New-York tribune., 1878-09-28
PARTISAN TOPICS.
VICTOR HUGO AND CONCERTS

which the double execution of the Widow Gfllets
murderers has given rise, win probably lead to a
bill being passed next session. to restrict the opera
tiOn of the guillotine to the cOurt-yards of jas.
l say the guilotine, there being now only one ma
chine on the face of the earth employed for cutting
Off French assassIns, and now and then an innocent
man, convicted of murder. 1t is called in the
euphemistic jargon of the Prefecture de Police,
ale bois de la JUSTICE" and is taken
about by the public executioner NJ. MOch, when he
has professional business to transact in the prov
inces. Formerly each seat OF court of appeal had
its own headsman which gave sixteen to the entire
country. Bat when the first Versailles Assembly
was seeking. after the payment of the wnr IN
demnity, to make both ends of the budget meet. 1t
promoted MOch to the Office of Universal Execu-
TONER and gave him slight augmentation of sal
ary The old-fashioned guillotines were sold for
fre-wood. Monsieur de Paris" who thus became
monsieur de France" is an Alsatian, and has
greatly improved his sinister instrument to render
it equal to its increased work. An American
would think it a very rudimentary affair, and
not thing for machinist to be proud Of in which
he would find himselfat issue with Monsieur de
France, who takes great credit to himself for the
notifications it has undergone since it came into
his hands He afectionately calls it his " "Wilhel-
NINA" which is the exact German rendering OF
"Guillotine" Guillotine means little Bill, or Billy.
With feminine terminal, it is Wihelmina. look
upon executions in the courtyards of prisons as a
step toward the abolition of capital punishment
which some of the finest minds IN France condemn,
not alone on sentimental grounds.
Last June heard discussion on thus subject at
Victor HngOs. 1t was at the time the Congress
of Authors for the revision OF the international
Copyright laws was holding its sttings here. The
poets drawng-room took on this occasion cosmO-
politan physiognomy. 1t was interesting TO
hear the views Of the representative men Of
the world presented in coed, bad. and indiier.
ent French. Victor Hugo thought the instinct
i've adherence of mankind to the public
exccutioner was one Of the strongest arguments
against capital punishment. II people were logical,
it was often said, they would extend their rcproba-
ton to the judge who sentenced to death,
and to the jury which returned vcrdicts which
were unmitigated by "extenuating circum-
stances" But this was one of the cases in
which logic would have been in the
wrong, and sentiment m the right.
A Judge was not necessarily corrupted or
hardened because he had IN the course OF his urldl-
cal career passed a great number ot capital SEN
fences An eXecutOner who went on with eXecut-
ing his fellow men, after his first job, was the ylest
of aSsaSsns. He had not the excuse of binding
passion or Of those complicated motives which
enter into nearly every murder case. What
does he do asked the poet. lie goes
in the gray light Of the dawn with two young men
whom he calls his aides, and has pIc ed up heaven
knows where, 10 public place, and there sets M
le bois de la justice" These young men are hired
la piece. so much is paid for tins execution. Two
others NAV be employed for the next and 80 on.
Thus a criminal virus Of the worst kind is Propa-
gated according 10 the convenience whim or inter
est Of Monsieur de France"
The gullotinc erected. the cxecutioner goes into
some low refreshmcnt house 20 eat aud drink and
make himself comfortable while awaiting the police
authorities, who are TO give him the power Of death
over human beng. As they arrive he pro-
ceeds with them and with priest to the jail. The
latter is allowed ten minutes TO set a de-
formed soul straight At tho end of that
short interval the convict IS brought out
and manacled by NJ. do France with
n hand cord which SINKS into the very bones, at
the wrists. Ills hands tied behind his back, he is
placed on thrce-leggcd stool for the operation Of
1.-THE toilette" to be gone through. It consists in
Monsieur de Paris" rather Monsieur dc
France" taking a largo scissors, and cutting
away the hair at the napo Of the neck,
and the collar of the canvas shirt. This
done the wretched being is taken to
the grce where he is made over 10 the brute beside
him. the exccutioncr signing receipt just as though
II we're for hog that he purchasing Of a
farmer. On the accomplishment Of this for
NJ "a
seize the convict by the shoulders and drag rather
than lead him TO the foot of the gull
lotine Hare the priest, who has been
walking backward to hold a crucifx before
the eyes Of the doomed man, kisses him on both
checks and places the image on his lips. lie is now
out Of humanity's reach. The aides hoist him up
upon the scafiold. Monsieur de France" n strong
boned Hercules, takes the wretch by the shoulders,
trips him up throws HIM face foremost on the
swivel board. and buckles HIM 10 it. IL is
then jerJled forward. The under part Of the
neck falls into n concaye piece OF iron.
Another piece TO match falls down and clasps over
They both form the lunctte or collar and are to
keen the body in gear and insure "a true cut when
the knife descends. 10 falls. head drops into an
ensangmlned basket filed, not as Il generally sup
posed with sawdust, but with bran, which is TO be
Monsieur is economic. His salary IS
not magnificent, and in the yard which he
is given for the storage OF the bois DC Ia Jus
tice" he fattens poultry. Now and then, 10 Keep his
hand iu he is allowed a calf, or some other young
and restless animal, which he guillotnes and feeds
npOn Can ANYTHING be more awful than the inner
man of such hardened slayer OF bis species. And
who is II who made him what he ISL The law, IN act
ing in conjunction with the pressure OF poverty or
the love OF laZness for after all the functonary IN
rho whole land of France who leads the most in
dolent life is the Public Executioner. What right
has society 10 create such monster and TO let
him call in to help him the lOuts whom he terms hIs
aidesi To deter those who harbOr murdeTOus
designs from carrying them out Experience
has shown the falaciOusness OF tins argument.
since the Italian code has been extended 20 Tus-
canv, where, under the Grand Dncal Government,
capital punishment was abolished murders have
become more frequent. When the legislature does
not hold human life sacred, how can It expect the
Ignorant classes and those on whom the temptation
To kill most heavily presses, to respect its sacred
ness
The Russian concerts have been perhaps less sue
cessful than the Swedish and Norwegian, which
excited transports of enthusiasm but as com
mercial speculatiOn they have been a wonderful
hit. Fashionable society made a point Of attending
them. and also the artistic world Of Paris. When
French lyric, or dramatic artist goes to St. Peters
burg. he will, If he has any little reputation and
- L-I..L hn in faru InnnIha the