Some gulp down
the sacrament and finish early as possible others
tho miserable hours until the last, and then
nre dragged to their inevitable doom. | left my
lodgings early. without knowing in what direction
to go; but by observing which way the women
looked. and following fellows in veive, jsckr,., I
went throug labyrinth of narrow crooked streets
AS directly to the spot as il had hired gnid---
although nearly two miles from where | set out
II was an open space on the outskirts, where the
squalid habita,ons Of the modern, strsggle a
mong and mlnele with the mighty ruins of the au-
cienl City. There were guards of horse aud f,oi,
all the avenues leading TO the place; which
were also cloakrd up by the rsbble crowd. In Ell.
bowling my way through these TO get nearer the
door of the temporary prison. learned that one Of
the criminals had already met his fate. The other
was contumacious; refusing to repent or even to
listen to the prayers of his religious attendants
He rsved and blasphemed; cursed heaven and
earth; aud then cursed the pope -whereupon he
wss gagged When he found he could no longer
talk he .ign6ed bis to repent and receive
the sacrament. This finished, his last hour had
come, and the procession moved fiom the prison
door.
ed in black, their heads and faces covered with black
capsi after them. another bearing huge black
crucihx; then the prisoner with his nrms tied and
attended by two ill-looking executoners. Several
police men brought up the rear. The criminal was
clothed in the common prison dres. of coarse
cloth, al. nrck aid shoulder. hare, and close
fitting wooden cap on his head He 6nc look
ing man. | mean his person--of his face one
could not judge under such circumstances the
features we're lost in the terrible concentrated ex-
preston. His mouth, was bloodlsss, quiVering
line-hs nos,rls, dilated-his brow.. drawn to-
gether till they mei--snd the fiery eyebss, glar-
ing beneath them upon the breatbless multitude
seemed TO be searching for hope among the thor-
passed on, and then there rush among the
crowd which carried me around the angle offs wall,
and suddenly and Unexpectedly found myself in
The presence Of that renowned engine--the gailo-
hne. was within thirty PAGES of it, and will de-
scribe ii to YOU. Upon a rough scaffod about
eight feet from ths ground, wa. erected machine
precisely upon the inciPle of the pie driver and
about twelve feet in height. Below, was a step
upon which the sufferer kaeeled, and wooden col
lar TO close down upon the neck in the manner of
the pillory--on the other side, leather bag into
which the head fell Above, suspended on
catch, WAS the weight and the blade about eighteen
inches two feet squere--the edge not running
directly across but slipping upwards. The scafold
was surrounded by a hand rail, and the floor COW
cred with dust. On either side iron
spike, one of which was occupied by the head of
the man who died in the morning: and around all
was formed serried square of gIittering bsyonets
When the prisoner passed the barrier his remain
ing strength deserted him he was almost dragged
up the steps by the officers--hs cIammy lips were
moving rapidly-he turned his wild eyes once more
upon the living mass, and then upon the CHASTITY
and distoned features of the dead mans head
They said he WIS praying; it might have been so,
but he seemed to me to beoverwhelmed and not to
know what he was doing. The officers did not
seem disposed to delay: they took him by the
arms. and he dropped like lead into his place. The
adjustment the collar was the work of moment
"a cord was pulled, and the blade fell with a
kissing clash. was crushed against the wall by
the recoi of the multitude, and the half shrieked
CALCULATIONS. Santissima Maria abba pistade dei.
la ANNA sus, proclaimed the end of the tragedy.
When | got up again, the executioner was hold
ing up the head TO the people-the eyes were al.
ready closed, but the lips still tsitcbed andquiver-
ed 1t was then fixed upon the vacant spike, and
the still warm blood mingled with brains patterel
upon the floor of the scafold. The executioners
threw the body into the saw dust; and then pro-
ceeded with sort OF aaectonate to clean and
polish up the blade of the guillotine.
The crowd began to disperse; and | was stroll
ling about the square, when overheard CONVEX
sation which amused me, and at the same time
showed the moral effect Of public executions
There was giil 81 about eighteen years Of age, a
hue specimen too Of Roman beauty; bold, finely