Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-08-17
MISCELL A N Y.


The following interesting description of
the Guillotine and of an execution by 1t,
with the attending ceremonies, is from that
sprightly volume Just publlshed-"Wild
Oats Sown Abroad -
"In visiting the gullotne, some months
since, | had expressed desire to witness
an execution, should any take place during
my stay in Paris. | had almost forgotten
the circumstance, when last night receiv-
ed very polite invitation from Monsieur
Henri to be present this morning whilst he
performed mis- duty upon some unfortunate
victim, whose organ of destructiveness had
led him to knock out the brains of one OF
his fellow creatures with hammer.
Executions in Paris, considering the
population, are quite rare, and always take
place in the morning, without any previous
announcement. The criminal himself is
only informed of the hour the night before.
All this precaution is intended to prevent a
crowd, and also to avoid whetting the appe-
tite of the people with the sight Of the Gull
lotine in play. It is generally erected af-
ter midnight, so that few, except those III
the immediate neighborhood,can have time
to congregate between daylight and the mo-
ment of the execution.
Eight o'clock was the hour appointed
and we were advised to be there in season
as the government is very punctual in its
performances. 1t was hardly daylight when
we reached the Barrier of the Rue st. Jac-
ques. We found bu! few persons there
a small body of mounted municipal guards
formed the inner circle round the spot; i'm.
mediately behind these were stationed some
grenadiers, three or four PAGES apart. The
majority Of lockers on appeared to be SOL
dlers off duty, and the ubiquitous gamins'
of the Fauburg. We, as invited guests OF
the eXecutioner, were conducted into the
smaller circle, and placed only feN yards
from the instrument of death. The plat
form of the guilotine had a railing and was
rather higher than had expected, there be-
ing some eight or ten steps to mount SC
that the execution may be seen some dis
tance off. The gulllotine itself is a very
simple contrivance-nothing but two per-
pendicular shafts about eighteen inches
apart, and some Is or 20 feet high. Be-
tween them, near the top, the axe, or knife,
is held suspended by spring, which being
touched, it descends rapidly along the
grooves in the sides Of the shafts. The axe
is triangularly shaped, and loaded at the
top, so as to run swiftly and forcibly. Al
the lower part Of these shafts is wooden
collar to fit the neck. The victim stands
erect, short distance off, on a footboard
which reaches up to his breast. This board
has straps for binding the party, in case he
should prove unruly, and turns upon piv.
OF in the centre, so that the executionel
merely raises up the lower end of the board
it immediately brings the man into no.
rizontal position, with his neck in the col
lar-the spring is at the same time touch.
ed and the knife falls-a box receives the
head, and long basket, which runs paral-
lei with the victim, receives the trunk.
"While we were awaiting the arrival ol
the principal parsonage in the drama, we
overheard one of the guards giving an ac-
count Of the execution of Fiesche, of in.
fepnal machine memory. / asked him
how many executions he had Witnessed
He did not recolleCt; but he said that he
had seen eleven persons executed in four.
teen minutes. At the time | could moi
credit tins assertion, but soon had evi.
dence of The possibility of the fact. Early
as it was, the crowd began to increase rap
idly. They laughed and joked together, as
though it was farce instead of tragedy
they were about to witness. There was
quite ludicrous dispute kept up for some
time between the occupants of sundry trees
near the scene of action, and the gems d.
arms, who insisted on their vacating this
leafy eminence. Plenty of witticlsms were
banded about as these ragged climber
scrambled away from the points of the bay
Duets. Nothing can dampen French,
mans animal spirits.
1.-The prisoner came in close carriage
with the executioner. He alighted & pausec
moment at the foot of the steps to speak Il
his confessor. He was young man, n,stout
but small-szed, and dressed in the blue
blouse of laborer. His face was pale a.
death, and his step somewhat unsteady
He had probably never seen the gallot,ne
for his eye ran over the instrument, and a
last settled with stare upon the glitterns
knife which had just caught the rays of the
morning sun. There must have been one
dreadful concentration Of agony as tha
poor fellows Imagination shaped the fata
process. The mere silver of the knife i:
nothing but who can paint that one instan