The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-07-01
I HE DISPATCH.
THURSDAY MORNING July !. "a J.
Work of the Gallows-Execu er
. Alam and Woman.

The execution Of Mrs Belisie, widow, and Jean
Bapsiste pessorges, At Montreal, on the 25.h inst
far tho murder Of CathuriEe Provost has hecn no.
ticed BY telegraph. The Aentreai piIo. has the
following account Of the unusual scene:
Al an early hour this morning all the thorougb.
ssrts leading to the ja Of this district presented
an animated and bustling appearance; hundreds
OF persons weaaed their way TO the place OF exc
cnton. determined, no doubt, 10 take time by the
forelock, and secure a good position by haIEpast
ooAcck, Mt least 5000 persons had congregatss in
front OF the Jail, and by 10 o'clock the number
had increased, IL is estimated, TO 5000, aud al
though the Thermometer indicated 90 degrees In
the shade, no disturbance OF any kind occurred
among this vast crowd Every available position
tops Of houses. &c, in the vicinity, from which o
view could beobtained, were cccrpied.
Our reporter visited the jail at s clock, and was
admitted inside. lie was informed that the Roman
Catholic Bishop had remained all night with Jea n
Etc, Deaiorges, and two Sisters of Charity With
Widow Belisle, and that the entire night had been
parsed by the two criminals in prayer.
Last evening the Rev. Mr.. yileneuve their
spiritual adviser, asked Widow Beliste If she de-.
sired 10 SEQ her children? 10 which she re piled
..That she did uot;" adding, that TO do So would
ie very painful to her and to them: bu. that " hen
at Mass to-day, they would be struck with very
painful thought that, at that moment. their moth
er was on the scaffold, and cfsr up prayer on her
behalf.
At o'clock the Rev. Mr.. yilleneuve visited the
ward appearance, quite calm. and IN answer to
Inquiries she said II am ready. am resigned -
From this the same parties visited Jean Baptisfe
Desforges in his cell. He looked quite pale, bat
perfectly composed. and said: THAT he ionged for
he time to come; that he was quite ready: that he
was too great sinner to be permitted to live in
this world, and that he wished to be with his Sa.
yiour."
the Office Of the physician Of the jail Here col.
emu prayer offered up by several Of the Ca,i i.
clio clergy, during which the female was quite
calm, and the male prisoner, WITH much earnest
ness and devotion. repeatedly kissed the image Of
the Saviour on the cross. At the conclusion of
the prayer, they were prepared for the gallo ows-
Their arms were pinioned, and the moose was
placed around their uecks. Widow Belisle was
clothed In low black dress. while Jean Baptiste
Desf0rges wore blue trousers, white shirt aud va
ri-gsted sash around his waist His neck was quite
bare.
At precisely lolk O'Clock the solemn procession
left tie Jail for the paIlows. Desfnrges walked in
front, accompanied by the Rev. Dir. vileneuve,
while In the were nun. Der of priests After
them followed Widow Belisie. who was supported
by the han2man. She was accompen nied by seve-
| raj nuns. From the time of leaving the Jail ill
the scaffota WAS reached. prayers for the soul of
the Condemned were offered up Arrived at the
foot of the scaE DID, both prsc6ers asceuded to the
top tforty.seven stefs) without onse falte.ing.
Father Viieneuve and two other rests ascend
ei with them. The cords We're then adjas ed, arS
the prisoiers placed upon the fatal drop A few
minutes were then spent in silent prayer. Mr Vi
ienesye then, in loud. clear voice. said to Ie IN
Bap'iste De-forSes, "Ars you guilty of the mur-
der fir which yen are atout to sUfer death?p D#s-
fuiEos replied, loudly and clearly, without per-
ceptibie tsea.rr, " am egiity" Mr. Vi,lepruve
again said as the sentence OF death you sbou.
to suffer just onel" to which be replied, 1T is
jns;" These same two questions were n ca put
10 Widow Bsli.e, VIII, al,o answered them clearly
| aud firmly. in woids precisely simiiar to those
made ue Of by Desi,rges.
Mr.. Vlileneuve then spoke for about minute
f"f half tn the immense crcwi. lie said that
tine PrisonerS bal confessed their guilt and ~er,
prepared to exiiate their o6-bees BY death lie
hoped that tba aa full doom, of the prisoner wou.i
be lesson 10 ali who Witnessed it. Both ptisan.
ers then kissed the cruciix, and at "a signal the
haDsman slipped the bolt, the drop flew open aud
the, f.ll distance Of FIVE feet, this was precisely
| AZ 1O1 ocl4ck
Tie dea!h Of Desferges was instantaneous not q
IA sing struggle was precsptibie Not g.. however,
with widow Be:i-e. BY sole means the moose did
not work correctly and caught her under the chr,
aud for at least five minutes there distinct eyi
deuce OF respiration going on, and upwards Of
ca minutes elapsed before she pfououBceii
dead s I'll there was nc violent struggling just
as the drop was about to f,ll, nearly tn. entire
crowd knelt and uncovered their heads Tie
hsngman was completely covered with black
| shroud. After the bodies had hung an hour they
were cut down.