St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-18
EYRAUD Is The next.
Interesting Talk About Gull
lotine Victims Dead and
to Die.
Public Executioner Deibler
Expects Soon to Behead
Eyraud.
DeibIer Doesn't Like Killing
Il Women Because They Are
Noisy.
A Tender Hearted Family
Man Who is Much Given
~ to Joking.
Paris Letter to London Globe

formed on Eyraud have once more
made M. Deibler prominent in the
chronicles of the day. A great deal
from time to time has been said about
the public executioner of France, but
still more remains to be told. He was
always an interesting parsonage in the
eyes of the ParisianS, and perhaps this
is why his post is so eagerly sought
after. The last time it became vacant
no fewer than 5000 aspirants applied
for 1t, and when NJ. Deibler retires from
the profession the number will no
doubt be still greater. That there is
weird attraction about it is proved by
the confessions of all those who have
filled it. and the attraction is fur
thermore increased by the official
title of the berth, PEXecuteur DIES
Hautes Guvres, which is high-sounding
enough to flatter anyb0dy'S vanity. Let
it be recorded at once. however, that
the present holder of it bears his honorS
with commendable nodesty, and is not
above being interviewed like any COM
mon mortal. Hence was able to APP
proach him after the last execution. nj.
Deibler never courts popularity by
|
has he done his duty than. leaving his
assistants to take down and clean the
guillotine, he withdraWs from the prison
by a back door, and repairs upper
ceived to small wine shop in the Rue
FOlie- Regnault, where he takes plate
of soup before going home to his family.
His two aids, having carefully packed
up les boiS de justice and deposited them
in shed set apart for the purpose, also
repair to the same wine shop. and the
three together compare notes as to the
way the condemned prisoner under
went his punishment and was put out OF
the world. NJ. Deibler then calls for
cap of coffee and petit yerre, and. roll
ing up cigarette. proceeds to chat with
the customers, who are ANXIOUS 10 learn
all about the last moments OF the de-
parted criminal.
This is the moment to observe him.
He is a man who looks much younger
than he 1s-a fact which shows that his
lugubrious calling does not weigh
heavily Oil his mind. He is on the road
to sixty, but nobody would think him
to he more than forty. He is of rather
small stature, thick set and muscular,
| in spite of an infirmity from which
he suffers. He dresses in black,
with immaculate linen, and his
get-up would he most appropriate
but for a heavy gold chain and big
breastpin. At first sight his face has
savage air about it, but when you eX-
anime him closely he improves, and he
| then appears to you in the light OF
typical bonhomme. His eyes are soft,
| and at times roguish. He is fond OF his
Joke, but his laugh has strange ring
| about it, and gives kind of unnatural
expression to his countenance. One
| odd feature is small rough tuft
! of beard or barbiche, into which
| few white hairs have crept, and which
| clashes with his otherwise gentle mlen.
| His voice, too, is peculiar. sometimes
| it is harsh, at others careSsing. He
| talks slowly and timidly, as il he were
| afraid of compromising himself. 10
| sum up, he is curious character,
| mixture of the tender-hearted father OF
family and the memorable messenger
! of death. man who has TWO llveS-hls
home and the guillotine.
$50 you wish to know how Vodable
behaved himself?" began M: Deibler.
| ..Well-very we'll indeed. l should like
to have such men always. He was one
| of the pluckiest l ever had to operate
| on. He bore up TO the last second in
the most heroic style. Pity his cour-
about Pranzini?'' HE was the very
reverse. The papers said he died
bravely, but that was not true.
He tIembled all the time, and when he
| reached the guillotine he nearly tainted
| aWay, Altogether, he was a sorry fell
| low Evidently NJ. Deibler admires
| criminals who do not show the white
| feather: this to him is their browning
| sin. Questioned as to female convict
| on whom he will shortly have to exer-
| else his skill in the provinces. he said:
81 am fond of travelingr it relieves
| my mind and strengthens me 10
| to do with women. 1t is disagreeable
! task. They cry so much, kick up such
4 noise, and give themselves such airs"
| The conversation then turned on Ey-
| raud. Il suppose he will be handed
| over to me in few weeks. more or less.
! Some persons say no. but | feel certain
| of it. He will richly deserve his fate.
Gabrielle Bompard, however, will
probably escape the knife. By
| the way, don't like you
! journalists; you are not always
| reasonable. For example, where you
say that am too long about my job.
! whereas in reality do all can to get
| through it speedily. But l cannot risk
losing my place to please you. Suppos-
| ing | failed and made mess of the
! once. l am not always sure of my
| assistants. l am obliged to watch
| them. When they have laid the con-
| demned man on the sliding-board
l / arrange his position in my turn, and
| it is not till see that he is all right that
/ let the knife drop. 1t is serious
affair, you know, and [ am bound to
take precautions to avoid mishaps. l
| hope YOU will remember this in future
and do me Justice" Having delivered
himself of this mild rebuke he returned
to the immediate subjectofth the interview.
Il do not, as some people imagine, see
the prisoner when he is awakened for
the last time by the authorities. wait
| in the adjoining cell, which is called
the sale de toilette. l am not curious
to see him. If were not in the pro-
fession I should never dream of going
1 out of nv way to witness an execution,
for it is not pleasant sight by any
means"
| When he first began to operate he felt
trifle uneasy, but has got quite accus-
toned to it, and thinks no more of it
than of smoking his cigarette. He has
now taken part, either as chief or as
sistant executioDer, in 800 cases. He
meditates retiring on his pension,
but not yet. "When one has chill
dren." he remarked, zone is in duty
bound to make position for them.
But for that should retire tomorrow.
hope, whoever may be my successor,
that he will be as attentive as / have
been towards the criminals placed IN
his charge to undergo their final expia-
tion." At this moment man
entered and saluted NJ. Deib-
Ter. 81 say, young fellow, said
the executioner to him, ''you must
look after the zinc pail; there is h5ie
in it and you must get it mended." This
was the pail into which the head of the
exec uted offender falls as the knife
separates it from the body. By
this time Pere Deibler, as the
wlne-shop keeper kindly calls him,
had finished his coffee and cigarette,