The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-06
Military Executions in Austria.


I'm a manual Of instruction for non-com-
missioned officers and men. recently pup
lished at Vienna, many quaint and curious
details are given Of the procedure TO be oD-
served in the Royal and Imperial Ausiro-
Hungarian army in carrying out a sentence
OF death. In the earlier paragraphs u Is
lald down that the execution u TO take pace
on the morning OF the second day alter the
prisoner has been informed that Judgment
has been pronounced against him. Should,
however, circumstances render IL lncOnye-
nienf TO accord this term OF grace to the
condemned man, an officer commanding q
force in the field in the presence OF the
enemy is empowered to shorten the pre-
scribed respite; but, in any case, the pri-
sdner is to be allowed at least three hours
TO prepare To meet his end. when thc
morning fixed for the execution arrives,
two lieutenants are to repair on horseback
10 the authority in whom the right to remit
the sentence NAV be vested, and. without
formal introduction, are 10 suppllcate MN
for pardon for the condemned man. Should
their request be granted, they are forth
| with to ride at full gallOp to the ofilcer COM
handing the execution party, and stay his
hand. Should, however, The pardon be ac-
companied with an intimation that it Is not
TO be diyulged until the last moment, they
are . wait until the men Of the firing par
ty are making ready their arms before they
| proclaim the message with which they are
charged. The punishment parade is to be
commanded by a major. or, failing m OH
| Ger of that rank. by the senior captain avail
| able. The gaurd il TO consist OF two COM
| Danies: the immediate escort OF a sergeant.
a corporal. and twenty-four priyates. As
| the time appointed for the execution draws
near. this escort will proceed to the place
where the prisoner is detained. II will
there be formed into a hollow square, SIX
men on each face. The condemned man,
accompanied by a priest, will be led into
| the middle OF it.. and the escort will then
move oil in slow time to the place OF eXccu-
ton. On It's way thither it will not pay
any compliments. In The mean time. the re-
mainder OF the guard will have been also
formed into a hollow square, hall q COM
pany being drawn on each face. When
the escort has srriyed within the square
thus formed, the sentence OF the court by
which the prisoner il condemned will be
| read aloud to him. lie viii then be re-
Quired to knecl, and his eyes viii be ban
daged by a man whom he has the right OF
selecting from among bis comrades. While
TINS l. being done the firing party, consist
ing OF eight men, will load ;heIr rides be-
hind the rear fence OF The square, under the
| supervision Of an officer. When all is
ready he officer commanding the parade
| will signal them with his sword. The rear
face OF the square will open and admit the
| firing party. which will advance rs close as
it can to the kneeling man without touching
him. As the major lifts his sword they will
make ready as silently as possible. -Four
men vii Itake aim. two pointing at the head.
the other two at the breast, and OH The or
der Fire !" which viii be given with rs
little delay as possible. they will discharge
their pieces. The other fOur men viii Tee
main ready to give the coup-de-grace should
| the bullets OF the Others have failed 10 do
their work. The chaplain will then adj
| dress an earnest eXhOrtation 10 the whole
parade, and afterwards oler up a short
prayer for the departed, during which all
| will kncel. The parade will then be dis
missed, acOrporal's guard being placed oyei
the corpse until sunset, when il will be bu-
ried by a working party Of priyates.