The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-02-15
Treatment or Murdcrers In France.

The details of public execution in
France differ widely from the method OF
procedure usual in such cases in America.
As soon as man is condemned to death
in Paris he is transferred to a separate
prisOn--that of the Grand ROquette.
There-cruel and unnecessary torture,
to be endured through all the remainder
of his miserable days-he is stripped of
his garments and put into a strait
Jacket made of strong sail-cloth, fast
ened behind with leather straps, and
with sleeves sewn up at the ends SO that
he has no use of his hands whatever.
Day and night he must wear that hOr-
rible garment till the announcement of
the hour of his death transfers him to
the hands of the executi0ner. Moreover,
he is watched day and night by two
guardians, jailer and a policeman,
while a Waterman promenades con.
tinually before the door of his cell, in
which door there is an open grating
These precautions date from 1889, at
which epoch two criminals, Lesage and
Suflard, contrived TO commit suicide
Immediately after their condemnation.
From three to four weeks is the longest
period that is suffered to elapse between
the pronouncing of the sentence and its
execution. The first thing that the con-
demned criminal does is to sign his APP
peal to the Court of Cessation, which
tribunal may, if due cause be shown,
annul the sentence and order a new
trial. Yet instances have been known
when the condemned have steadfastly
refused to avail themselves of this last
chance. One of the most remarkable Of
these cases was that of the murderer
Jadin, who eagerly desired death as a
means of escape from the phantom Of
his victim, which he declared was
continually present with him. An other
murderer, one Lemaire, was apparently
mad, as he boosted of his deed and de-
clared that he had committed it only to
win the glory of dying on the scafold.
Fortunately for humanity, no false
tenderness on the part of French justice
prevented his wishes from meeting with
full accomplishment.
Fastened in the cruel strait-jacket,
the condemned man has, of course, no
power of using his hands. He is per
mitted to read, however, the volume
being held before his eyes and the
leaves turned by one Of his guardians.
If he does not know how to read he is
supplied with books containing pictures
of various kinds, If he cares to seek dis
traction in that manner. The works OF
Fenimere Cooper are in great demand
among those who can read, "the
lawlessness of American manners" as a
recent French writer remarks. " afold-
ing these lawless souls gratifying
pictures of unpunis led crime" Poor
innocent Cooper. Who would ever have
thought that you could have been SO
vilely misrepresented by even foreign
critic2 The guardian must also feed
the prisoEer, and with a wooden spoon,
utensils of metal being strictly pro-
hibited. Night and day the poor
wretch moves, breathes, sleeps and
drags out his miserable existence in the
oppressive restraint of the strait-jacket
and under the watchful gaze of three
pairs of eyes. At last there comes, in
the chill darkness of the hours before
daybreak, a moment when three or four
men will enter his cell, startling him
from his troubled sleep. and will inform
him that his appeal to the Court Of
Cessation has been rejected, and that his
last hour has come. Then comes the
last toilet. Transferred to a small room
specially appropriated for this sinister
performance, the criminal has his hair
cut close behind by one of the exc
cutioner's aids, who also cuts away hi:
shirt around the throat, for the strait.
Jacket is removed before this operation
il begun, and the criminals own clothes
are restored to him. His hands are
then fastened behind his back, and hi.
feet are attached together by a strap
which permits him to walk by taking
short steps. Were he to attempt to rur
he would fall upon his face. A few step,
brings the somber cortege to door lead
ing to an inner court, which is crossed
and then tho outside door is thrown
open, revealing the guillotine, rising
dark and grim against the pale, rose
tinged sky of the early morning. The
confessor for the last time embraces the
criminal and departs, the executionel
ascends the steps, followed by the two
aids, who assist the condemned man tc
mount. Four figures for moment are
visible on the platform then one fall'
suddenly, the ak descends swift as a fast
of lightning, the cover of the great
basket is closed. and all ia over.