The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1877-01-20
The Calllstine In Paris.


Paris Correspondent N. Y. worid.l
Everybody, knows the origin OF
the red machine; how it was in
vented BY one DR.. Guillotin, a gem
tie and philanthropic physician,
whose sole anxiety in perfecting
his invention was to abridge the
suffering of those condemned to
death how another doctor named
Louis suggested certain improve
,nents in the management Of the
knife, whereby the new machine
gained the name Of La Louisette.
which it retained for some years,
and how, under the definite title
the guillotine, il toiled A'thfully
in the service Of the chiefs Of the
Terror, doing its work, however,
less thoroughly and bloodily than
did the guns and bayoncts Of the
versaillist troops when they en-
tered Paris after tho Commune.
A legend was long prevalent to
the effect that DIR. Guillotin, its
inventor, was ono Of its earliest
victims. This, however, Is an cr-
ror. He lived to a good old age,
dying at Paris, IN the Rue do 10
Souridicre, in the year 1914, aged
sevcmty-six. The FIRST victim Of
the guillotine was o highway rob
ber ramed lclletier, who was de-
capitated in the spring Of 1892.
The original idea Of the philan-
thropic doctor has undergone but
few changes. The guillotine Of to-
day is lighter and moro manage.
able than were its predecessors,
but neither its general aspect nor
its mechanism have been subject
cd to any important notifications.
Nothing can bc imagined at once
more prompt and moro certain.
Those who have witnessed al exc.
cution IN Paris tell mo TINT its
duration must be measured by
seconds, not by minutes. At the
execution of Gcrvais, the last
criminal who was guillotined in
Paris, the time that elapsed be-
tween the appearance Of the crim-
inal upon the scairold and the dull
thud that announced the fall of the
axe was carefully observed. It
was something over aquarter Of .
minute. Tho descent Of the axe
itself occupies exactly three quar-
tors Of a second. The executioncr,
It win be seen, must necessarily be
a man of exceptional skill. lie
must be man Of exceptional
strength as well. lie Is obliged
to restrain the movements Of the
condemned, and that with one
hand only, the other bcing en-
gagged in propelling the bascule.
Very often the criminal struggles,
attacks the exccutioner, attempts
to tear the restraining hand with
his tccth, and IN other ways makes
vain efforts to resist his doom,
But the chief executioner Is always
accompanied on the scaffold by
two assistants, SO that even the
desperate resistance soon comes Ia
an end. Troppmann, who, like
Probst, slew whole family, was q
man Of extreme agility; he not on
ly hit tho exccutioner severely
but strove to force himself across
the lunette before the upper par
had descended. Gervais, the amia
BILE gentleman who used u murder
his mistresses and hide their bod
les in the cellar of his house
struggled SO violently to discngag'
his neck from the luncttc that tn
axe descended obliquely, decapita
ting him IN a manner too horribl
to describe. M. Roch, the prescll
executioncr Of France, is a man o
, gigantic statute and prodigiou
! strength. His hands, which are al
! ways as white and well-kept as
lady's, are large and muscular
He always dresses in black. and !
q quiet, reserved man, Of grea
: GOODNESS of temperament and encl
!. gy of character. lie is about fifty
: six years of age, is married, an
. enjoys the reputation Of being
). model husband and father. So ia
!. from being depressed or distresse
4 by the vocation, he is ratht
q proud OF It, and feels that he 10
' parsonage. lie has reason to /
i proud of the skill and swiftnel
n wherewith he exercises his terr
d bic functions. Moreover, he Ia II
J. longer Monsieur dc Paris, as ",
!. his old title, but be IL Monsieur i
:. France. For nowadays there
q but one executioneer In all Franz
! | and but one guillotinc. Ilouisct'
!. has become a travelled lady. Take
' to pieces and packed like ordinaI
;. merchandise, the red machine go'
d from city TO city q the beck al
call Of o. jnslice. On Il
Is4zx - -. ~ ~.