Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-04
La Belle Guillotine Did the
Work Well.
The Murderer Net His Fate with
FortituAe and Resignation.
He Died With an In~ective Against hin,
ister Constans on His Lips-A
Partisan Mob.
Associated Press Dispatches.

When the governor Of the prison La
Roquette, and the prison chaplain.
+ Abbe Faure, were ushered into
Eyrand's cell short time previous TO
the hour fixed for the condemned mans
execution. they found that he was al
ready up and dressed, evidently fore
warned, contrary to the rules, by some
kind-hearted official. Eyraud declined
glass OF cognac which was rendered
him. and in spite of the solicitation Of
L Able Faure, the murderer positively
even angrily, refused to listen to the
priests prayers, to pray himself, or to
have any religious rites performed in
his behalf. Eyraud's iron will was not
shaken, even in the presence of death.
and he continued impatiently to refuse
religious consolation, while on the death
march to the guillotine, which had been
erected during the night in the place
De La Roquette.
As early as 2 O'Clock this morning the
customary barriers were erected upon
the place De La Rouquette. Shortly
afterwards two divisions of police and
detachment Of the Guarde Republicans
took possession OF the place. The night
was most bitter cold. 10 make the
scene more gloomy than usual, a heavy
damp, cold fog hung over the city. The
cafes near the place De La Rouquette
were full OF carousers, male and female,
singing in maudlin tones a disgusting
song, having for it's refrain ''It is Ey-
raud whom we must have 1t is his
head which~we must have"
Tho coonoc in corno nf tho f6a ron
be better imagined than described, but
they gave stranger good idea of the
nature of Paris mob ''when blood is
in the air."
By 5:45 all was ready. Deibler, the
executioner, tested the knife and
found it was moving easily in the
grooves. Outside the place in the di-
rection of the Boulevard Voltaire, there
were about 500 spectators who could
hardly see anything of the proceedings,
but who were attracted to the spot and
remained there out of morbid curiosity.
The main crowd particularly referred
to, was composed of those scoundrels
who prey upon fallen women, convicts,
gambling club croupiers of the lowest
class, and girls who form the dregs Of
society.
At 6 AS a. m. party of officials, in
company with the governor of La
RouQuette prison, entered the cell oc-
cupied by Eyraud. They found him
sitting crouching on his bed, and when
informed that the petition for his par
don had been rejected, he replied:
'.Very well."
The condemned man few minutes
afterward removed the prison uniform
which he had been wearing, and changed
his trousers and socks, refusing all as
sistance while preparing for death. Be-
ing asked if he had any statement to
make, the murderer replied in the mega
tive. Able Faure then approached the
guilty man and offered to receive and
convey to Eyraud's wife and daughter
any message which he might wish to
have taken to them. To this kind offer
Eyraud replied: '"Tell them | bid them
adieu, and hope they may be happy
Able Faure then again offered Eyraud
glass of cognac, but he pushed it to
one side, saying: "No, that will do, me
no good"
Eyraud then walked with the chief
warden and jaiier into the dressing
room. He looked attentively at the
gentlemen there present, and did not
utter word. He then sat down while
Deibler pinionedIhim. During this part
of the preparation for the guillotine,
Eyraud turned to the governor and said
might request that my body should
not be given to the surgeons 2"
| To this request Able Faure replied !:
"Your body will be given to your
family"
| Eyraud thanked the Able, whereup-
on the latter offered to embrace the
murderer's wife and child for him.
.Eyraud gazed at the faces around
him, then angrily exclaimed "Con-
stans (the minister of the interior) was
right He has won his case. Now, his
prize! He will be tonight with Gabri-
ellie. What grand parsonage is going to
decorate Gabrielle Bompard?"
Suddenly, as Deibler was completing
thetask Of pinioning him, Eyraud con-
tinued: "You are hurting my finger,'
and turning to the assistant, who was
tying the bandages, he said impatiently
Don't pinch me go tightly"
Previous to commencing the march to
the scaffold, Eyraud again refused to
drink glass of cognac which was
offered him, and was afterwards rig
idly silent till he arrived at the guillo-
tine.
III pdboiuB uOu LIS Ccll W tuc seal
fold Eyraud scanned everything right
and left, and then fixed his eyes upon
the guillotine. Arrived at the foot Of
the scaffold and within few feet of the
block, he eluded his executioners for a
moment, and loudly and angrily shouted
to the assembled. crowd "Constans is
a murderer; he is more OF a murderer
than am. Constans is -''
Before he could complete the sentence
the executioners seized the murderer
and threw him upon the inclined plank
of the guillotine. Deibler pressed the
fatal knob, and the flashing blade fell
with sharp sliding sound. and the
head Of Gouffe's assassin rolled into the
basket below.
Eyraud's body was then lifted into a
wagon and driven off at full gallop to
the cemetery, escorted by detachment
of gendarmes. Able Faure followed the
body in cab, and after reading the bur-
ial servics over the remains at the ceme-
terry, they were turned over to the dead
mans relatives. ',
Immediately after the execution a
mob made q wild rush towards the
guillotipe, and were with difficulty re-
p,,lcol H., rk~n~rv f1~na of \