St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-19


ents'' read to two condemned murder
ers. 1t was after my having told him
the circumstances of the crime of each
of the two pardoned men that the
American made the remark l have
quoted above. 1t was true in one sense,
false in another. The innocent
victims life is held dirt-cheap here,
but not so the worthless life of the
convicted murderer. The example of
indiseriminate clemency set by Presi-
dent Grevy is being followed by his sue
ceSSOr, and at present there is every in
ducement to commit murder in France.
The fear OF death being put aside many
crimes are committed because to manv
wretched outcasts the transportation to
New Calednnia LA Nouvelle, as they
cal, 1T here) insures decided change
for the better. By practice of good con-
duct or OF hypocrisy, its equivalent. the
New Caledonia convict can soon obtain
his liberty, receive a grant of land in the
penal settlement, and pass the remain
der Of his days in the luxury and ease
of small landed proprietor in one of
the most fertile lands in Oceanica,
and In a delightfully."- enviable
climate. He has also liberty to marry
and may send for wife from France,
or beStow his hand and heart on some
female prisoner. Thus the convict is
assured against hunger, cold and want.
1t can be said without exaggeration-
indeed the statement has been over and
over again proved by the confessions of
priSOnerS-that a large percentage of
murders committed with a view to i'll
suring the privilege of transportation.
The two men, who with the stolid in
difference of preasSurance, listened. to
the decree transmitting their death
sentences on Tuesday last, had both
been guilty of crimes as hideouS as any
of which the CORY annals of crime in
France bear record, and never, in either
cases, would the punishment of death
have better been deserved.
Morand, than whom have never seen
more sinister-looking ruffian, and
have been present at every execution
that has taken place during the last six
years, was one of gang who had en-
ticed a matchmaker into a low wine
room at Firgny, murdered him and cut
the body up into pieces with hand
saw. The motive of the crime was to
rob the watchmaker'S shop. Morand
was the principal hand in the dark
work. 1t was he who struck the fatal
blows; it was he who operated with
hatchet and handsaw, and it was he
finally who spent the rest of the night
y
TINS body to the river. In America
each member of the gang would have
gone to the gallows. Here only Morand
was condemned to death, the jury
finding sentimental reasons for
according extenuating circum-
stances . to his accompIices.
And the only reason why President
Carnot remitted his death sentence also
was because he considered it was not
just that one scoundrel should suffer
death while his accomplices ESCAPED
with minor punishment. The jury hav-
ing made one blunder the president felt
it his duty to make another. Justice is
turned to derision and Widow Guillot-
inc robbed of the most meritorious eli
ent she has had for years.
Cornu, the second murderer, who mur-
dered friend and benefactor by hack
ing him to pieces with his clogs-a Job
that took him three-quarters of an hour
to perform-and put forward defense
that was SO abOminabie that he merited
death for that alone, received his par
don because the police had promised his
old mother that if her son gave himself
up he would be leniently dealt with.
Here, because the police blundered, the
president had to biunder also.