The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-01

keeper of the seal wrote that Justice must
take its course; and the Procurator Gen.
eral issued warrant, ordering the sem
tence to be executed in the market-place
of A, the town where the crime had
been been committed.
Feeling curious-perhaps rather NOR
bidly SOTO witness the catastrophe of
the drama whose various terrible scenes
had followed, | repaired to A, and
through Maire Farcy's influence OBJ
tained permission to stand near the scaf-
ford at the execution. The permission
to see Barberon in his cell was denied me,
| learned from Farcy that the wretched
man spent his DAYS uttering horrible
blasphemies us well as insults against
Society. He was straight-wais. coated, as
convicts under death sentence always are
he smoked good deal, and sometimes
read books of science. He refused to see
the chaplain. When that official entered
his cell, he spoke words of scornful pro-
family that made the good mans hair
stand on end.
| had to wait several days in A,
for the date of an execution is never
known long beforehand. In fact, the
order to the headsman generally comes
down OIL the afternoon before the cere-
mony. One night had gone to bed not
expecting that the denouement was yet
near, when was awakened at five
o'clock in the morning. A policeman,
whom had paid to inform me when the
execution should be impending, sent up
word by the hotel night-porter that M.
Roch, the executioner, had arrived at
midnight with his assistants and para
phernalia, and that the scaffold was now
being created. The execution would
take place at seven.
dressed in a hurry, and taking my
Procurator's order of admittance to a
place near the scatfold, set off towards
the market-place. 1t was bitterly cold
morning but the moon was up, and its
high beams CLEANED lucidly upon hid
eous spectacle--a scaffold draped with
black, and surmounted by two upright
posts, between which was suspen-
ded a long triangular knife, which
flashed. Three rows of soldiers already
surrounded the scaffold, and despite of
the early hour, the market-place was
crowded. My pass admitted me within
the fence Of soldiers, and an officer, who
apparently took me for public function
ary, told me to ascend the platform.
Here grave, burly man in dress coat
was smoking a cigar, and experimenting
two assistants in shirt sleeves, who were
half-fillinga a couple of long baskets with
sawdust. This was thesexecutioner. He
touched his hat to me, but made no re-
mark. Presently he caught up bunch
Of straw, passed it through circular
hole and pressed his forefinger on a
spring; the triangular knife fell with a
whirr and cut the ttraw clean in two.
The executioner seemed satisfied. Before
the knife was re-hoisted, however, by
means of another spring, an assistant
passed piece Of tallow candle over its
edge.
The time did not seem long. The min
utes flew; the market-place was filled to
overhowing, and the first gray streaks of
dawn appeared. There was no more
than dim twilight, and thought there
must be at least an hour to wait, when
suddenly deep roar arose from the
crowd; and l observed six gendarmes
riding abreast and ploughing their way
through the human turf. Behind came a
cab, and behind that rode another squad
of gendarmes. The cavalcade arrived at
the foot of the scaffold, the cab door was
opened, and Barberon descended, sup
ported by two warders. There was a coat
thrown loosely over his shoulders; but
it fell off as he was being assisted up the
steps, and he stood with no other upper
garment but his shirt, of which the col
lar was thrown back 80 that his bare neck
could be seen.
Behind Barberon came the prison
chaplain tugging imploringly at the
convict's arm, and trying to hold cruel.
fix before his lips. Barberon shook him
otf-once-twice-but the third time, as
the moonlight shone upon the emblem
of our Redemption, some contrition
seemed to seize the doomed man. His
hands were tied behind his back, and he
could make no gesture; but he advanced
his lips frantically towards the crucifix
: and kissed it.
heard the priest exclaim,
Thank you, my sonl'
Then, more rapidly than words can
describe, Barberon was seized by both
!: arms and forced forward on a plank
which tilted and laid him horizontally
: with his neck in semicircular aperture
another semcircle closed upon him, i'm
} prisoning his head, and at the same mo-
| ment the knife fell. All this took place
within a minute. Before l could fairly
realize what was seeing, the wretched
, mans head lay in one basket and hi
quivering body in another. The body
/ Kicked as if it was alive. In another
minute both basket had been showed
I into a closed hearse which trotted off tc
} the cemetery. preceded by mounted