The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-09-17
The Headsman of Paris.
Correspondence New York Times.


M. Heinrich, the successor of fat lit
tie Henri Samson, as headsman OF Par
is in 1S47 was man six feet in higth,
with a clear, cold blue eye, regular
features, and the manners and car.
riage OF perfect gent'sman, his whole
bearing having the appearance of a
half-pay officer. M. Heindrich always
Operated" in evening dress and a
white cravat, and after each execution
went to the church OF st. Ambrose,
where he ordered a mass to be said
for the repose OF the soul OF the vic
tim, which over, he took a bath and
then breakfasted. Heindrich had an
Imperative voice and a strong hand.
When he took hold of his man he nev.
or met with any resistance, and
it is told of him that when Yer.
ger was called and on hundred pre-.
texts sought to postpone the fatal mo.
ment, Heindrich simply walked into
the cell, looked fixedly at him, and
said. "Eh bien, Verger," and the 9th.
er shuddered, rose and followed,
Heindrlch died on the Good Friday oi
1872, at the age OF 20, after exercising
for so years his profession, and was
succeeded by his aide, Roch, who was
his antithesis, being as jocose and
bonhomme as the other was reserved
and solemn. Roch was tall, power
full man with placid face, gray whisk.
ers, and gold earrings, looking on ex.
ecution days. in his black frock coat,
opened to show his cable-like watch
chain. as if he were workman in
Sunday clothes. You always expect,
ed to hear him sing lie Petit Eben.
iste,' or some such ditty popular with
his class. His bon mots were proven
bal, but they were not in very
good taste, as for example: "Come,
my lad, be OF courage; no one wants
to hurt you," and, when Albert pro.
posed to address a speech to the pub.
lic bah! I'll abridge it'll" but they
delighted the jailers and gave copy to
the newspapers. He took part in La
executions. His hobby was his
guillotine, which he called his bijou.
He rubbed it bright, furbished the
blade, wiped of with his pocket hand.
kerchief every grain OF dust and speck
of mud, and having heard OF the ''sin.
lister noise" made by the knife in fall.
ing, arranged india-rubber Innings for
the grooves, and in order to save the
"patlent" from the sensation produc.
cd by the sight OF the knife, concealed
it with screen. Roch was married
and the father Of eight children, whom
he adored; and when he ''functionedn
in the provinces, his first act after the
operation was to dispatch a telegram
to his family, telling how the
"affair had been conducted" and
if there had been "a good
attendance" He died in 1879 Of
apoplexy, at the age OF 60. The pres.
ent incumbent, NJ. Deibler, an ex-cab.
inet-maker OF Dion, entered upon
his career as an amateur and from
lamour de Part in 1885. NJ Deibler
married daughter OF his colleague
of Algeria, Mile Rasenauf, who, hav.
ing been educated with the whole.
some traditions of the past,
any nuptial dsrogation" you.
perhaps, may not know that the bour.
1eau affects to retain those privileges
OF nobility which we're granted to his
predecessors in tho 10Th century by a
royal ordonnance. But his children
have learned to share popular preju.
dices against the profession. His son
preferred to enter as clerk in one oi
Partisan monster stores. Deibler does
not enjoy thepopularity OF Roch and
Heindrich; he is less active, less yigor.
GUS than they who could plaquer-
"fiatten"-the patient on the plan.
chette and, without moving, touch
the spring. He loses time, and even a
second seems an eternity to the look.
ers.On Al