The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-12-16
I FAMOUS PARu14r Locxsa n. i,

was arrested in Paris on the 18th Of
March. 1878, on Z. charge Of having at.
tempted to pass 8 spurious 1old piece.
bearing the head Of King Louis the -Four.
teenth. No other counterfeit money was
found on the person, nor IN the ROOFS of
the prisoner. He said astranger had
paid him the piece for repairing : lock on
trunk. His character Was proved to be
very good. but then counterleiters were
very numerous in France, and the govern.
ment treated them with merciless sever.
ity. Consequently. the unfortunate Jean
Louis Silvio, despite his strenuous protes-
rations of innocence, was loaded with
chains, and flung int dungeon in the
Tournclle prison. e.. 49,,
On the third day of his imprisonment
he was taken before the examining Judge,
who said to him:
"Silvio. who were your accomplices :"
II had none-l am innocont.''
1--WE shall see about that"
The judge rang bell, and three brutal
looking men appeared. They laid the
prisoner upon his back and put small
horn in his mouth. S,lvio did not know
what was in store for him, but he was not
long in discovering thathe ~as to undergo
THE HORRIBLE WATER TORTURED.
Ono of he tormentors brought two
gallon jar filled with water, and began to
pour it through the horn in Silvio's
mouth.
All his struggles were in vain he had
to swallow the enormous quantity Of
water or choke to death.
When the jar was empty the wretched
man Was fearfully swollen. lie Was un.
able to get up, and in answer to the
questions OF the examining Judge, If he
was now ready to confess, ho said, in
feeble voice:
II will tell all I know"
He confessed that he had hidden \ jar
filled with counterfeit gold pieces in an old
we'll in the yard ofhis house. These
counterfeit coins he said hc had received
from Perry Busique, jeweler from Mar
settles, and now resident of Fountain
bleau.
The latter was arrested. lie protest.
cd his innocence, was tortucd like Silvio,
and died in few days after in conse.
quence ofthe shock his system had re-
ccivcd.
The old we'll indicated by Silvio was
examined, but no jar with counterfeit
money was found.
Silvio was then fortified with the cord
and Spanish boots. but to despite the ter.
riblo pain he suffered, he not only took
back his previous confession, but persist.
ed in emphatic assertions Of his limo.
ccnce.
The court found him guilty and sen.
fenced him to be roue rift, that is. to be
broken on the wheel, without the benefit
Of the so.called retcntuna, or Of being
strangled to death prior to the crushing
Of MS joints and bones.
Taken back to his cell, the doomed
man at first gave way to acccssive grief.
He cried and moaned, and wildly tried to
break his chains. At last his jailer,
Martin Curieuse, entered his cell.
hardened by his long intercourse with
desperate prisoners, ':you make SO much
noise that shall have to fasten you to
the wall, and put a wooden pear in your
MOUTH
SiIvio begged for mercy.
"Oh, God!" he cried, with streaming
eyes: "What have l done to deserve so
much suferng!'
IF you cry now already like babe,
said Curieuse, 'what will you do. next Mon.
day when Master Samson, the headsman,
hammers away at you with his iron
club! Save your lamentations until then"
Silvio had never witnessed an execu.
ton like the one in store for him. He
questioned the jailer about it.
"Master Sanson," he said, sis hui
name man. He would like to strike every
culprit first on the chest, thereby put
ting him at once out Of his misery. But
the greDier Of the court is always on the
scaffold to see to it that the sentences are
correctly carried out. So, Silvio, you
will suffer = great deal before you give up
the ghost"
Silvio listened with the most painful
interest to these.
But that is not all, Silvio," proceeded
the pitiless Curieusc. 'Before taking
you to the scaffold they will torture you
again"
"What for !"
ITO make yon reveal your accom-
pliccs."
"But have nOne.'
"That makes no difference. Every
prisoner condemned to death is tortured
for whole hour on the morning of his
execution. That is the law
When Curieuse left him, Silvio had be.
come somewhat calmer. It was Friday.
So no had three days to live yet. He
was determined to make desperate At
tempt to escape, or to commit suicide in
case his efforts to regain his liberty
should fail. But bis plan seemed utterly
hopeless. His cell was very strongly
built. The door was made of solid iron.
Then his chains weighed at least fifty
pounds, and they were locked in such
manner that he could not open them
without piece Of
STRONG STEEL WIRE.
As he was revolving various schemes
to obtain such a ono in his mind, his cell
was opened, and the jailer's daughter,
MINNIE Curieuse, entered with tray in
her hand. On the tray was roast fowl
and a bottle Of wine.
''Thcre. Monsieur Silvio,' she said, sis
some good cheer for you. Prisoners
under sentence Of death always get the
best Of food here.''
THANKS, mademoiselle."
He looked at the girl and noticed that
she wore several articles Of cheap jewel.
cry, which she displayed somewhat os.
tentatiously. Upon this, it struck him
suddenly, he might build plan for his
escape. e
"M.demoiselle.' he said, politely,
seems to be fond Of jewellery"