Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-06-27
Mistellanfens.
THE ExECUTIONER OF PARIS.

1t seems that the famous Samsons, who
have been from father to son for many
generations the executioners in the De-
partment of the Seine, including Paris,
have died out, and that German, or a
man of German origin, by the name of
Heidenreich, now occupies the position,
which is regarded by all Europeans in gen.
eral the most horrible business in the
world. The recollection of the butcher
les which, in the name of the law, or what
during the revolution was called law, were
performed by the executioner, surround
ed the name of executioner of Paris with
peculiar horror. He was regarded as
the man of blood, by preference.
The present executioner of Paris, Hell
denreich, is verv often interviewed by the
journalists of the French capital. They
describe him, uniformly, as well-inform-
ed man, whose utterances inspire much
| sympathy. A short time ago, four or five
French journalists called on Heidenreich,
who lives in the vicinity of Engheim,
of the city They were received with
great cordiality. They took coffee with
him and smoked his cigars. He made
them acquainted with his son--a lad of
fourteen years-who, as he said, had not
the least idea of the terrible functions of
his father. He showed them the axe, which
he keeps in a special wardrobe, and they
close their account with the remark, 'that
they left Heidenreich with sentiments of
the highest respect
Heidenreich is man of forty years of
age tall, well built, and of very deter
mined character. AT certain intervals q
messenger brings to his house small bag
of yellow leather. He gives his receipt,
and at once prepares the axe for new ex-
ecution, by grinding the edge us sharp as
razor. 1t weighs about eighty pounds,
and is of triangular shape. He leaves his
house in company with two assistants, and
superintends during the next night the erec-
ton of the scaffold ON the Place de la Ra-
quette. Before daylight he ascends the
scaffold, fastens the axe to the block with
his own hands, tries whether it moves easi-
ly through the pulleys, leaves the terrible
instrument in charge of one of his assist
ants, and proceeds to the prison. The di-
rector of the prison conducts him in per-
son to the cell of the culprit. Heidenreich
asks the name of the man who is designat-
ed, and when he ascertains that he is in
the presence of his victim, he lays his
hand upon his shoulder and says: Thou
belongest to me-" The executioner then
and from this moment the culprit is called
the patient, whom nobody is permitted to
touch except the executioner. He ties
the hands of the patient behind his back,
puts q short chain on his feet, which per-
mits the culprit to make very short steps.
and connects the chain to the hands by a
rope of the exact length required.
| We pass the rest-it has been so often
| described. After the execution is accom-
plished, our Partisan interviewers say that
| Heidenreich returns home with his heart
broken, and the symptoms of despair on
his countenancc. He cleans the axe as
soon as he can, hides it in his wardrobe,
and then attempts to find comfort in sweet
talk with his boy, who tries also to dispel
the gloomy thoughts of his father, of the
origin of which the poor child is supposed
to be ignorant.-Erchange