The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-07-09
An Execution by the cuiilOtine.

Several Americans attended the exc
cu,ion Of man in Paris for the murder
of his niece. One of them writes home
letter on the subject, from which We cx-
tract the following:
On arriving, we found ourselves in the
center Of large square, faux iy two
lofty buildings Of gray stone. On the
left ro the square towers of the prison
for juvenile Offenders, on the right the
massive walls OF the new Bicetre. In
front Of the latter was he scattoid, and
around it a double line of the Municipal
Guard ard of Sergents dc Vile. La the
center of the road and facing the scafold,
sere drawn up Il detachment Of jrlgoOns
~ we were aluong the first orI the ground,
and only few ices from the vuilIotine,
| bad an Opportunity Of inspecting It
r;ther ckseIy, and Il bystander readily
ex Explained to Tue its construction. 1t vas
pvinted red throughout, aud consisted Of
Il standing accessible by airat of stairs,
aud rising some six feet from the = -ound
he summit surrounded by low rail. In
the cet TT Of the floor thus offered were
planted two stout uprights, a TOO; and Il
half apart, and eight or ten high. These
were sruoyed for the passage of the knife
"a broad, dull blade. weighing, as | was
Informed, one hundred aud fifty pour ds
which was drawn up aud attached to
the cfoss piece above, ready to descend
Oh the pressure vf spring. On the floor,
and facing the interval between these
posts, is placed long, low framework or
car, which runs forward on grooves aud
a plank hinged to one extremity Of this
car falls forward upon it. lu preparing
for an execution, this plank i. raised So
az to be- at right angles to .he Car aud
the criminal Oh ascending the steps, is
marched forward against the pink. Be-
ng sudd ny pushed from behind. he
falls with the plank upon the car, and the
pressure of his body causes clsmps to
spring over him from below. efieetually
re.traiuiug all muvmeut. The same i'm.
pulse gives motion to the car. which glides
rnp;d.y forward aud the Iuue,te "a half
circle of wood at once impr:sonlag the
neck, the AZ descends.
The dull grey light Of dawn had pierced
with difficulty through the veil of mist
aud rain which surrounded us. fnd in
the distance We coull make out the white
tombs and monuments of pere La Chase.
The crowd soon began 10 augment, as
workalen going to their labors were at
,racted by the preparations, aud the news
soon spreading. ere long dense throng
filed the place. Additional troops from
time TO tine f ed in. aud another mounted
detachment rrrived and took up its sta.
,ior. Ev thing was done wi.houtcon
fusion, with pertec, regularity aud in
perfect silence,
As the clock struck eight, the gates Of
the prison opened, aud two men in black
cane forward, supporting between them
the crininal-a short, athletic man--hi-
throat and chest barred cud his head Ut.
cover, q He mounted the scafFold with
an unc, r.ao aud falteri & p. fel! for d
moment on his knees, aud then rising
was uarcEed mp to the upright plank -
| The cxecuilouer and his assistants took
/ hold of hin from behind, ani, at Il given
signal. pushed him forward on the car -
We heard the runbliug Of the wheel-
the click Of the lunc,te, and saw man
| standing behind the posts grasp bold ot
the head to steady it. The duh fall o.
the knife reached our ears, and we saw
headless body tilted :ato Ion. boz
| which SEQ | ready To rec i've IT, Til