The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-02-12

/ ioI III IOuT lllOllSsUl(l. EOlilc
thought that he underated the case, but
the late accomplished Sir John Bowring,
writing to Notes and Queries, in 1870,
supports this view. Some forty years
ago, he says, had an opportunity of ex
amining the records kept by M. Samson
at his private house, of all the executions
by the guillotine which had taken place
at Paris during and since the French
revolution. There is a process Uer6dt
of each kept i'll admirable order and duly
signed by the officials who assisted at the
executions. We were much struck with
the current eXagerations as to the num-
ber of victims, and i have little doubt
that Mr.. Carlyle is right i'll asserting that
the whole number WIS under four thou
sand.
OF all those who suffered by the gull
lotine, the interest centers most in Marie
Antoinette. Samson, the hereditary exc
cutioner before alluded to, writes OF her:
"On arriving upon the Place de Ia Revo-
luton, the cart stopped exactly opposite
the Grand Alley of the Tuileries. For
some minutes the Queen remained buried
in profound reverie. She became more
deadly pale, and murmured, in low
voice, my daughter, my children. My
grandfather and father supported her us
she mounted the scaffold. Charles Henry
Samson said to her, in a subaued tone,
Courage, madame. The Queen turned
quickly, as though astonished to meet
with aught like sympathy, and said,
Thank you, sir 4; thank you. Her
accent was unchanged, her tone was firm,
her steps, as she mounted the scatfold,
as majestic rs though she was ascending,
i'll the height of her grandeur, the grand
staircase of Versailles. 'Adieu, my
children, l go to join your father, were
her last words.
The Office of executioner in Paris
seems to be regarded as far more reputa-
ble than elsewhere. The Sansons, who
certainly had many claims to high
respect, here succeeded NJ. Heindrich,
who died about eighteen months ago,
having discharged the duties of his office
for no less than tifty-four years. During
this period l39 criminals had passed
through his hands He was once asked
by visitor whether he thought the
separated head continued TO live after it
had rolled into the basket. He pondered
n few minutes, as if to collect his memo
ry; and then related instances which
went to support an affirmative answer.
Among them he said that on one occasion
woman's head made a faint effort to
spit at him; and he spoke of violent
contorions occurring il the muscles of
Orslni's face. Similar contractions were
observed ~ occur III Queen Mmy's face
after decapitation. But, surely, none of
these movements can be regarded in any
other light than as of the nature of reflex
actions. The stimulus is, no doubt, the
sudden loss of blood, which here, as
elsewhere, induces commissions, and we
altogether repudiate the idea that con-
sciousness Is preserved even for a moment
in the decapitated head. The mere blow
must stun, and before recovery occurs
the flow of blood from so many large
vessels must be sufficient to occasion
perfect Inconsistencies. NJ. Heindrich
appears TO have been man of some
cultivation, or, at least TO have had some
interest i'll his calling, rs he attended
Velpeaus lectures In order TO acquire Il
knowledge of the exact position of the
R9ud Uitat. He also made various
improvements i'll the construction of the
instrument with which he operated.
A remarkable story was told some time
ago III the Indian papers, of case OF
recovery after execution. 4 soldier who
had deserted and taken to brigandage
was captured and condemned to death.
Being taken to the place of execution
firing party of five performed their pain
full duty, and the Sergeant commanding
them, perceiving that the man was not
quite dead, gave him point blank the
coup dc grace. In the belief that this
was really finishing stroke, the body
was handed over TO the grave-digger !;
but, as night was approaching, the latter
postponed the task until morning. The
unfortunate man was not dead and the
cold night air served to revive him. He
contived to drag himself to the wall of
the inclosrre, against which he placed a
ladder which happened to be there, got
over, though bleeding all the time, and
with his arm broken by bullets, and de
livered himself up RS prisoner at the
nearest guard-house. The Minister of
War and justice each claimed him, but it
was expected that he would he pardoned
What the result actually was we cannot
say.
An attempt was made to recover the
celebrated Rev. DIR. Dodd after he was
hung, but it entirely failed One or two
instances of such recovery are believed to
have occurred. .-Ne,o York Times.