The Kanzas news., 1859-07-30
The Guillotine.

| a Paris correspondent OF the Boston
Tragelsr recently witnessed the execution OF
a murderer. by guillotine. He thus de-
scribes the horrid instrument of death -
'.On arriving, found ourselves in the
centre of a large square, hanked BY two lof-
! ty buildings of gray stone. On the left
rose square towers of the prison for iuve-
| nile offenders, an the right the massive walls
| of the New Bieetre In front of the latter
was the scafold, and around it a double line
| of the Municipal Guard and of Sergents
de Vile. In the centre of the road, and
facing the seaRold, was drawn up detach-
ment of Dragons. AS we were among the
| first on the ground, and only a few PAGES
from the guilotine, I had an opportunity OF
| Inspecting it rather closely, and a bystan-
der readily explained to me Its construction.
1t was painted red throughout, and consis-
ted of staging accessible by flight of
stairs, and rising some six feet from the
ground, the summit surrounded by low
| rail. In the centre of the floor thus offer
ed were planted two stout upright, a foot
and a half apart, and eight or ten high
These were grooVed for the passage of the
knife-a broad, dull blade, weighing. as l
was informed. one hundred and fifty pounds
| which was drawn up and attached to the
cross piece above, ready to descend on the
pressure of spring On the floor, and ia
cling the interval between these posts, is
placed long, low framework or car, which
runs forward on, grooves; and plank him
ged to one extremity of this car falls for
ward upon it. In preparing for an execu-
ton, this plank is raised so as to be at right
angles to the car; and the criminal, on as
cending the steps, is marched forward
against the plank. Being suddenly pushed
from behind, he falls with the plank upon
the car, and the pressure of his body causes
clamps to spring over him from below, eff
fectually restraining all movement. The
same impulse gives motion to the car, which
glides rapidly forward; and the lunette "a
half circle of wood at once imprisoning
the neck, the axe descends.
The dull grey light of dawn had pierced
with difficulty through the veil of mist and
rain which surrounded US, and in the dis
tance we could make out the white tombs
and monuments of Pere La Chaise. The
crowd soon began to augment, as workmen
going to their labors were attracted by the
preparations, and the news soon spreading,
ere long dense throng filled the place
Additional troops from time to time filled
in, and another mounted detachment arriy-
ed and took up its station. Everything was
done without confusion, with perfect 81
lence.
AS the clock struck eight, the gates ofthe
prison opened, and two men in black came
forward, supporting between them the Grim
inal-a short, athletic man,--his throat and
chest barred and his head uncovered. He
mounted the scaffod with an uncertain and
faltering step, fell for q moment on his knees,
and then rising, was marched up to the up
right plank The executioner and his as
sistant took hold of him from behind, and,
at given: n::signal, pushed him forward on the
car We heard the rumbling of the wheels.
the click of the luneLte. and saw man
standing behind the posts grasp hold of the
head to steady it. The dull fall of the knife
next reached our ears, and we saw head
less body tilted into long box which stood
ready to receive it. This was at once lifted
into a cart and driven from the ground.
have described the deed minutely, but
the length of the account gives no idea of
the actual rapidity. Not minute and a
half elapsed from the time that the crinni-
nal appeared at the gate of the prison, be-
fore his body was hurried from the spot" !"