The sun., 1878-09-29
FRENCH EXECUTIONS.
How the Guiiiotine Does ITS Terrible Wsrs
ut Ln Roqucttc.

From me- Lla,ioa Dtilg Neics
Great excitement has been occasioned by
tho execution of the two murderers, Barre and
Lcbez. Their crime was most cowardly one
They decoyed an old milk woman into Barre's
lodging. murdered her with hammer. cut her
body into pieces. and then plundered her dwell.
ing Of about 5000. the savings OF LIFETIME The
sum seems the moro miserable when II Is con.
sidered that both convicts were we'll educated
and well connected young mon. They were or.
naments OF the College Of Anglers and Monsig.
nor Frepuol, Bishop of that town. who pre-.
scented both OF them with laurel crowns and
books at "a public distribution Of prizes some
years ngo, inemOrlaliz"d tho Government that
one ut ieast OF the pair might have his sentence
cOmmut'd.
The date Of Frcnch execution Ia never
known beforehand. The Processes which fol.
low upon sentence Of death lake from three tc
six weeks. but all IL done in private. and the
convict only hears that his appeals have been
REJECTED. when the Governor OF the prison
wakes him up on the morning OF the execution
Executions constitute one VI the sights OF Paris.
which inst-living tourists ARE expected to Wit
ness. The waters at Brebants and the Cafs
Anglais inform Joyous young roysterers that
the guiotlne IA ~ bo at WORK ut daybreak. and
opera hats. dust coats. and the tunes OF Cuban
cigars will be found minglng with blouseg fat
cups, and the smoke Of clay pipes on the Place
Eoduclte is the Newgate Of Paris. 1t has
only become so since 1852. for of old
cuted on thu Place de- Do Grove tnow Place
de Hotel de Nillel at 2 oclock in the afternoon.
10 the great hlndrancr OF public business. Sub
suquently. tn, Place st. jacques Was used for
the fell purpose. and the hour OF execution
fixed ut 10: now the headsmen performs his
work u IN summer, and ut about III winter.
Five hagstOnes fixed in the roadway at some
twenty puccs from thr prison door mark the
spot whore the guillotnr rises. It's tail posts
are no longer red. Uut dark green. and there
II no scanOld platform. 50 that the convict has
no steps to climb. When he has pussed through
the luu"rnost circle OF soldiers VINO surround
the instrument Of death, he finds himself sud-
urnly oppusi" the yascuie, Ihe headsmohs
this board, which forthwith piyots and assumesa
horizontal position. At this moment the DOOM
ed man, who mas been taken in some sense by
surprise. invariably struggles, ana has TO be
forced forward 10y the shoulders and hair till
his neck prOtruGes through u semlcircuar
aperture under the knife. Being bound hand
and foot the man cannot Offer much resistance,
but he might roll of the Uascuie and so must
be held with an iron grip until second semi
circle closes upon the first and ilnprisons his
neck. The instant this has been done NJ. Roch
toucnes spring. aud the broad triangular
knlfe, weighted with nlty pounds OF lead.
gides down the grooves like II carriage win.
dow. slices the head from the trunk. and re-
bounds with dun tnud on two india rub.
Der cushions. Ono assistant. who has held
the head by the hair DROPS II into a small wicker
basket. half iuil OF sawdust; the two others
seize the headless body, from which blood IL
flowing IN torrents. and which kicks In ner-
Nous eonvu.sOns. and fling IL into n longer bus.
close hearse. which trots or 10 the Cemetery OF
ClamArt. attended by n mounted police escort.
ana followed Dy the prison chaplaln In n cab /:
washing down the bOis de justice" with mops
and paliluls Oi water Within II couple OF min
utes from the time Wuen the convict shows HIM
sell under the archway OF La RoQuette the
whole performance II ended.
Now what prcpnrat.gn nave French convicts
TO meet their iutef In England II is consid.
cred Just TO let man know the date Of his exe-
cuttou. N order tnat he may purify his soul TO
meet ms Maker; IA rance the mistaken kind
ness - shown Ol allowing convict TO hope on
tai the very end. H. spends all his time In q
cell with two other prisoners and two warders,
anu may smoke or play cards 10 the top or his
bent HOW can tlc Alulstrat.Ons OF a chaplain
have any serious influence under such cOn-
ditions The SIGHT Ut aces and knavcs. the
company OF PRISONERS under sentence Tor some
piece OF rogu 'fy. the fumes Of tobacco. and th Q
buOyaut tax OF wurder, who are expressly bid.
den 10 say everything that may encourage the
criminal TO believe TINT hs Will be- respited.
These are not incentives TO true repentance. IL
Is much to be feared that too many French con-
vrts 10 To their doom wholly impcnitent. The
hasty shrlt which they make on the morning
ot execution cannot count Tor much. because
they nre hall insane IRON terror when they
make u.
Few men can stand with composure the awful
unnOuu cement, coming at "a NONE ut when they
are quite unurcpareQ FOR II: Your Appeals
/ have been rclected. und you are to be executed,
/ now 1T once. Now ut oncel There is no delay
| from that moment Tn man who has gone to
] waiting outside MS ecIl door 4 glass ol brandy
/ nasty prayer ou the Knees in cold sweat and
trembling. a pause lor Il moment under u whlte-
washed NAult. where the convict 4, back hair and
portals of the prison. suddenly swung back O
sighi .. the gullutlne with lis knile cleaning
IN the Eruy Iawuil-ht Of morning. All this
taxes but twenty minutes az most. but these
minutes are Tie oniy onrs during which the
French convict is allowed ~ feel for certain
l. n Iaff irnl