The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-04-14
execution Of Orsini ana Pierri.
THEIR BEHAvIouRASD NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


PABIs, Saturday, March 13, Six P. M.--At
halfpast five O'Clock last evening the warrant
toexeeute the sentence of the Court of Assize
upon those convicted OF the attempt in the Rue
General. As previously announced to you,
that warrant only included 0rsini and Pierri.-
The punishment Of De Rudio is commuted into
penal servitude for life.
Since their condemnation it was judged proper
to employ the straight waistcoat with the three
conyicts as precautionary measure against
any possible act ofyiolence, either on them
selves or on those placed iii contact with them.
The reprieve of De Rudio rendered that re-
Btraint no longer necessary and the Governor
didnot delay moment in giving orders to free
him from it. When the turn keys who were
charged with the duty entered De Rudio'S cell
they found him buried in sleep They shook
him once or twice, before he awoke when he
opened his eyes and sat up on his pallet he star
ed iearfully at them, and for a moment appear
ed bewildered. lie thought they came to an
he recoiled from their touch. Don't be afraid, :"
they said, "don't be afraid" we are not going to
inure you far from it. We bring you good
news; you are to have a commutation Of pun
'ishment, and we are going to take off your comi-
sole de force (strait waistcoat)." You need hart-
ly be told what the feelings of the poor wretch
were 1t is said that he hummed an air during
the operation If tn, execution did not take
place yesterday, instead Of this morning, it was
in no wise owing to the supcrsttious feeling a
bout Friday; but it happened that the Friday
ofthis week followed the Thursday of M Ca
rmne (Mid Lent, and it was very properly felt
to be improper that two men should die on the
scaffod at the same time, in the same suburb,
and the same streets that were thionged with
masks jewellers and mummers; that within
sight of the guillotne yawning for its prey IL g
most fantastic costumes should figure; that the
joyous sound Of horns and trumpets, and the
jibcs and laughter of those who were returning
from festivities prolonged till the dawn, should
contrast with the death knell ofthe prison chap
ell; that the Descepte de Ia CourtH}e should pass
side by side with the scaffold. For these rca-
sons the execution was postponed day
Since the trial you are aware that the prison
ers were transferred from the Concierserie to the
condemned prison known as the Nonpeaa Bice
IRE, in the Place de la Roquette. In former
times the Place de Ia Grove, now Place de
TtIotel de Vile, was the spot whore criminals
were put to death Indeed, it might we'll be
called the Field Of Blood; its pavement has been
anany times stained with the blood Of the VIC
tins of all revolutions, as we'll as Of those who
have fallen by the hand of justice. Since the
completion Of the two prisons at the extremity
ofthe Rue de la Roquette, it is in front Of these
buildings and in the small square which sepa
rates them, that the guilotine is erected. The
Rue de Ia Roquette extends from the Place de
Ia Bastile to the Barriere d'Aunay on the cxter-
nal Boulevard, close to the famous burial ground
Of Pee Ia Chaise. About halfway and on the
left, the Rue Popincourt joins it at right angles,
and is continued on the other side in straight
line in the Rue de Basfroid. From that point
ofintersection to its extremity nothing is calcu-
lated to inspire more melancholy thoughts than
that street. You feel long before you emerge
on to the Boulevard, that you are approaching
the great receptacle ofthe dead, more than half
the upper part Of La Roquette is filled with the
shops Of dealers in tombs, headstones, coffins,
and funeral garlands in endless variety. Furth-
er on, rise gloomiy the two large pisons, and
from the prisons to the cemetery is little more
thin step. The population in this part of
Paris is dense; the long streets OF Reuly Pic
pu', Clarendon and last, not least, the famous
aubourg and street of st. Antoine, with their
many tributaries, converge to the Place de la
Bastile on one side, and the Boulevard Beau
marchais with the numerous thoroughfares, de-
bouches on the other; while the Rue de la Ro-
quette. as mid channel runs, as | have said,
from the Bastile to the prisons. For the last
two nights the Place de la Roquette anu the
streets contiguous were covered with multi
tude, who braved the intense cold and wet to
witness the execution; the crowds that held
vigil the whole oflast night were almost beyond
calculation.
This morning the weather was bitterly cold,
and the ground wet from the snow which had
fallen. The sky was covered with clouds of a
slate color, and under that dismal canopy dark
gray mist, transparent like funeral Grape, were
drifting about. The streets in the more distant
part Of the city were deserted, but as you near
cd the quarter contiguous to the prison, detacl :
cd squads Of sergens de-vile might be seen
moving towards the same direction, the OCCASION
al fash Of bayonets in the gaslight was discern.
ible, and nearer still the vague mass, without
form or outline, and heaving to and fro, show
cd that the awful moment was approaching
Now and then butchers or market garden
er's cart with its rcd lamp in front, rolled heav-
ily along, and with difficulty made its way
through the crowd. Many Of the spectators
had brought their breakfast with them;they had
thpir loaves under their arms, their pipes in
their mouths. Some men were grave and Sc
rious, and spoke ina low ,toneiof voice; othei 6
Tested and laughed, and many observed that the
prisoners we'll deserved their fate. About fic-
teen PAGES from the gate of the prison the scaf-
I fold was erected, and on it rose the instrument
Of death, the name Of which recalls 50 many ter
. ribie associations. There 1t stood on the plat
) form like ladder without steps; the block with
\ The hole for the head 70 enter, at the lower end
atthe upper, the heavy knife oftriangular shape,
with It's edge like a razorse: hard bv H. the shell