Evening journal., 1892-12-16
CARRIED TO HIS DEATH.
A French Murderer Struggles
for Life Before the GuillotiSe.
SPECTATORS APPLAUD HIS MISERY

Eugene Crampon is Decapitated in Paris
Before Jesting Crowd for the Muir
der of Two Men-The Murderer GroveIs
Before the Death Instrument and Begs
for His Life-Nurderer slavin Hanged.
PARIS, Dec. 16.-Eugene Crampon, the
murderer of two men, this morning paid
3 penalty for his crimes and the canaille
that gathered to sec his execution greatly
+ enjoyed the spectacle afforded by the
miserable cowardly wretch as he was
3 lit orally carried to the guillotine
q 1t was generally known that the execu-
tion would occur in the Place de la Ro-
Aquotte this morning and long before day
4 light the crowd began to gather. Rude
fjests were banded about, and the usual
scenes that make disgraceful the carry
{ ing out of the death sentence in Paris
were enacted.
Just as the gray of dawn was appear
ing in the east a large van drawn by two
horses drew up in the Place de la Ro-
< quette, which Immediately adjoins the
: prison. Several men alighted and bit by
bit the engine of death was hauled out
Z and set in place with the skill that comes
& from long practice. After all was in
readiness the executioner, Diebler,
tested the knife and found that it
4 workea to perfection. =
At exactly o'clock the prison door
swung inward and the procession could
be seen approaching. Crampon, who
was in an agony of fear, was supported by
+ warders and accompanied by priest,
{ who, as he walked, read the services for
] the dying.
Grim and awful, the red guillotinC
: loomed directly ahead of the little party
1t was only few steps from the prison
F. After walking a few feet Crampon raised
i his eyes and saw it. With a terrible
Shrek he threw himself backwards anc
. fell to the ground All efforts to induce
. him to rise were fruitless and he grovelleC
on the fiagstones, begging most piteously
y for his life The crowd took the keenest
4 delight in witnessing the abject fear and
4 listening to the frantic appeals of the
murderer.
1t became necessary for the execution
4 er's assistants to lift Crampon to his
4 feet, but even then he hung limp in theil
\ arms, and they were compelled to carry
him to the guillotine. While some o.
the assistants supported him Others
quickly bound him and threw him agains
the bascule. Even then he did no
i cease his struggles
His contortions were terrible but thel
did not last long. The bascule wa
dropped into place and the assistants
showed it forward until Crampon's necl
ssted in the lunette. Silently and lik
streak of light the bright blade fel
I'd CrRmpons head dropped into tn
lpen basket awaiting il.
The execution was the most horrible
one that has been witnessed in Paris il
h many years. The crowd, highly pleaser
with the entertainment afforded them
dispersed laughing and joking witt
each other.
Crampon was an old offender agains
the law. On the night of March last
he, in company with two accomplices
went to the billiard room of a wine sho
in the Rue st. Denis. They broke int
an adjoining room and were plunderin
F it when the landlady of the place entere
and surprised them. The women CAV
an alarm and the thieves fed. A nun
Der of men followed them and weI
gaining upon Crampon when he turne
aud shot two Of them dead and wounde
q third. His accO mplices escaped.