The Republican journal., 1869-12-02
THE SECRET BEHEADING.

authorities he was several times brough
up for examination before the maglst ates,
and here is the account he gave Of It's alb
sence He said that one evening at the enc
of April he was alone in his house-his wife
and assistants being out-occupied in some
duty of his office, such as repairing handculf:
OF putting a gibbet together when he heard {
loud knock at the door. He opened without
hesltation-an executioner could scarcely be
timid-expecting some messenger from tn,
magistrates, no other person ever visiting his
condemned dwelling. Instead of the fam
liar form he expected, he saw before hin
three men enveloped in cloaks, whilst a car
riage slowly advanced surrounded by six ol
seven others. The executioner saw all this
at a glance he was astonished but moi
frightened.
''You are the public executioner?n said one
Of the strangers.
eyes, monsieur, " was the reply.
Are you alone ?'' we wish to speak to
in private"
Il am quite alone will you walk in gen
tlemcn?"
He thought they were messengers from
some neighboring tribunal, and drew back to
let them enter the house. But he had scarce
ly finished speaking when these men sprane
upon, gagged him, bound him hand and foot
sos that he .could not move.a single limb, and
placed him in the carriage, The three men
whom he had seen first, got in also, while the
others mounted their horses, and all set of
at full speed. They preserved profound
silence while they were passing through the
town, but rs soon as the smoothness of the
way would allow their voices to be heard,
the man who had first addressed him touched
the arm of the eXecutoncr and said:
'Lsten to me; you have nothing to fear
you will receive no hurt You are only re-
quired to perform an act Of justice; and we
will answer for your safety, provide you do
not attempt TO escape, or to try to penetrate a
mystery with which it is not necessary that
you should be fully acquainted. No question
of yours will be answered; everything that
you require will be given to You; and when
yourtask is accomplished you shall be brought
back to your home, and receive two hundred
louis as a compensation for your trouble"
The eXecutioner breathed more freely attcl
he was told that his life would be spared,
though he still suffered extremely, not being
able to move his limbs.
Il am going to remove bonds and gags, =
said the same voice, E'and you will no longer
be subjected to any personal restraint, except
a bandage, which will be placed over youl
eyes during the day, and removed at night
but this is only on condition that you are per
fectly obedient and do not speak. At the
first cry you dare to utter you are Il dead
man.
He felt the muzzles and the point of a
poignard touch his breast, which easily con
WINGED him that he had no choice but to sub
NIT implicitly; and as soon as his mouth was
free, and he got permission to speak, he
sworc with thousand oaths that he would
obey them, and would abide by the c, .,iition
they imposed upon him.
'.In that case" said the same person, ssyou
have nothing to fear"
From this moment not Il word was spoken
They often changed horses, but always in
some retired place, where they always ap-
peared to be expected. Although the blinds
Of the carriage were firmly closed, his eyes
Were bandaged at the first appearance of day
and the mcnaces repeated in case he should
attempt to discover in what part of the coun.
try he was. He was otherwise well treated
they gave him a share of their provisions anG
wine, which were both excellent. They some.
times alighted, but always in Il forest, OF il
some by-place where they would run no risk
of being remarked by passers-by. This con-
tinued for two days. 1t appeared to the pool
cxecutioner that during this time they had
crossed the Rhine and dascanded several noun.
tains ON the evening of the second day
after they had been ascending a rising grounG
for some time, the carriage stopped Hc
heard draw-bridgc descend, and he knew
by the sound of the wheels that they had cross
ed deep moat. Although it was perfectly
dark the bandage was again placed upor
his cy es, while they entered, as it appeared
to him, into a large courtyard. The door o
the carriage was opened, and two men, tax
ing the eXccutioner by the arms, led him W
several steps. He heard around him sounds
as if hattle-axes or muskets were laid upon
the ground.
Come along,' said strange voice, for he
had stopped as if in hesitation.
''Remember yonr PROMISE whispered his
travelling companion, 'and we will not forge
ours.'
1t then seemed to him that he had entered s
large vestibule, then crossed several vast, DARK
rooms, which he was certain were all vaulted
and at last he was led into large saloon
where the bandage was taken from his eyes
The walls were all hung with black, and q
few torches cast dim, sepulchral light ovel
the apartment Ten men were seated some
distance from him, and though they were un.
masked the light was so faint that he could moi
distinguish their features. All the inferior
actors in this drama stood around with Grape
upon their faces.
Immediately after the executioner had en-
tered this apartment hall Of judgment, dool
in the opposite wall was flung open, and two
men appeared leading a lady, whose face was
concealed by a long veil. She was tall, slight
and evidently young, and wore a long flowing
dress of violet velvet. She was placed in the
center of this boding circle, where she stood
erect, calm and motionless, her hands folded
and covered by the long and graceful sleeves
Of her dress. All were profoundly silent, and
he who seemed most of authority among them
rose, and addressed the executioner in Ger
man, (Which all the Alsatians understood)
said: "You have been brought here to infic
in secret the merited punishment of secret
crime. You will behead this woman, who
though unanswerable to a public tribunal
is stained with objectionable guilt"
The cxecutioner-al executioner as he
was-was an honest man. He would un-
hesitatingly put people to death by order o
the magistrates Of Colmar, and mandate
signed by them, sealed with the great corpo.
rate seal, and the feurde-lis, reviewed by
the kings commissioners, and registered il
tha racorCS of the toUn hut thiC xUac cuif.