The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-26
Monsieur De Paris.

bis handsome residence near the Place de Ia Con-
corde. The guests whom met at his table we're
gentlemen of culture and distinction, authors, ar
lists and lawyers; the conversation, therefore,
never tagged for q moment, and the generous
wines, Of which our Amphictryon was Justly
proud, contributed not little toward enlvening
II. end called forth many spirited and piquant
sally. ..s'r-g
" men we rose from the table. we repaired To the
smoking room, where We slipped the most fragrant
Mocha and smoked the choicest Havanas The
windows of this room opened upon the Champs
Elysees, and as the sun was shining brightly in
the eloudless sky, and fresh. bracing breeze
was blowing through the green tops Of the ems,
countless equipages rolled toward the Bots de
Boulogne, and the broad side walks were crowded
with pedestrians; and many celebrities of art and
literature, of science and diplomacy, were elbow
ing their way through the throng without being
noticed by anybody.
We gazed, chatting gayly, upon the motley
scene before us, when one Of the guests, NJ. Du.
faure, lawyer of considerable distinction, called
our attention TO very tall gentleman in black
who approached with dignihed step from the
Place de la ConcOrde, and then stood still under
our window In order to allow some young girls,
who were approaching with their parents from the
opposite direction, to pass by. They bowed their
thanks TO him, and went on their way.
"Do you know the gentleman in black. who
treated those young ladies SO politely just now"
asked Nj. Dufaure.
We replied in the negative.
." 1t is Monsieur de Paris" he said.
1.-THE executioner the headsmanl we ex.
claimed with one accord.
1.-The executioner of Paris" said NJ Dufaure,
who, being a celebrated priest of the goddess The
mis-, well acquainted with the terrible sVenger
of Justice. Does he not look like well TODD
retired merchantr' he added. " Fortunately his
business requires his attention but rarely, that
he Can live very quietly and comfortably on his
salary, which, together with his fees, amounts to
handsome sum. At this moment he, no doubt.
came from his large house on the Boulevard du
Temple, and is now going 10 Courcelles where he
owns villa situated in a beautiful garden, and
which many persons envy him when they visit
that beautiful suburb of the capital; for not.
withsianding the terrible character of his office,
upward of thirty persons applied for it in lS47,
when Samson, his predecessor, was dismissed by
the government; and among these applicants
were even several physicians. Men are intent on
earning living, and salary of six thousand
francs for travelling expenses, and number Of
other fees, always will be quite an attraction
One of us inquired for what purpose travelling
expenses were paid to the executioner.
4" There are twenty eight imperial tribunals in
France" replied NJ Dufsure. EVERY tribunal
has its guiotne and its executiOner. When an
execution is to take place outside the capital of
judicial district, the executioner, accompanied by
the terrible machine, must of course repair to the
place of execution. The machine, which, pre-
vious to the journey, has been taken asunder, and
packed in a box, is there unpacked, erected at
midnight, packed up again as soon as the eXecu-
ton over, and taken back to the capital of the
district. The headquarters of the guillotine at
Paris are al No. AZ Rue Folie- Reguault where 1t
pays an annual rent Of six hundred francs. As
for the present executioner Of Paris, he is gen.
tie and quiet man. He is a native of Southern
Franee-his name, Heidenrix, however, indicates
that he is descended from Dutch family"
There was pause which was finally broken by
the remark of one of the guests. that il must be
horrible for any man TO kill a person who never
wronged him-nay, whom he never saw before.
al am very far from gansayng that" said NJ.
Dufaure; " nevertheless, people generally enter
tain entirely erroneous ideas in regard to the
functions of the public executioner. He sees
his victim only for few moments, and never
touches him. The executions always take place
at break of day. Before dawn already the exc
cutioner repairs to the prison, and signs at the
ofice the certificate by which he vOuches for the
delivery of the person whom he is to behead. He
then enters the so-called toiletrOom, a narrow,
dark chamber, whittier the poor sinner, accom-
panied by the priest, is soon after taken. The
executioner is dressed in black, and wears black
gloves. The twenty steps separating the prison
from the scafold, whittier his stants have hast
ened already, are performed in a few minutes.
As soon as the procession arrives there the orimi
nal is fastened to the board, which is then lowered;
the executioner touches knob on the side Of the
guillotine, the AK descends, aud the terrible
drama is over.n
You must not suppose, however," he con-
tinued, "that the performance of his duty makes
no impression whatever upon the mind of the
executioner. Monsieur de Paris is always as
pale ss sheet when he is TO carry q death
warrant into execution, and, as soon as all is
over, he calls for a glass of water, ia order
to calm his nervous agitation. This excitement
may arise from the fact that he was once bit
ten in the hand by criminal whose head had
not been placed in the right position under The
Ak" - t.---s
"Itis wonder that he could ever make up his
mind to take such an Office upon himself"
Z" Ii is not always an entirely voluntary act on
the part of the executioner," replied NJ. Dutaure.
"The Office of Monsieur de Paris is hereditary;
II is handed down from father to son, as was the
case with the Samson family, who held Office for
upwards of two hundred years. The grandfather
OF Samson, who was dismissed ia 1871 was almost
heart. broken when he became his fathers success
sor. He was born in Rouen. His father wished
TO give him a good education, but the doors of
inasmuch as the parents OF the pupils would not
tolerate the son of an executioner 10 the midst of
their children, until finally Door priest had
mercy on young Samson, and educated him. This
Samson, when he became his fathers successor,
remained very gentle and piOus man. 1t was
reserved for him to execute Louis the Sixteenth.
He recoiled at first with the utmost horror from
this terrible task nor did he himself set the axe
in motion; and, when the kings head had fallen,
he was taken sick, and died in the course Of six
months.
''in bis last will be ordered that mass of expia.
ton should be annually read at his expense on
the 2let OF January. his son was Dy no means
as sensitive and humane his father. He had
his hands full of business during the Reign of
Terror. He executed Marie Antoinette, the duke
OF Orleans, Malesherbes and great many others,
which did not prevent him, the citOyeR ere
ctaeur des jugemefts criDltRels,' from being
great lover CT music, and giving every week
musical soree at which the most cele.
brated artists performed. This Samson en-.
joyed a certain popularity He liked to visit
the vaudeville theaters, where he created sensa-
ton by his tall stature and bald head. He was not
unfreqnently called uponby distinguished French.
men and foreigners, who were greatly surprised
to see at his house a number Of valuable paintings
and his two beautiful daughters, who were ex.
ceedingy well.bred, and performed very skillfully
on the piano. One day, in 1885, Lords Durham
and Bowring sent him word that they would visit
him. The two celebrated men were DESTROYS Of
getting acquainted with him and-the guillotine.
In honor of these guests, the guillotlne was
painted afresh. Lord Durham intended 10 buy
sheep and have it beheaded, but he contented
himself with seeing Samson drop the ak on sew
ersl bundles in his presence and that of the other
guests /; for number of Englishmen had accom-
panied him TO the executioner's house. The noto-
rious Vidoeq assisted the executioner in making
this experiment, with which Lords Durham and
4. al