The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-06-18
The science of the auiIIotlne.


- .F..
A correspondent of the New York Times,
who witnessed the execution of Verger, the
murderer o: the Archbishop Of Paris, gives
a graphic description Of the science Of the
guillotne. r. .. -
The scaffoh is erected about eighty feet
from the front door of the prison, on four
permanent blocks of stone, in the centre Of
the roadway leading from the prison to the
street. The square is planted with trees.
On both sides of the roadwOy stood double
file of soldiers with presented arms. When
Verger issued from the gate, supported by
the executioner and the chaplain, and saw
standing before him the fatal instrument,
his strength forsook him .and he sank down.
II was this passage Of eighty feet that was
terrible for the criminal, fol- he knew that
the moment he ascended the steps before
him his head would fall.
verger was hurried along to the fatal steps.
On the way he did not cease to repeat Lamb
of God. who tsketh away sin Of the world,
pity mel" fIe also cried "Yivs Jesus
Christp The scoffoid was at an elevation
of about Ave feet from the ground. Ari-
we'd on the next to the last step, he fell on
his knees on the floor Of the ecaffold, pro-
nounced few words Of prayer, and then,
addressing The chaplain, said; "My brother,
/ charge you TO make 'dmende honorable
in my name to all my superior ecclesastics
whom have offended or made sorry; tell
them that demand pardon of then as par.
don them mysef offer my Ii e in expi1tiol
of my faults He then kissed the cruciix
and turned and gave hasty embrace to the
chaplain, but he never rose to his feet. A.
he attempted to do SO the executioner who
stood behind him, pushed him forward on tC
the slab which carried his head under the
knife. This slab, which is so placed as &c
receive the body as the criminal rises from
his knees on the last step or floor Of the
scaHold, isl new invention used only for tht
third time. 1t receives the Knees to Tho
upper part of the chest, of necessity
leaving the neck and head projectns
beyond. As the criminal falls upon it
instead of being obliged to tie him a
formerly the. custom, an operation tina
was sometimes difficult if the prsone!
saw it to struggle, springs now suddenly
Seize the body and hold it firm. This slat
slides easily in grooves, and slight pres
sure on the person of the criminal pushes j
forward and places his neck in the notch in
to which the knife fails. A man is on th'
the other side, ready to seize his head as
passes In order to steady it, while anothe
stands ready to pull tlIe rope which lets th'
knife fall.
The knife is in form like the knife of ,
straw cutting box, only much heavier. 1t il
placed diagonally in the two uPrights, along
the sides of which it glides like a saw mil
gate; it's diagonal position gives it saWi ine
motion in cutting through the neck. Itfall'
about twelve feet, and so nicely is its weigh
adapted to the force required, that it no
much more than cuts off the head withou
superfuous noise. The moment the knife
falls the springs relax by quick movement
the body is rolled of on to bGcale at th'
side, which in turn, tumbles the body on
board, at the end of which stands two mel
ready to seize 1t and slide it into a close car
rage which stands ready backed up for lh'
purposes In like manner the man whicl
is charged with the holding Of the head let
il drop into a basket at his feet, seises tn
basket and hands it to man Off the scaffold
who Immediately places it in wagon wit
the body, and at once moves off the ground
All this is but the work Of an instant
When Verger was pushed forw ard on III
board he raised UP bis shoulders as II to try t
release himself from the clamps.
His head was bare, and as he did so h
turned his face upwards sufficiently to tax
q last hurried look to the side where stoo.
shall never forgot this last glance Of tn
criminal. His face was then injected, n
doubt from being pushed forward SO sudder
" on the board, and this movement serve
the double purpose of bringing the body fla
and of sliding the head under the axe. Th
little wheel at the top of the upright turne
half round and the knife fell!
The whole affair was accomplished wit
such rapidity that great majority Of the al
dience did not know that it had occurred
Indeed, its. rapldity was its most frightf
feature. From the moment the condemnt
man issued from the gate till his body h'
left the ground Was but one minuts by Il
watcb!a The assassination was not le
msgnifcently performed than the exPiatio
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