The Worthington advance., 1876-06-15

vance no further than the threshold,
so that the few words that they spoke
were exchanged at some distance.
"You have sent in a claim for the
sums that are due to you," said the
King, without even turning to look
at the headsman. 81 have ordered
that your accounts be examined and
settled without delay; but the State is
poor for the present, and your claim
is for 1861 livres, I believe 81
thank your Majesty, with as much
gratitude as respect" answered San.
son; "but beseech your Majesty to
remember that my debts have so con.
siderab1y increased that my creditors
will not wait any longer, and that they
threaten my liberty. . AT these words
tho King turned and cast rapid glance
at the executioner. Swat moment, -
he said, I" must see to this directly" "
He rang bell, and an officer appeared.
Fetch me safe.conduct," said Louis
" and direct it to the names l will tell
you.'' The King then dictated the fol-
lowing order
BY order Of the King.
His Majesty being desirious Of giving NJ.
Charles Henri Samson the means of attending
to his occupation, has given him safe con-
which his Majesty orders his creditors to
take no proceedings against him; to all So
licitors, Polio officers, or others, not to arrest
or molest him in any way; to all jail0rs of
prisoners not to receive him !; and, if in spite
Of said prohibition, he be imprisoned, his
Majesty orders that he be Immediately set
tree. His Majesty also orders that the pres
ant To hxs1 S1011 n%4n
been registered at the Office Of the Guards du
Ommerce.
Delivered at Versailles on tn enineteenth OF
April, seventeen hundred and eighty-nlne;
The executioner received the uucu.
ment and respectfully bent his knee.
His liberty was protected by the man
whose life he was soon to take. AS he
retired, the Queen and Madame Eliza.
beth swept past him. He was thus on
the same day in the presence of three
royal persons who subsequently fell
under his axe.
The second occasion on which San
son saw Louis XVI. face to face was
shortly after the invention of the
guillotine. The King and his physic-
ian, DR.. Louis expressed a desire to ex-
anime the plan Of the proposed ma
chine. The inventor was summoned
to the Tuileries, and told to bring the
executioner with him. They found
DIR. Louis in his closet. After a few
polite words had been exchanged by
the two physicians, Guillotin showed
the doctor the plan of the machine,
first suggested by a German named
Schmidt, and afterward elaborated by
the man whose name it bears. San
son added a few explanations.
While DR.. Lewis was examining it
with great attention door was opened
and a newcomer appeared on the
scene. DR.. Louis who was seated, inn
mediately arose. The stranger looked
coldly at DR.. Guillotine and abruptly
addressing DR.. Louis said: Well, Doc.
tor, what do you think Of it!'' The
physician replied that the machine ap-
peared to him perfect. The new-com-
er took the paper and shook his head
doubtfully. ''The knife has the shape
of a crescent" he remarked. 'sDo you
think a knife thus shaped would be
suitable for all necks? There are
some necks which it certainly would
not cut at all," Since the speakers en-
trance Charles Henri Samson had lost
none of his words or gestures. The
sound of the voice showed him that
his first impression was a true one
the King was again before him; but,
by the plain costume he wore, it was
easy to see that he wished to remain
incognito. His last remark especially
struck the executioner.
Looking at the Kings neck, he saw
that the proportions were exactly those
that justified the royal remark. He
spoke again and asked in low voice.
'' Is this the MANI" DR.. Louis re-
piled affirmatively. "Ask him wha,
he thinks of the NATTER The physi
clan obeyed and Samson replied: '*The
gentleman is right, the knife is moi
what it should be- The King smiled
with an air of satisfaction, and taking
a pen which lay on the table he sub
stituted an oblique line for the. cres
cent. 81 may be mistaken after all, ,
he added, Sc the two shapes should bt
tried when the experiments are made.
As has been already related, the event
justified the opinion Of the King, ant
the oblique knife was adopted. Sucl
was the second interview between
Louis XVI. and Samson. They did no
meet again until the day when th'
monarch's 8 head rolled from under tn,
blade he himself had recommended.
Under the Republic, representative;
of the people, club orators. celebrated
sans culottes fraternized with th'
headsman. 1t was seriously proposed
to call the executioner the s'Avengel
of the People, to dress him in an i'm
| posing costume whereby all could rec
ognize him as one of the most impor
tant functionaries Of the nation
David, the great painter, called upol
Charles Henri Samson, and showed hin
a drawing Of a costume he had special
ly devised for him. The honor, how
ever, Samson declined; he was no long
er excluded from social intercourse
people cheered him on his way to tn
scaff0ld, and many ran up to him afte
an execution, desirOus to drink witt
him and entertain him.
But the fearful scenes of the RevC
luton were too much for even tn
iron nerves of this hardened execu
toner to endure. In his diary occur
the following entry: "a terribl
days work The guillotine devQure
fifty-four victims. Maria Grandma
son, an actress of the Italian Theatre
and Marie Nicole Bouchard, her sci
want, were of the number. The latte
was only eighteen years old, and sh
was SO thin and delicate that she di
not appear to be more than fourteen
when the poor little girl held out he
hands to Lariviere, he turned to De.