Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-09-23
Execution. Of the Death Sentence III
France.

execution Of the death scCt,nco in that city
The clock strikes four. The attendants 81
ar0uad the suiot!co smoking and waiting iol
the hour. They have ell taken little Wlne
shich Mo1sieur de Paris provided for them
Within these walls the two men who ere to dlc
this nloroipg arc asEeep-or let US hope theJ
seep. They az yet know nothing of their fate
for by the law Of France the prisoner ls OILS
| told Of the time OF execution few minutes DC
| fore his doom. Their cells are 10 tho rear o.
| tho prison, whero they caunot hear the. noise
| Of the builders Of tic scattold or the hoar5o
nurplurs OF the eager, restless and constantly
| gathering crowd. A couple OF officers come,
smoking cigarettes. They src IN command OF
the infantry guard, They give an order, and
We, who have been all this tlmo around the
scatfold watching it 20 into place, Watching
Monsieur do Paris, watching the workmen
cont entedly resting over their pipes and WING,
watching the gray shadows breaking into dawn,
seeing the day come in all its glory-wc arc
! hustled ard driven back and made to form
line. The officers have somo trouble, as every
| body likes front place. but in time, not with
cut some fec!iog on both sides, We are hnal'y
| arranged and kept in place by ioc of police
| men. a covered carriage drives up, No. 146'
| | mention the number because this Is the car
riace that always goes for tho priest: The
| priest, so old man with thin white locks and
| rail, bent form, desconds. This is the Abbc
| Crczcs, whose duty is to attend the condemned
| and who has accompanied many aud many
| wretch to the scaffoIG. All hats 60 of to the
abbc whose mission inspires universal respect.
| He passcs into the prison. Then Monsieur dc
| Paris gees TO his van aud puts on biuo over.
| all dress cf Wooca-a loose heavy dress, tied
around the neck With cord. His chi9l ass!s
| tauas decorate themselves in similar costumes.
| Tie lines Of infantry and cavalry aro drawn
nearer, inspected and brought together com.
paotly. Monsieur dc Paris and suite enter the
prison. The gray shadows begin to grow pear.
| ~, il G3ck cf birds h7 over the scattold, and
everybody watches their fight with interest.
Ia the trees aG1ve Is birds gre tWltterIDg their
| welcome 10 The daWo.
Or entering the prison inc czccutio1oT and
ha sbIio are El3t !;g the director ct the prSoo.
| All The forms of Isw arc observed minutely N
an execution. Ibe Commissary OF Police has
hia order iroiEs the Court lie formally &C.
mand3 the bodies OF Barre and Lellcr. Tho
djTactcT reals the order. The Cop1missary Sings
| a ccoeipt. which relieves tho director from all
| responsibility. Tho way is led to the cell. The
| first cell opeued vas that OF Barre. Barre Was
! 1ot asleep. lie raised his eyes on seeing the
| light. The director of the prison placed bis
| hand on bis shoulder. "Aimeo.T Thomas Barre,
he said, ia the icrm prescribed by law, 'Fotrc
| pourvoi on cessation cite rcJste votre rccours
| en grace response; du courage" Barre trem
bIed as though uudcr an electric battery. nc
| arose at oucc aud pulled ca his clothes. ln
this he was assisted by the cxecutloner. l!c SAID
| nothing, trembling all the time. The director
| asked him if he desired aDything-watcr, win
or cigars. lie lit cisaretto and then asked 10
remain moment alono with his conicssor.
| This Was granted, a1d the procession, leaving
| Barre with the abbc passed to the cell OF Lellez
| iIelicz had remained awake until Two O'Clock
playing cards. Tbs theory of the French law
! is to amuse prisoners condemned TO death a1d
! keen their minds as much as possible from the
| CONTEMPLATION Of their fate. Barre had spent
his last night writing memoir to hl5 parents.
i,elicz played cards. Even while the gull|otl0c
was takisg shape he Was busy in his game, IN
CONSCIOUS Of his fate. lie then read IN volume
| the "tiistory Ct Navlgators "-coad untli alter
three o'coek. lie ic into sound sleep.
when Inc director spike to him no did not
wake. When aroused he Jumped uo violently
aud s:t % .h.3 1rct ol ;Ac h"d. The director
pronounced the formal words a5 addressed to
| Barre telling tia his h0u: had come. Lie
dressed rapidly, without assistance, feiuS!og
vine or cigars, and arratgcd lis papers
After the prisorc:- wcro dressed came what
is called the toilet. The prisoner wncn dressec
passes into the hauds OF tie executoucr.-
Thou art niac," be SAYS, according to tht
arcieut iofns CT the ttench 'a%. linen tnes
nses into snail room. tbs IsIg is Gu. EGt
shirt and coat are removed aud tuG!c put on'
which 5 Z Da;n Tocliea shit, cut Sd IS 70 *
mesa thc ehculdtr:, aad Sihou! sleeves. Tc:
arms arc tied with 8 co::i, the feet s|sJ, 90 a.
10 sllow short step DurIcg this ceremony
Barre snrhc:l il q nc1hanical way, trcmb;lrt
neryous!y, his cigarette goiag cut t&o Or three
i times, When the hcaGsman lied bis arm
Barre objected aud said he would cot struggle
But it vas prccautlOn 20 pro0cGt RESISTANCE
which am toIa always takes place 4! the les
moment so ctrorg Is Ihc instinct Ct lie. BaIr'
made Ill tho delay be couId. liz called TO
g,pc, which be drank with avidlty. lie askct
for cisar,ttc. But 10 tie meantime tn
toilet Of his companion was made. EvcrgthD
vas ready shy more delay ony prolonged tn
: | aronv of the unfortunate man, and Wlthou
noticing the las: request the Comm's5ary
: Police made sign. The procession marched
1t is half pas: five ard The day has almtf
come. The llmps arc out. The gull'o'ln
stands gloomy and red in the morning shadow
TIE birds fig around i, There is rustlc.-
Tic siyoal il giyco that tac praee s5lon az
nroachcs The officer 10 command ofthc hofsl
men cried out, DRAW sabrcs. The Wi1
Z gate Ct I.2 Rgqualte il thrown Open. Al! ha
,s are raised. Ihcs:d proc: ss:on cones sIowly. T~
police mcu are 10 a1vaace. Then solemny Nor
: sicr dc Paris. Then the abbe, walking with b
back to the guiictnc, press re- the cruclhz TO II
iips CT the coDdemuc1, who is assisted, almost c.
rsd by two ads in blue blouses; cues et Sset" Gt Fto
tba ga,e 70 the gull:ctino is twonty-thrco step
81 vour corre-rcndent counted them: INC
{ half WSy Bsrre sank snd would haven fallen b
J FOR The t.m arms Of tho attendants. His Ia
almost bluo' h; lips prGt'ndi1g Ih9 fO5 hM
y r;oJIv 10 tho gate Barre was in front Of II
= scsaod, unconscious, apparently. Monsieur {
! Paris took bis shoulders, pres:ei him on the tt
bsscu!e, threw him over, saw that the head w
in the groove end touched the button. Barre four
- neacc st last and justicc was avenged.
Il was the york offs Iaon!ant 10 remove u
bocy of Barre fro1a tao plank and throw it in
the box. Leicz was within the gate, his pr
| Lo;- = e+nrs bnhir1 tnet Of Rarr