New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-14

4
want it for relic?
Ten o'clock. The death sentence was t,
be cOnsummated at eleven. The prisoners
walked about necessarily smoking. AbrieI
paced to and fro in his CELL in company
with gentleman of the Christian Society
who spoke Spanish, and who read to him
from the 'tCatismo de la DOetrna Cristiana
Explicado Adaptable la Capacidati de
los Mmos- The book, we thought, was
well adapted to the occasion, for surely
these dying men, veterans in crime as their
antecedents show, were children in religion.
Fifteen minutes after ten O'clock. The
reverend Fathers Eberhardt and Smulders.
the brothers of st. Vincent de Paul,
Madame Leveaux and Madame Spira. who
had both attended the prisoners with such
Christian kindness, all kneeled down once
more TO Join in devotion. In twenty minutes
the services ended.
Abriel was quiet and composed. He said
little, but still smoked necessarily. His
companion, Bayonna, exhibited degree of
cheerful fortitude that was absolutely mar
velOus. 1t seemed, indeed, appalling to the
| spectator to see a man who, in one half
hours time, would cease to be among the
living, exhibit a degree of cheerfulness
amounting to exhilaration, even as swift
approaching death casts his dark shadow
over him.
The day was beautifully bright and as
the time went ON the condemned men cast
anxious chances at the door. AS it opened
from time to time, looks of eager expecta-
ton, wistful, anxious, indescribably So
were east toward it. Was all this cheerful
demeanor, this manly resignation, merely
the result of latent, uncOnfessed hope!
Time after time the door opened, but no
pardon, no Communication, no respite came
We thought of Wilson's tale of the "For-
gers" mo pardon dropped down from
those lively skies" AS well might the men
left for execution have looked there as to
that ever-opening door, which. opening so
often, brought no hope; no hope no hope
Something came at last. Twelve minutes
before eleven. Something at last, two of
the parish officials carrying the cord with
which to bind the arms of the prisoners for
the final scene. They sit down and employ
themselves in arranging the cord, while
once more, for the last time, the dying men
kneel in the chapel to partake in the service
for the dying.
Six minutes to eleven. The devotions are
ended. Each prisoner is seated in chair,
and his arms are bound firmly behind his
back, above the elbows, so that in the
agony of death he can not move them Then
was put on the fatal cap, white as snow, but
hideOus from its associations, and so they
were prepared to move to the drop, accom-
panied by the clergy. And now, for the
first time, hope appeared to forsake them,
and its effect was peculiar, especially ON
Bayonna. He talked louder and louder
wilder and wilder. "Give me a cigarette.
make it of brown paper; give me the paper
and let me make one more before die
Put on the cap-Eully."
He reached the scaffold. Abriel, COM
posed, seated himself, followed by Bayonna
Once more prayer was said by the clergy.
Then the hangman began his office. He
was disguised in a black domino, with a
mask of the same color. His hands had
been stained to resemble a mllatto, but
those near enough saw that he was a white
man.
One minute past eleven The rope has
been adjusted. Each criminal is seated
beneath the fatal beam, and all is ready |
Give me drink cried Bayonna, and the
request was complied with. And now
Abriel arose, and standing firmly, said with
a loud. deep voice: "Yo muero inocente. No
Sc NADIA del crimen del cual me han acu-
sado. Asi perdono a nadie. Adios" az
die innocent. L have not committed the
crime of which l am accused: therefore |
pardon none. Goodbye
The last words of Bayonna evidently |
showed that in him insanity had taken the
place of lost hope: "Espanoles csrajo
soy EspanOle; s-n of b-h."
The caps were adjusted; quick as
thought the drop fell, and the dying men
swung in mid-air. Abriel evidently died at |
once. BayOnna, at the moment the drop |
was about to fall twisted himself in such a |
manner as to remove the knot of the moose
from a proper position, and he showed
symptoms of life longer than his COM
panion. In about half an hour both bodies
were cut down.
A post norton examination was after
ward made by the City Physician, DR..
Cooper, assisted by the adjunct City
Physician, DR.. Avila, and Drs. Knapp,
Delcry, Debron, Bean, jackson and Fin
ley.
Then the bodies were consigned to their
,otfins, carted away to the paupers' burial
ground, and then the tragedy was at an end.
THIRD WARD REPUBLICAN CLUB-The
republicans of this club had an extraor-
iinary meeting last evening, the large hall
proving too small to hold all who wished to
Ittend. Lieutenant Governor Dunn pres
ded, being the president of the club. The
peakers who had been invited failed to
espond, when Mr.. Solomon Moses was
allied for He was willing, and spoke half
N hour, edifying his hearers with hits of
lard sense, sending forth some startling
ruths. He was followed by Mr.. Jervis,
Who kept the floor until he had I'M
his mind of some singular
such as the members gen.
rally applauded. If he is not radical
republican, then there is none in the land.
lie, too, gave vent to home truths, urging
is followers to forsake bad habits, save
heir money, and buy a farm, in order that
hey might become independent voters, in ,