The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-10
Denth OF a Fronoh E1ooutIOner.

Death of a EE0mCn aAegANANA-@~N
The recent death of one Simon, celebrated
public executioner in the south Of France, but
who outliving his fame, like many other artists,
has died in the hospital at Carcassone, mas
brought up the subject of death upon the scaf-
fold once more IN France This Simon had
been the hero of many adventures In the course
of his career. One of these is recorded as being
the original cause of the abolition OF the punish.
ment of branding. An unfortunate culprit
being brought up to be marked on the shoulder
with q red-hot iron by Simon, the latter let the
instrument fall just when he had applied 1t to
the flesh, so that the mark was not considered
valid. Once more did he heat his iron, and
once more did he miss the mark. Again third
time did be try amid the terrible yells of the
sufferer and the shouts of execration of the
populace, until the unhappy wretch tainted
away and was borue from the scaffold.
The affair made great noise at the Ii ne; aud
young advocate OF Montpelier, where 1t hap
pened, took the poor wretched convict's case In
hand, and sued the executoner for damages.
The facts we're palpable. The man had been
burned 10 the very bone, so the tribunal con-
demned the awkward executioner to three hu1.
dred francs damages, which, the recipient being
a convict, went into the public treasury. The
next ttdscO made by Simon was IN the case OF a
priest condemned TO death for the murder of
woman at AK. Simons hatred of the priest
hood was well known, so that the unfortunate
manner in which he let fall the knife, cutting
away portion of the skull only, was attributed
to vengeance rather than to accident; and the
turbulent shrieks of the spectators so troubled
the executoner that, on trying second time,
be let go the cord too soon, and cut of the hand
OF his assistant.
THIS time the Court condemned its sngu'arly
unfortunate officer to three months impuson-
ment and five hundred francs fine. Toe next
failure was at Beaume, where q young poacher
had been condemned for the murder OF garde-
chasse. Simon being unable to compete either
In strength or skill with the criminal, fright
full scene took place on the scaffold, the account
of which has prevented the sentence of death
from being passed since that time in that same
city. The struggle ended in the defeat OF
Simon and his two assistants, and the culprit
was conveyed back to prison amid an emeute
OF the populace of the town. This time the
parques of the South resolved that though
forbidden to abolish the punishment of death,
they were not forbidden to abolish the execu-
toner, and dismissed Simon from his Office.
But the love of his profession was strong upon
him to the last, and he would oficiate as anna
teur whenever the professional was prevented
from attending. His previous instincts we're
satisfied at last by his appointment to place as
attendant at the dissectingroom of the hospital
of Lyons, where he renamed until, worn out
and in6rm, he went to die at his native place.
Victor Hugo bad made this man celebrated for
a time by his Last Days of q Condemned Con-
vict," but the temporary publicity given to his
name had faded long before his retirement into
the obscurity tor which 1t is evident he was best
fitted.