Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-10-10
NO. ~.

!
two feet above the stones, with the
place for the necks of the criminals:
and as the cord by which the knife was
raised could be seen between the posts
of the frame, it was evident that the
angle of steel rested on the India-rubber
improvement, and was not elevated and
concealed behind the other improve
ment at the top of the machine. At
intervals there were lights from matches
used by smokers, revealing parts of the
dismissal congregation and the leaves
and burrs of the trees. There was not a
star to be seen, or breath of air to stir
a leaf.
The Able Crozes appeared a vener-
able man, with white. hair and sad.
benevolent countance, attended by of
ticers, and passed into the prison through
a narrow door in the gate. This Incl
dent caused movement of emotion.
1t meant business.
Between the hours of and t there
were many cunjectures whether Barre
and Lebiez were aware that they were
soon to die, and Wakeiul and able to
hear through the thick walls the deep
sounds, like the weird voice of the
ocean, that told of the presence of n
great multitude. 1t was strange to
think that perhaps they did not know
of the rightful apparition at the gate,
or the pale faces that turned upon it.
The papers tell us that Barre was awake
having just finished writing his memoirs,
but that Lebiez slept profoundly. They
were called at a quarter after O clock,
and their toilet made for the embrace
of the gullotine. Barre wanted wine
and cigars. F.ebiez did not care for
anything.
At last the cll DIS in the east began to
Whiten, and we Tho were waiting and
watching and growing weary Saw that it
was dawn. Then we discovered that
there were classes among the "privi-
edged'-circles within circles. The
favored reporters and the select import
ant persons were passed through the
lines of police. | was not of them, but
made my way to the front rank of those
behind the police, for the second time.
A French crowd is uneasy and flexible,
and a persistent push will gradually
prevail. The light increased, and the
massesot men became strangely quiet.
At halfpast 5 the daylight was clear and
the iron gates slowly turned A group
appeared advancing; the central figure
was short man, clean shaven, with
hair cut short, his chest naked, his arms
pinioned, his shoulders covered by a
tunic. This was Barre. The most mis-
cradle horror was never more striking
ly depicted in the face of man than in
his at this moment. The removal of
his beard had given his cheeks a ghast-
ly Whiteness. His mouth was hanging
open, and his lips were blue. His eyes
were rolling and red. He seemed al
most Incapable Of walking, and his at
tendants supported him, and urged him
forward. Within few PAGES of the
guIllOtine the Able Crozes. who was
walking before, paused, and turning,
presented a crucifix. Barre kissed il
convulsively and was hurried on. had
expected an instant's delay before the
fall of the knife, but while [ turned to
see if the second murderer was within
view, and saw that he was not, Barre
disappeared in the group Of attendants
at the spot of execution distant from
my standpoint perhaps twelve yards),
and in the twinkling of an eve | heard
the crunching hiss of the knife as it
Glove through the thick neck of the muir
derer. [ shall not forget that noise. It was
distinctly the rough cutting of tough
meat. Barre snrank from the deadly
knife, but was, of course, helpless. Still
he gave his executiOners some trouble.
His body did not roll into the box prepar-
ed for it according to calculation, and an
immense let of blood spread brilliant
red over the rust-colored frame, and
delUged the first assistant, whose duty
it is to stand on the further side Of the
knife and steady the head by holding
the ears until it drops into the basket.
The sight of the fountain Of blood caus-
ed a low cry of horror-a sort of hoarse
sob-and turning my glance again to
the prison | saw Lcbiez advancing. He
was in little better form than his pre-
decessor, but did not seem to me heroic.
The French papers dwell upon his firm
ness, and contrast it with the hideous
collapse of his partner, but my own OBJ
servatiOn was simply that he was only
less abject than the other. 1t is said
that some ore cried "bravO" and that
he answered "adieu," but / did not hear
either word. [ only witnessed with
the celebrity with which he
vanished under the knife, and heard
the click of the spring-catch holding up
the deadly blade, when the cord loosen
ing, it was jerked, and the rasping thud
Of the steel as it severved the neck,
placed for the final stroke. The spec
tatorS murmured for a moment in
way, and looked into each
others faces, finding new horrors, and
as they turned away the heads and
trunks of the executed were already in
the black vans, and the guillotine was
being snatched to pieces. There was
no need of police and soldiers to dis
perse the people, who were in such haste
that they seemed to be in fight.
The execution by guillOtine is certain
ly more impressive than that by hang
ing, and if it is the purpose of the au-
thorities to make the spectacle Of the
death Of a felon awful, the French sue
ceed, and I am told that one execution
er, Roch (Monseigneur de Paris), and
his assistants serve for the whole coun-
try. The complete apparatus is ar
ranged for transportation by rail or
along the roads or streets. The salary
Of the headsman is 5000 francs year,
with small sum for machinery, and
100 francs extra for each head cut Off