Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-03-14
A Horrible Execution.

One Of the most shocking executions tina
ever took place in modern times, perhaps, was
that Of handsome young girl, who was pu
to death on the 10th of December last, al
San Marine, in Italy, for the murder of bei
new born babe.
For nearly fifty years no murder had been
committed in San Marine. So much the
greater, then, was the horror of the people
of the little moral republic. when. on the
morning of the 10th of November last. they
learned that the corpse of child, when to
all appearances, was but week old, mad
been found, covered with some rubbish, in
ditch near the Court House, and its throat
cat from ear to ear. An investigation "as
at once set on foot by the presiding elder of
the republic (such is his title,) and in he
course of few hours it was discovered that
a young girl named Felicia Pallavicini bad
probably committed the foul murder, that
the unfortunate aud innocent victim of The
fearful crime was her own lit lie daughter
Felicita was tall dark haired and dark
eyed beauty of twenty two years. Her fea
features were as fault!ess as those OF one If
Raph@rs Madonnas and, although her par
ents, both of whom had died while she was
still child, we're very poor, her hands and
feet were as small as those of duchess.
Felicia was at once arrested, and tn. re-
mains of the murdered child were shown
her She appeared greatly affected, aud
said the child was hers, but refused to con.
fess that she had taken its life Vainiy did
the aged elder Of the republic. who was also
the presiding judge of San Marino urgei
the wretched woman to atone, at least in
small part, for the fearful deed she had cn-
mitted- She hung her head and refused to
say anything. Absolute despair seem ID to
have seized her, and when she was formally
tried for her offense, on the 10Th of Nnv"n
Der, she appeared tie be perfectly Indifferent
to what was going on Then he told her
to stand up, and addressed her as follows:
Felicia Pallavicini, you are cruel mur
deress. Not only have you been gully of
the vilest Of crimes, and heaped disgrace on
your native country, but you have tax
human life, and moreover, that of your owu
offspring. Cruel, unnatural mother, you
shall suffer death for your doom. Your last
hour has come !!
The last startling words aroused the pri<-
oner from the stupor. She started up in
dismay, as if thunder struck BY what she
had heard.
Your last hour has come ? repeated the
presiding judge in solemn tone.
And then the wretched Felicia realized
her position at length, and she broke into
wild screams
oh, mercy, mercy!' she cried. L Was
crazy when | did it; mercy, mercy!
But the judges shook their heads, AMI the
two officers of the court approached the prs.
oner upon motion from the old Judge.
Take her to the gorge of Feri!' be said
to them -.
Felicita, who was very strong wnman,
resisted the officers desperately when they
tried tie tie her. She threw herself on the
floor she bit them and scratched them but
they soon mastered her, and few minutes
afterwards she was bound so securely that
she was as be- pless as child. Then "a
priest was sent for to administer the last re.
ligious consol 'tion to her, but she refused to
listen to him, and uttered the most appro-
brious sentiments. untl it was finally found
nece sary to gag her.
And now she was carried out and placed
on litter, which the two officers took up.
When they started for the scene where the
last horror was to take place, the priest
walked by the side Of the helpless woman,
holding up the cruci6x to the face Of her
whose features were distorted with unbeund-
ed terror. A few citizens accompanie him.
A more mournful procession could not be
imagined. At last they were close to the
fatal precipice.
"May God have mercy GU your soul "
said the priest, ferveutly, and pressed the
cruGx a last time to her face.
Then the two officials lifted her, and rails
ing up, hurled her into the depth.
Everybody shuddered when second az
terward they heard the body striking hard
against the bottom Of the gorge. Let US
hope that death was instantaneous.