Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-03-13
BEATRICE CENCI.

10 almost every print shop is to be seen the
sad face of the unfortunate lady whose story Is
briefly told 10 the suhjuined sketch:
In the picture gallery Of the Barbernl faiace
at Rome, hangs portrait Of young touan
girl. painted by Guido Ii is beautiful Out
melauch ly face, whose south look oi s"eet,
sorrowtul eyes and "tuucb OF prison paleness,
r.produced lu chrome. are so frequently seen
iu paror AID shop windows. For OF all the
famous paintings in Rome, none IS better
known or more copied than this |. derives pc
culiar interest from the history OF her whose
features il is said TO represent.
Francisco CeDci, the head of one Of the old
est and wealthiest families Of Rome, was man
of violent temper, and, in his household, lu-
tolerably cruel. Two of his sous were assassl-
mated at bis iustigation. st lcDgth, unable
longer TO endure his crueItes and tyranny, his
family appealed to the Pope, Clement VII,
for protection. The petition was nlscarrlcd,
aud remained, Of course, unanswered.
On the uight ut the 18th Of September,
1898. Francisco was murdered He was found
with an enormous nail driven into each OF MS
eyes-a mode Of assassination which Indicated
that at least two persous were engaged IN the
work. Que OF them Was finally captur, u, aud
upop examination, charged the wife, sou and
the daughter, Beatrice, with having prompted
the deed. They had, be testified, put the vic
tim 10 sleep by administering narcotic draught,
and then had introduced himself and his accom-
plice into Francisco's 5 chamber. They We're ar
rested aud imprisoned in the Castle CT 81. An.
gclo where they were from time to time, as
was the practice during the middle ages sub
ieced to the tortures of the rack to force them
10 confess the crime As was frequently the
case with the accused, whether guilty or not,
pretcrring death to this lingering agony, the
har
nearly year Beatrice continued firm In her
declarations of Innocence. At last new meth
cd of torture was devised, 10 ntlct which
would make it necessary to cut OH her hair,
which is described as being the most sl!ken,
the longest the most marvellous IN color ever
seen At this she turned pale. Touch not
nv head" she cried. Let me die without
mutaton." Aud to save her tresses she, LOO,
yielded.
Her beauty the belief in her Innocence, the
courage she mad shown, had won the sympathy
aud compassion of the whole Roman popuace,
and the Pope was besleged with petitions to
graut her pardon. This he was nearly persuad-
ed to do, when at the trial her cause was most
elcqucn,y pleaded BY the counsel appointed
for the defense, and it was shown how prob
ably mau so generally disliked and dreaded
as francesca should have had enemies outside
his own household to plot against his life.
Other murders Of similar character occurring
about this time, however, induced him to re-
fuse pardon. They were, therefore, publicly
executed on the piazza of the bridge of st. An
selo, September 9th, 1899 All the windows,
roofs and balconies 10 the vicinity were filled
with people to witness the scene, SO great was
the Interest felt for the beautiful and young be.
roiue.
The portrait by Guido is said to have been
painted just before her execution, and during
her confinement in prison. Her story has fur
nished food for many a romance, and has often
been represented upon the stage. She is still
generally supposed 10 have been innocent OF
connection with the crime, and for every one
recalling this passage Of history, the picture
has strange fascination.