The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-26
LIFE IN THE SEVERED HEAD.
Tho Survival of CONSEQUENCES Afier De
capitaiion Proven


capitaiion Proven
A volume has Just been published
at Paris in which DR.. Pacl Loye, un-
der the title Of la Mort par Ia De
capitation. studies the question as to
whether. after docapitation, conscious
ness survives Tor a short time IN the
severed head and physical suffering IS
felt i'm both parts OF the executed body
Every time a head falls under the
sword or under the eXccutloners ak,
saws DR.. IOye, the Imagination OF the
spectators has. in the physiognomy OF
the victim. looked for proofs OF the
survival of will and consciousness.
The ewes turned which was a sign OF
pain: the lips moved, which showed
that they wanted to speak the mouth
opened. in order TO bite, m kind OF
fury. There is not a movement oil the
face which has not been interpreted as
a mark of the continuation OF feeling.
And ever since the guillotine moved
down the heads Of multltudcs during
the reign of terror, scientists have
stood around the scaifold bidding all
their humane faculties vanish. and
concentrating their whole intellect on
the one question, docs consciousness
remain after the victims head Is sew
cred from Tho bodyt
III connection with ills belief DR.
Love quotes terrible story told by NJ.
Pctitgand about an Anamite who was
beheaded by the sword IN 1874 al Sal
gon:
The place Of execution was the
Plain of Tombs vast sandy tract,
serving rs cemetery 10 tho Anamitcs
and the Chinese. -Four Anamltepiratcs,
taken with their arms in their hands,
were to be beheadcd. Tho chief Of the
band. a man IN the prime OF life, ener-
getic. muscular, brave without boast
ing. and firm TO the very last, had at
tractcd my special attention, and | de
cided to make my observations on him
only. Without losing sight OF him
for asingle momont exchanged a few
words in q loud voice with tie officer
in charge, and noticed that the patient
was also looking at me with the liyeli-
est attention. The preparations having
been completed, ! took ms stand at the
distance Of about Two yards from him.
lie knelt down, but before bending
his head he exchanged q rapid look
with me.
His head fell down ct the distance
OF about a yard and q quarter from
where | stood 1t did not roll in the
usual way, but stood with the surface
Of the wound resting on the sand, a
position by which the hcmorrago was
accidentally reduced to q minimum.
At this momon. / was terror stricken
al soeiug the eyes OF the doomed man
fixed frankly on my eyes. Not dar
ing TO believe in q conscious NANTES
tation, ! Won't quickly to one side OF
the head lying at my feet, and ! found
that the eyes followed me. Then | re
turned to my first position; still tho
eyes went with lie for . short distance
and then Quilted mo quito suddenly
Tho face expressed at that moment q
conscious agony, the agony Of a per
son in a state OF acute asphyNia. The
mouth opened violently Is ii 10 take
in breath OF air, and the head thrown
off its equilibrium by the motion
rolled over This contraction Of tn,
maxillary muscles was the last sign Of
life. Since the moMent Of decapita
ton frGm lncen 10 twenty SECONDS
had passed. New York Press.