Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-03-31
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chief and all.) Then, in rapid succession.
Orsini and Pieri were to throw the third
and fourth grenades while the remaining
eight in possession of the remaining con-
spirators, at the corners of the Boulevards
des Italiens and Rue de Rossini, were to be
held in reserve. If the first four should
fail to accomplish what we had a right to
expect, the remainder were to be thrown so
as to keep back the soldiers and give us
four time to finish oar bloody work with
the revolver and stilleto."
The plans, however, were not carried out
as had been anticipated, for, after taking
his post, Pieri, for some reason, quilted it,
and five others 81 the party were missing
De Rudio says:
81 saw Gomez raise his hand and throw
the grenade. Dropping fiat on the ground, I
pulled Orsini's skirts to follow my example
Then came a terrific explosion. The bril-
hantly illuminated street was suddenly en-
yelOped in darkness, for the conclusion of
the air had extingnished the gas. An indie
scribe confusion of panic stricken men and
plunging horses followed. Springing i'm
mediately to my feet stepped over the
oody of gendarme. l was opposite the
carriage, and no more than ten PAGES from
it. Throwing my grenade right under the
fore part of the carriage, and dropping my
men, watched the effects of the explosion
The horses and the driver were instantly
| killed; the fore.wheels were shattered and
of the carriage was left a mere wreck. l
had my hand on my revolver, and was crawl
ing toward my carriage, for dared not rise
| until the other two grenades, which were to
fall in my vicinity, had exploded. Inabout
two minutes came third explosion, this
grenade striking the ground about a yard
from me, which had the effect anti cipated
in clearing the square of nearly all the liv-
| ing. Knowing that still another grenade
was to fall, l dared not yet stand up. 1
crawled from place to place as best 1 could.
Once a wounded lancer caught hold of me
rs l was crawling over his body, but sent
my stiletto through him and shook off his
grasp"
De Rudio then feigned being wounded,
escaped to the boulevard, mingled with the
crowd, and went to a remote part of
Paris, subsequently hearing of the failure
of the plot. Before O'Clock that night he
was tracked to his hotel, arrested and taken
to the Prefecture of police. As he entered
the building he saw Orsini with blood
stained bandage about his head step out of
a carriage guarded by police. Entering the
| second room, what was his horror at be-
holding Gomez talking with some gentle
men. An investigation was held at once
and De Rudio established an alibi, and was
ordered to be released, but not to leave the
city. AS he was passing out of the building
Gomez met him face to face. and instead Of
holding his peace and refusing to recognize
him. exclaimed: Ha, hG! nous somnas per-
du" The game was now up. De Rudio
was taken back, Gomez declaring he knew
him, confined to acell, and later taken to the
prison of Mazas. 1t would be interesting
| to follow the details of the examination. the
traitorous confession of PieIi and Gomez and
Orsini's fidelity the establishment Of De
Rudios identity, and the remarkable trial
that followed: but it is not possible here to
more than briefly allUIc 70 u" same. I! ap-
peared that the plot was divulged to the
authorities through the instrumenta1ity of
woman. Pieri had mistress whom he told
| he was going to conspire against Napoleon.
She very promptly communicated the fact
to the Police, and Pieri was arrested and
divulged his place of lodging, which led to
De Rudios arrest. Gomez had been ar
rested soon after throwing his grenade and
made clean breast of everything Orsini
was wounded by the first explosion, and
was so blinded at the moment that he de-
posted his grenade in the corner of door
instead of throwing it. The man who had
planned the assassination was the one who
had failed to preform his part.
On the trial of the case the prisoners
we're defended by Jules Favre, Matthew de
Ia drome, and Nugent de St. Lawrence.
The former had been retained to plead the
cause of Felix Orsini. De Rudio, speaking
of Favre's speech, says: Il despair even to
attempt doing anything like justice to that
mastery effort, which enchained the atten-
tion of the audience for hours. All 1 can
say is that his speech was worthy of the
man who has the reputation of being the
| acf o%@ l. De-
| The verdict was that Orsini, De Rudio, and
Pieri should die, while Gomez should be
imprisoned for life. The prison of La Ro-
quette now opened its portals for the three
| doomed men. On the morning of the 18th
of March, 1858, they we're ordered to be
| ready for the guillotine in one hour. The
scenes of that morning, when the trio were
ordered out to meet their fate, were thus
described to the writer by De Rudio:
Formed into kind Of procession, We
started, Pieri geing first, myself next, and
Orsini last. Crossing the small garden
| which had been the scene of our daily prom
enade, we entered the prison chapel to hear
mass read for the benefit of our souls. 1t
was then that Orsini's behavior confirmed
what had already suspected-that he had
been persuaded into recanting his RATIONAL
istic opinions. Mass being said, we were
led to the So called toilet chamber. where
the condemned is dressed for the guillotine
The executioner clips his hair and shaves
the back part of the headas high as the ears;
then his shirt is cut low like chemise in
order to leave bare the neck and part of the
shoulders for the knife. Being thus pre-
pared for his doom the condemned is hand
ed a looking glass to take last view of him.
self. When Pieri, who was 40 years of age,
and wore full beard, had undergone his
toilet, he gazed in the glass and remarked
that he looked like some old coQuette.'
Pieri went out from the prison inclosure
some distance in advance of me, so that by
the time had reached the main gate my
companion had already ascended the scat
fold. When I got to the gate saw in the
square at least $1,000 soldiers, while the
houses looking toward the prison were
swarming with spectators. had mounted
the first two steps, when a sudden move
ment and confusion among the soldiers
was caused by mounted gentleman with a
decoration on his cloak. He came up and
spoke to me, and, turning to his escort,
bade them lead me back to the
prison. No warrant for my execution
had come, he said, nor would there be any.
! On my way back to prison I met Orsini who
was just being brought out to execution. In
passing he smiled, and inquired if Pieri,
too, was returning. told him that Peiri
was on the scaffold. Orsini had undoubt-
edlv been promised that we would all be
pardoned at the last moment, but, seeing
me returning without Pieri, he anticipated
his fate. Better that one should be spared
than none, he said. Before entering the
prison turned my head just in time to in
tercept Orsini's last look, as he turned
round at the same instant. BY this time
had reached my cell, the two martyrs ceased
to breathe. That night became acquaint-
ed with the fact that the Empress Eugenie
had suspended my execution until she could
have a talk with the Emperor. My wife
had presented her with petition signed by
many members of the highest English no.
bility, and received the promise that my
J life should be spared for the sake of my
family. Two days later, March 10, the
birthday of the Prince Imperial, was taken
to the Palais de Justice and resentenced to