The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-02-08

StalrcaSeS Wlllcn We llaQ 1llSC CTOuQcn anu lrtt-
vcrscd the seemingly intcrminable passages.
In the hall, the second toilette was proceed
ed with, the murdererS hair and the collar OF
| his shirt were cut off. his hands and feet were
| tied-thc former behind his back, The latter so
rs TO permit only the most necessary move
ments. person engaged in putting on a new
suit of clothes could no., apparently, be in q
calmcr OF scrcncr stntc OF mind than that OF
the cuprit Tic priest read the Passion of
Christ in u low voice. NJ. Claude asked Traup-
mann for the last time:
'sDo you persist in your assertions? Z"
IL do, do, he replied with an incredible
calmncss.
The persons present were told that general
ly when persons about to be executed leave
the door OF the prison. and see the fatal ma
chine before them, their courage vanishes.
But Traupmann never hesitated, never made
false step. The assistants simply walked
alongside of him.
on placing his foot on the first of the ten
steps conducting to the scafrold, and after
kissing the erucifx borne by the chaplain, the
criminal turned round for moment, as II
seeking some one He was looking for the
chief OF the secret police. Not seeing the
latter, he said to the worthy priest who ac-
companicd him:
"TeIl Mons. Claude that | persisted IN my
assertions to The last"
LAST OF ALL
Then he ascendcd the fatal steps. IL was
still dark, though the morning was beginning
to dawn. 1t was difficult for the spectators 10
perceive what was passing on the scalf0ld.
Tho axe had done its office; the head OF tho as
sassn had fallen under it. The cXecntloncr,
on descending, said that the criminal at tne
last moment had attempted to escape and 10
bite him. The savage spirit had revived and
broken through his show of calmncss.
During all this time hardly sound was to
he heard from the crowd. 1t must have been
impossible for the persons composing IL TO lol-
low The operations Of the cXccutioncr and ms
assistant, Us even those nearest inc scaiiolu
could discern nothing through the gloom. Ii
was very cold. Most people were shivcrlng.
and when the word was passed round That "all
was OVER the multitude dispersed, glad to cs-
cape from the scene which they had been SO
eager to witness.
TIE uIILoTINE-CoMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF
THE FRENCH INSTRUMENT OF DEATH.
The guillotinc of the present day is smaller,
less clumsy, and more manageable than Its pro-
t0type of old; still it is the same instrument,
and the notifications which it has successiVeiy
undergone have changed neither the nature OF
IFS mechanism nor its general form. 1t con-
sisis of square-shaped scafiold,. thlrtGen
feet long by about twelve feet SIX lnches
height. and reached by q flight OF ten steps.
Ihis scaffold Is rallied in on all sides, with an
omen Ialustradc, and at two-thirds of its
length arc fixed two upright parailel posis,
surmounted by q cross-beaI1 which goes NY
the name of the ''chapeau.' Thcy are thlr-
teen feet high, and have aspacc OF about llltceh
inches between them. The knife, which Is
attached 10 the chaprau. Is composed of q trl-
| angular blade of steel, fixed By means OF three
iron pins into cadcn ilatt, called the "mou-
| ton, which gives 1t great weight. TINS mou-
ton is nearly fourteen inches 1r0au, anu Inc
blade at It's greatest width hardly q fool. Al
rather more tllan three feet above tnc plat
form are two planks. placed vertically ono
over the other and with y semi-circular por-
tiou cut out of each, SO that when they are
brought together The opening has the appear,
ancr of q fill moon. These are known as tnc
..luncttc." The lower plank is fastened to the
upright posts, willie the upper one, sliding III
lateral grooves, can be raised or Lowered at
will Between the posts and the staircase IS
| the s.busculc," n narrow piece OF board, which
when at rest IS vertical, but when mere
| touch will bring into q horizontal position. In
| falling. 1t comes on to solidly supported
| table. longer than itself, and extending right
up to the lunrtlc. The blscule furnished
with castors, rolls along this table, ana,
by {; rapid action, brings the neck Oh inc .,,
criminal, who is fastened to 1t, on TO the
lower haf circle, 80 as to secure it thcre;
To the right of the bascule, and attached
| TO il by hinges, Is an inclined plane,
placed so as to rest against the side OF an cnof,
nous wickcr-baskct. lined with zinc, anu nliea
with sawduSt. Underneath the Dascuic ana
the lunette Is trough OF oblong shape, and III
| front OF the upright posts Is an apparatus
which secures the head of the criminal ana
prevents it from rolling OH to the platform
| should it full from the hands OF the assistant
charged TO hold it. The entire machine, 10,
gether with its various accessories, Is painted
Il disagreeablc deep 1lood-rcd COLOR inc oas-
cnlc is provided with double leather strap
and buckles, in order TO prevent any resist
aucr OH the part of the criminal; but this IS
rarely if ever used. The upper scmi-crclc iails
rapidly by means ola very simple piece OF
mechanism put in action by y button, which It
is only necessary to press. The knlle Is at-
tachcd TO the chapcau by Kind oil cllw,
shaped like the figure s, the lower part OF
which opens when the upper closes. cord
hanging near to the button already noucea,
acis l,n0n a lever, which, bringing the upper
portions of the claw together, compel5
the lower to separate and set the knife frcc.
This latter, sliding through the open space, Is
accelerated in It's descent by The mass Oh lelu
that surrounds il, and falls with dreadful rapi-
| dity, which IL, moreover, Increased ny tlie ac-
liun of polished steel rollers running in copper
grooves fixed inside tho upright posts In ITS
fall it lust sllves the surface OF the lnnetlc, ana
is finally stopped Ivy two springs covere" VIII
discs OF India rubber. which dcadcn the SHOCK
and prevent noise. The rcallcr will now conl-
urrhcud with what simplicity and security the
ruillolinc accomp,ishcs its terrible work. Tlic
| criminal. having mounted the scailod, mus
himself in front Of the vrrtir. basclllr, whlch
extends from Just above his ankles TO the
middle of the breast, and facing him also Is
the lunctte, with lis movable portion
raised. The cxccui!oncr pushes the 0asculc,
which falls into the horizontal position, ana
then pushes it dlong the table the head oi tile
victim seems is it were to throw itself INTO tlle
scmi-crcuilr opening Of the luncltc, ana an as
sisant Immediately srizes hold OF the hair. Two
things now remain TO DC done; one IS 10 press
the button which acts upon the mechanism OF OF
the upper portion OF the lunettc, causing IL 70
fall and secure the head OF the criminai-.hc
other is TO set loose the knife which Is TO cut
the head oil On decapilation taking place,
the heal is thrown into the basket, Wnlc tile
cyrcuiiuncr, by q single motion. sucs lhe
body down The inclined plane. The rapldty
of the motion is almost inconceivable, ana
d.,t! is, ;ls matter Of course, instantaneous.
The uL;:,Ilr blllc. made enormously heavy ny
lis lc:llicil halt, acts simultaneously ny us
shane, IL weight ;ind its cutting power. The
fall, iralhemalicay calculated, occupies three
Quarters of IL second The respective parts
nlayed by the cXccutioncr's assistants are set
tied in advance. One Of them seiZes hold ol
the head. the other raises the baSculc from the
bottom and weighs do%n the legs of the crlml-
nal. while the cycCnioncr lastcnS on lne
,lin0uemcnt. These combined movements: all
differing one from the other, are accomplished
by three Individual! with u precision anu,