The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-12-09

We Immediately adjourned to the Palais
Royal, and entering restaurant, gave
orders for our supper. I shall not detail
to you what we ate. I only know that
We were more than two hours at our re-
past, and when tried to recall over the
dishes when we had finished, they were
so numerous that could not do it. I
only remembe we finished with truf1es.
Two men were at an adjoining table,
drinking wine together. We could over
hear their conversation distinctly. They
were conversing about the recent execu-
tion.
"They say he was not guillotined," )"
said one of them.
"No," replied the other, "they used
the Spanish mode of execution in this
case"
"What is that?" asked his companion.
"The garotte."
"What was the reason?"
"Wty you know he strangled his last
victim in fact it was his usual mode of
taking life, and suppose they took away
his life by the same means, as kind cf
poetic Justice"
This conversation made no impression
on me at the time, but little later, as
the reader will find out, it came before
my mind very vividly.
It was now near the time agreed upon
for me to commence my vigil My friend
accompanied me to the Ecole de Medi-
cine. We found Andre there ready with
the key.
With smile, bid my friend good
night, took the lamp in my hand, and de-
sconded the steps leading to the dead
house.
The room set apart for receiving bodies,
was situated very deep in the ground. 1
must premise it is not the dissecting room
that is placed in the upper story of the
building-but this room is only place of
reception.
I soon arrived at massive iron door,
which 1 opeued. and entered the abode of
the dead. A more gloomy place could
not we'll be imagined. The feeble lamp l
carried did not nearly penetrate through
the darkness of the chamber. The place
smeit damp and earthly, and was anything
but an inviting one to spend the night in.
The only thing that looked at all cheering
was the stove, in which fire was burning
brightly. About ten feet from the stove,
standing about three feet apart, were two
trestles, on which was placed fat board.
On this board was laid the body of the
murderer, covered over with sheet
1 must confess when I entered this
gloomy apartment, felt an involuntary
shiver running throug b me, which I was
ashamed to confess even to myself The
confined heavy atmosphere appeared to
excite depressing influence on the ner-
vous system, and began almost to repent
of my foolish wager. I strove however,
against this silly feeling, as I called it,
and repeated over to myself several times
the words carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and
oxygen. I succeeded at last in dispell-
ing, in measure, my uncomfortable feel
ings.
There was only one chair in the apart
ment, of which I Immediately took pos
session, and lighting cigar, began to pull
at it furiously, and tried to persuade my
self that was very jolly.
All at once a sudden desire seized me
TO go and examine the murderer's body.
I tried to combat it, but it was irresistible.
1 felt that must see what my compan-
ion was like. You see, I had already
commenced to consider him something
more than ultimate elements.
took up the lamp and advanced beside
the bier. turned down the cloth that
covered the body, but I saw sight more
horrible than had ever seen before or
since. His features were SO altered as
not to be distinguishable. His tongue
protruded from his mouth, and his eyes
were bursting out of their sockets. His
face was black. There appeared to be
hideous sneer on his lips, and could al
most fancy he turned his eyes upon me.
A black rim was round his neck showing
distinctly where the instrument of death
had been applied. His muscular develop
ment was very great, proving he had been
a strong, powerful man. I shivered with
horror as gazed and then shrunk back
from this hideous sight.
A voice seemed to whisper in my ear,
"where are your carbon, hydrogen, nitrog
en- and oxygen now ?"
reseated myself by the side of the
stove with my back to the body, and en-
deavored to think of something else, but
his horrible features haunted me still.
almost fnncied that he was sitting up
right on his bier. The supposition was
too hideous and moved my chair SO as
to face the body again. I had forgotten
to replace the sheet over him, and the