Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-10-14
RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.
Thrilling Scene at the Death of a Murder
er-The Victim Gives the Signal
to Fire.


Senior BlancO, man noted for his
desperate character, says q writer il the
New York Times, had in Dajabon
brutally and in a most cowardly man
ner murdered an inoffensive person for
some fancied slight The murderer es-
capped into the swamps at Ell Cupey, but
the governor with commendable prompt
itude exerted himself with great vigor,
and after Il search of ten days one of
the searching parties sent out by him
ran across the fellow in part of the
swamp inhabited only by alligators,
and, tying him up, brought him back.
He was tried for the murder. and SEN
fenced to death. San Domingo, more
advanced than America, doesn't use the
rope to execute its criminals. but shoots
them, and part of the public plaza is
set apart for that unpleasant ceremony.
The criminal is brought out and, placed
with his back to low brick wall built
for the purpose of stopping bullets, re-
ceives his leaden death.
At the appointed time, Blanco-a
magnificent specimen of man, tall,
powerful, and with all the courage of
desperation-was taken from his place
of confinement in the little Jail and pre-
pared to be marched out to his fate.
The heavy irons which manacled his
wrists and ankles were removed, and
he was allowed to make his last toilet.
This he did, tightening his collar q lit
tie, and touching up the set of his waist
bands, and then, with as firm step
and as unfaltering an air as if he had
been going to receive the highest honor,
he stepped into his place between two
armed soldiers and waited quietly until
with measured steps the rest of the
rified guard-twenty-tive in number
closed in upon all sides of him. Obey
NC the order to march with as much
military precision as those who guarded
him, the condemned murderer started
to his death. The march was straight
through the heart of the town, the streets
crowded with people who were going to
see him die, and Blanco glanced at
them with palpable sneer, disfiguring
his handsome mouth. His courageous
bearing impressed even those people,
accustomed as they are TO scenes of the
kind, and, with wonderful forbear-
ance, they did not throw. stones at him
or even attempt to deride him. Arrived
at the plaza, where the governor and
his staff, all in full uniform, and a
crowd of people were waiting for them,
the guard and their prisoner halted.
They stood at just the right distance
from the fatal spot upon which Blanco
was to stand, and which was already
marked by the grisly black coffin which
was so soon TO receive its burden. At
q movement from the captain Blanco
stepped firmly forward, and in long
strides walked up to his position. and,
stopping, turned around and faced his
executioners. There was pause,
broken by the clear voice of the murder
er. asking for permission to give the
word to fire. The request was so I'M
usual that the captain was for mo-
ment nonplussed, but at u sign from
the governor he simply bowed his as
sent, and Blanco, apparently satisfied,
began calmly to take off his coat. This
being accomplished, he slowly opened
his shirt front, and, barring his pro-
truding breast, braced himself to meet
his death blow. There was rattle of
muskets as the file, at sharp COM
mand from their officer, brought their
pieces to ''aim," and there was another
deadly pause as the men waited for the
doomed to give the word to fire. 1t
was again broken by Blanco's clear
voice: ''Shoot at the breast of man.
Firew The blast which rang out from
those twenty-five deadly weapons was
deafening. Through the cloud of smoke
Isaw Blanco. For second after the
discharge he stood perfectly still, not a
quiver distorting his placed features.
His arms hung loosely down at his sides,
and his hands were tightly clinched.
Then, without any bending of the knees,
he fell forward on his face. As he did
so his arms-the hands unclinchcd as
he fell-rose slowly above head, and,
reaching the ground, his fingers buried
themselves in the soft, grassy earth.
For more than ten seconds did he re-
main in that position, when, with the
last convulsive energy of life, and by
movement which no athlete could re-
peat. he sprang straight upon his feet,
his hands tearing away little punches OF
earth adhered to grass as he rose. Glar-
ing at his executioners with look OF
hatred that shall never be effaced from
my memory of this scene he, with a
quick movement, raised his two hands
and flung with wonderful power the
dirt straight at the heads of the soldiers
in front of HIM. Before the earthly
missiles had reached their destination
Blanco sank down upon and across his
coffin and was dead.