Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-12-02

WIS agony W tne PoOI iHau, "ho' M "
few minutes, would be called to decide
between guilt or death. A rnournful ST.
lence reigned through the ball-not a
finger stirred. The executioner began to
pray; he was Catholic, and be.ought
the Virgin and all the saints to intercede
for him. AT the conclusion of his pray
er, he cried out, " Kill me if you will
l will not obey"
"You have ten minutes STILL" coolly
replied the judge.
All was again silent; the pendulum
alone was heard, with its infexibie vibra-
tons m measuring life with equal impartial
ity to the happy and wretched. And
sic, the unhappy subject of this tragedy,
for whom, in few minutes, eternity was
to open, stood there immovable rs a
statue. Was it innocence or insensibility
that thus steeled her human feelings. and
enabled her to meet so calmly all the
horrors of violent death?
The quarter struck. At signal from
the President, two assistants advanced
from the executioner, and again present
ed the sword to him; he, shook his head
and pushed ita side with bis hand, but was
unable to utter word. The president
cooked his pistol; the wretched man did
not know what to do. asu f
Holy Virgin !" thought he, Unjust I
leave my wife widow, and my child an
orphan
Whether it was this thought that in
fluenced him, or that his power of re-
sistance sank before the arm stretched out
against bis life, I know not, but he cried,
in stifed voice, 81 CONSENT consent"
He took the sword, and having tried
its edge, stepped forward, the lady re-
naming silent.
"Will you not let her see the priest 2"
said he, stopping suddenly.
4" You perform your Office, and do
not trouble yourself about nything else"
"The lady must be bound" said he.
81 bound!" she cried, in disdainful
tone.
/" Bind that woman's hands," said the
monotonous voice Of the Judge.
/" You dare moi! p said she.
These words seemed to deter the two
servants or the persons who assumed
their functions.
i" must be obeyed 2" said the Presi-
dent.
She was Immediately seized and bound
TO block, and her vail raised S far as
her troat. She made no further rcsis-
tauce, and resumed her former immobil-
ity.
+" Strike! or I am" cried the Judge
presenting pistol loaded to the muzzle
The executioner, excited either by fear
or that intoxication which tits said some
times influences people in times of dan
ger, raised the sword and at one blow
severed the head from the trunk; and
then he, the man of iron nerves, who
during twenty years had been shedding
human blood as a minister of human
Justice, sank fainting on the body of the
woman he had sacrificed
When he recovered his senses, he
found himself again in the carriage, his
eyes bandaged, and cloak wound
around him to conceal his blood stained
garments.
When his. companions perceived that
he was recovered, one of them handed
him purse, saying: Here is your re.
ward; it is double what you were prom
ised, in consideration of your conscien-
tious conduct"
Their journey back was performed
with the same precautions as the former
one; and on the fourth day he was set
free on the banks of the lille, in mead
ow near his house. He found his wife
very anxious, and the magistrate furious.
All that | have written is copied al
most exactly from his dispositions, which
we read in Strausburg, at the residence
of the lieutenant general, who gave me
permission to transcribe them.
The magistrate of Colmar made every
eSertion to discover the person concerned
in this melancholy history; but in vain.
Nothing was ever heard.