Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE SCIENCE OF THE GUlLLOTINE.

THE SCIENCE OF THE GUlLLOTINE.
a correspondent of the New York Times, who
witnessed the execution Of Verger, gives a graphic
description OF the science OF the guillotine:
The scsffold is erected about eighty feet from the
from. door os the prison, on four permanent blocks Of
stone, in the centre OF the roadway leading from the
prison 20 the street. The square is planted with trees
On both sides OF the roadway stood q double hle OF
soldisrs with presented arms. When Verger issued
from the gate, supported by The executioner and the
chaplain, and Jaw standing befora him the fatal in
strumep,, his strength forsook hin and he sank down
st WAS this passage OF eighty teet that was terrible
for the criminal, for he knew that the moment he as
csrded tha steps before him his head would fall.
V.rger was hurried along to the fatal steps. On
tho way ne did not csasa I" repeat "Lsmb OF Goa.
wiz" .nksst away the sins of the world, have putty on
me-" H.. cried Siso, " l!rc 3esUs Christ The
scah Id Was at an elevation OF about I've feet trcn
ths ground. Arrived un next 10 th- la.t step. he fell
OIL he knees on the toor o: the seai'o!d, pronounced
a .sg words OF prayer. aud then, addressing the
chaplain, said: rMy brother, | charge you 10 MAKE
oxeadc honorable in my name TO all my superior &c
clcsiast;cs whom | have offended or made sorry; tell
them inst 7 demand pardon of them as | pardon my
self. l Off: my life in exposition OF ny tauiss.' lie
then kissed the crucitix and turned and gave q
hasty embrace to the %chaplaiu: but he never rose
Ia his feet. a. he attempted to do 80 the cXecu
toner, who stood behind him, pushed him for.
ward on the slab which carries hs head
,inder the knife. This slab, which IS 90 placed
lis 20 receive the body a. the criminal rises from his
knees on the last erep or i,or Of the scaffold, is q
nag invention, used nov ouly ;r the THIRD time. II
receives the body from the knees 10 ths upper part
Of tne chest, of necessity leaving the neck and head
proiscting beyond. As the criminal falls upon it, in
stead Of being obliged to tie him there, as was former
~ the custom, an operation that WAS sometimes dIih
cait it The prisoner saw f. 10 struggle, springs now
auddsn!y seize the body aud hold il firm. This slab
slide. easily in grooves, aud q slight pressure on the
person Of the criminal pushes II forward and places
his neck Ia the notch into which the knife falls. a
ra,u is on the othe. eide, ready to seizs his head as II
passes in osGe. to s.e4ay il, while another stands re6
dy 70 pull tho rope which less the knife fail.
The suife is in form like the knife ct a straw.cut'
ting box. only much heavier. ii is Placed d:agonaiiy
IN the two upr;ghrs, along the side Of which i g,ides
iik. n SAW mill gate; lis diagonal position glvea It q
saving motion in cutting through the Eeck. 1t falls
about twelve feet, aad so nicely is it's weight adapted
10 The fotcs required that j. not uirch more than cuts
of ths head without superauous noise. The moment
the knife falls The springs relax by q .Qncx move
nept, the body is rolled of en- 10 q 6GscuRe at ;he
a; 10. WHOM, in turn. iumbles the body on u board. a,
the snd Of which stand two nsn ready to seize 1t and
side Into a close carriage, which stands ready back.
ed -p for the purpose. In Ike manner .he man who
il charged With the ho'd'rg OF the head lets i: drop
into a basket al his fest, seizrs III. basket. aud
bsuds 1t 10 q man off The scsfiold, who Immediately
places II in a wagon with The body; the door Of the
wagon Is closed precipiiateiy. and at once moves %
the ground. All this Is but The work Of en- Instant.
When Verger was pushed forward on the board he
rsi.sd M his shoulders as if 10 try 70 release himself
from the clamps. His head was bare. and as he did
20 he turned his face upwards sufficiently to take a
,sst hurried look to The side where | stood. I shall
never forget this last glance of the criminal. Ills face
was then injected, no doubt from being pushed for
werd 90 suddenly on the board. As he made tnis
movement the execstioner pushed his shoulders hard
ly down or the board, snd this movement served the
double purpose Of bringing the body fat aud of
sliding ina head under :ho axe. The little wheel at
the top Of the uprigh. turned half round aud the
Snife foil.
ity tha, a great majority of the audience Gid not anow
that It had occurred. Indeed, its rapid!ty was its
most frigh,fal feature. From the moment the con.
dsnned man Issued from the gate till his body bad
l-ft The ground was bat one minute by the WATCH
TIs assassination was not less maguiiceutly per.
formed than the exnin:inn.