The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-07-31
the spot where the guillotins shed rivers of

Vie spun WuCio VIC buiiiOtiue suCN INcIs VI
aristocratic blood.
A writer of the time relates that herd of
CATTLE which was being driven
into Paris, obstinately refused to
cross the Pont de la Concorde,
being alarmed at the horrible odor of blood
which they scented in the air. The author
tiles became alive to the possibility of infec-
ton from this source. The simplest plan
would, perhaps, have been to suspend the
executions. The authorities, however, con-
tented themselves with removing the fright
full death dealing machine, then called 'les
bois de Justice to the Place du Trone. The
change was made on June 4, 1894, and from
that day the tumbrils numbered along the
Faubourg St. Antoine every morning, trans
porting thirty or forty victims to their doom.
This removal did also break up hideous
drinking shop erected at the very gates of
the Tulleries Gardens 1t was painted red
and its Ominous sign was "a la Guillotinc."
As may be imagined it did roaring bust
ness until the machine from which it took
its name was carried away.
The memoirs of the Comtesse de Montagut
have preserved certain curious details of
these executions. The executioner WAS
tall and very handsome man, always clearly
shayen. He carried rose between hie lips
humming little song. For every head
that fell he had a little Joke suitable to the
moment The operation lasted usually about
an hour and a half, when the headless trunks
were piled pele-mele into a huge rcd tum
bril-.
When Madame de Montague returned to
Paris after living abroad for years as an emf
gree, she sought for long time in vain for
the spot where her mother, the Duchesse
d'Ayen, one of the victims of the Evolution,
had been buried. The newspapers ofthe time
had always been silent on the subject. 1t
was almost state secret. At last Madame
de Montague discovered in some garnet
young woman named Mile. Paris, who, after
witnessing the beheading of Ter father and
brother had the courage TO follow the fatal
tumbril containing their bodies until it stop
ped at Picpus, and ancient religious house of
the Augustine monks. AT the foot of the
garden attached to the monastery was an old
sand pit, about fifteen feet square. This had
been boarded over and trap doors made to
facilitate the disposal of the bodies, which were
thrown promiscously into the pit.
A year after the establishment Of the Di
rectory this rude burial ground was bought
and incosed by the Princess of Hohenzol-
Tern. Her brother, Prince -Kirburg,
had been buried there, well as General
Beauharnais and fifty Others, victims of the
famous 22d of July. During the Restora-
ton Madame de Montague obtained SUBJ
scriptions and permission from the munich
pal authorities to constitute it private
cemetery. The result was the rebuilding OF
the ancient convent, which stands in the
Rue Picpus mo. 37) and is at present in
habited by nuns ofthe Perpetual Alteration.
The walls Of the church attached to the con-
vent are covered with tablets of black mar
BILE, on which are inscribed, in regular
chronological order, 1892 names. They are
in memory of those who were guillotined ut
the Place du Trone. The whole number
was 1906, but eight of the names were never
known. This slaughter took place during
forty-three days.
AT the foot of the convent garden, behind
the church, is the cemetery. Four rows of
simple monuments, covered with coats-of-
arms, mark the burial place Of the former
owners of some of the greatest names of old
monarchical France DAyen, De Noailles,
Rohan- Rochelort, Rogueaure, Coign Gram
mont and many other equally illustrious, are
among them. One Of the most recent tombs
Is that of Nj. de Montalembert, who died in
1870. Near him reposes Lafayette
Once year the repose OF this peaceful
corner of busy Paris is broken. The court
yard of the convent is filled with brilliant
equipages A solemn mass is celebrated in
the church. after which the descendants of
the illustrious dead pray for the repose of
their ancestors souls on the spot where the
Revolution had thought to conceal both its
victims and the glory of their historical
names.