The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-11-30
ALEXANDRIA LA WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER EBNMBBBB So 1859

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I Paradise, Purgatory and HclE it contains several
hundred figures. Just beneath the ceiling extend
around the room the portraits of more than SO
Doges beginning with the first in 742; at the 55th
panei, is painted black curtain, with the words,
"Hoc locus est Nartno Fa,erio, decapitata pro
criminibus" After the saith Doge the portraits Of
theiremainder down to Ludoyico Mauin,swh sur.
rendered the city in 1896 to the French Army,
were placed in an adjoining room, facing the
Piazzetta, and many of them with the beautiful
paintings on the ceiling were greatly injured by
The torrents of rain which descended through the
leaky roof in stormswhi occurred few years
since. ati al j iaiiy f8a
You are also shown the Senate Room, that of
the Council OF the Ten and that of the Three with
! the three doors by which its masked members en-
tered to pronounce sentence on political offenders,
whowere brought over from The Prison on the
opposite side ofthe Canal and up a narrow stair
case into the chamber. ri, esse. $50
| The prisons beneath the Ducal Palace were
only used for such persons as had been tried and
sentenced, for after sentence, it seems that they
did not again traverse the bridge connecting the
Palace with the Prison. These prisons are a
series of arched vaults on either side of narrow
passages, which were lined with wood and had
low doors to enter whick it was necessary for a
person Of ordinary height to bend almost double.
The only light or air admitted to them was
through small square aperture above and near
the doeT, through which shine into those Of
prisoners convicted of ordinary crimes the faint
light from an oil lamp placed against the opposite
wal. Of the passage. Into the cells of political
prisoners no light ever penetrated save when the
double doors were opened Tor their entrance into
their gloom, or were opened for them to be led to
execution. None Of these cells are below the
surface of the ncghboring Canal as has often been
written; and their floors must be several feet above
it, even at high water. At the extremity of the
range Of the cells for political offenders, a passage
Of the same width as that which divides them leads
to the wall facing the Canal in which is window
ofabout inches square intersectcd by iron rods,
and to the left of the passage. wall vas a, narrow
door opening into another passage parallel to it,
and ofanother on the CInal to which a fight of
three or -four. steps leads down. Those who pre-
tend to know how such things were really man.
aged say that when execution was to BE done on q
State prisoner who had undergone a sentence of
the Three, the doors Of his cell were opened, an.
the Executloner entering placed a silken cord
around the neck Of the criminal, tied his arms,
and led him to the little passge way, where chain
was placed opposite the door, and seating him in
Fit, drew the cord quickly and vigorously SO as 10
strangle him in an instant, after which the body
was thrust through the door apd placed i'll the
Gondola which awaited it at. the door, whence it
was conveyed rapidly and with no noise to the
garden Of the church of St.. John and st. Paul
which was the common burial place Of such
|. offenders. 81 fsiia 500 1850 .8iaatgA
The Bridge ofsighs forms the subjectof Byreps
melancholy Hanza is o marrow arch connecting
the Ducal Palace and the Prison, built on the
opposite side of the Canal which is about fifteen
or eighteen feet in width. 1t is enclosed by walls
the only openings to which are two small atticrd
iron doors on eachside, and q dividing vall runs
through the whole length, SO that in passing Prs-
| oners could not see each other. !, 1t, is not so
ancient as is generally believed, having been built
about the middle Of the 18th century from designs
furnishedb by AlessandroDa Ponte. 7
I Among the very numerous churches in Venice,
St. Marks ranks as decidedly the most curious,
though it is by no means the most ancient. It's
interior presents series of domes, columns, and
arches and the walls inside and out are entirely Of
marble The columns and arches Of the exterior
are so constructed as to form recesses, and the
concave surfaces are filed with masaics of bdauti
full designs, the coors being now, after the lapse Of
several centuries, fresh and perfect The arches Of
the porch and throughout the interior of the build
ing are also Of marble, for one or more of which the
design was furnished by Titan. The edifce was
built on plies, and those having given away in
several places the floor which is also of mosaic o.
elaborate patterns presents a very uneven surface
The body Of 81. Mark is buried in the rear Of the
Grand Altar in q splendid marble; tomb, and be,
| sides this relic there are many others a list o.
which hangs against one Of the columns near the
altar. All of them are exhibited tothe congregation
on high Fete days, and to strangers and heretics
who will pay for the sight on other occasions. Ir
small apartment to the right Of the porch is tbs
tomb Of one of the Patriarehs, and in the wall il
an oblong peice of stone, with an ipeEptioa pur
poting that it is portion ofthe very rock struck
by Moses in the desert and from which waite,
afterwards flowed. The heavy wooden doors al
the right band entrance were originally part o.
the church Of St. Sophia at Constantinople ani
were brought thence about the beginning Of the 18th
century. The church contains the tombs O
several Of the Doges, and is filed with amultitpa'
Of strange and rich objects, to describe which wasls
/ take up too much time. d3lalla siia1
Is In the church of st, Marie de Frari. are tn,