The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-05
VALIANT MEETS THE AXE.
a PARIS mon SIZES THE DYNIHITER
DIE ON THE GUILLOTINf.

surround the auinounc-A crown - the
square witnesses che seerr-Ln.t visit
10 the Jan OF the condemned Mas
Lawyer-The C,imr for which B- Diss.
PARIS, Feb 4.--rersons living near the Prison
de Ia Roauette watched eagerly all day for
siRns Of the approaching execution Of AuRuste
valiant. At o o'clock this afternoon NJ
Labori the LAWYER who defended valiant ut
his trial. visited the condemned man in his
cell
lie left soon. but returned at o'clock. Tho
persons on watch near the prison interpreted
these visits as meaning that the execution
would take place tomorrow morning. NJ
Labor was supposed to have gone to valiant
with the information that President Carnot
had declin ed to grant the reprleve which the
lawyer had requested orally
About - o'clock a IN unted ger from
the Ministry OF Justice delivered a sealed
packet to Chief Warden Brun OF the Hoduette
prison. In the next hour and half few per
sons gathered In the Place de la Roduette.
Policemen stood in groups Of threes at con-
spcuous points. as they have stood every
evening during the last eight evenings.
The crowds wero still of In other parts Of the
city enjoying the foretaste Of tho carnival
whose approach was being hernlded by men
and women on the boulevards wearing masks
and fancy costumes thro wing confetti and tick
ling each others necks and faces with peacock
feathers
PARIS. Feb. 5.-Just after midnight a mo-
senger from the Prefecture of Police entered
tho Figaro Office and told the group Of news
paper men chatting there that the execution
would take place at daybrenk.
When tho reporters started for the Place de
la Roquette the sky was black. without
glimmer OF moonlight or starlight. Just after
Il o'clock fine rain had begun to fall. and 1t
still filed the air.
The boulevards wero almost empty at |
O'clock as many Of the masquerRders had
gone home and others had entered cafis to
await the hour for going to the Roquette
prison.
From the knots OF outcasts lettering in the
streets. near the prison, men and women had
carried the whispered news that valiant
would die at daybreak.
The message had been hurried down the Ruo
de Ia Roauetts. along the Boulevard yoltaire
to the Rue du fauDourg st. Antoine. and at
every corner had summoned groups Of listen
ers. who had at once made ready to 90 to the
scene OF the execution.
Several hu ndred persons had gathered. m ost
OF thorn from the lowest quarters OF the city.
A man OF half starved features left the crowd.
stepped to the spot where the guillotne was to
be erected. and, after shaking his tattered
sleeves at the crowd. shouted. ~ he uncovered
his head:
Il am more unlucky than he Pity me-
Groups OF men and women came to the
square with increasing frequency.
At 2:40 o'clock two bAttalions OF the Repub-
lican Guards. on foot. preceded by drum
corps. marched up the Rue dc Ia Roquetto to
the prison.
They were followed by 4 company OF mount
ed guards. and soon afterward by another
battalion OF infantry. All took position in the
square.
Republican Guards continued to march into
the square until more than l 900 OF them had
been disposed between and around the two
prisons so AS to cut of exit through
the Rue Merlin, the Rue do la Folle
RaGnauIt in which ia the barn containing the
guillotineL the Rue Gorbier, the Rue do Ia
Eoquette. leading to the Cemetery OF Pere La
chsise on the south. the Hue do la Naeauerie
At 3:I5 the crowd outside the prison was
not large, az many had gone away when the
guards were stationed SO as to hide all view Of
Walking about In the enclosure were thirty
nar and tobacco shop, where the turkeys do
their drinking was open and crowded.
Many OF the customers were tho newspaper
men. who had reported many. executions be-
fore and seemed to he In the best OF spirits.
Some Of them were cracking lokes aud max
sSs hs mrs r w s to- OF
N. Deli ler. the exeeutioner. appeared in
vans rumbied into, the square
They brought the guilotine and Diebler's
NJ. DeI6ier went 10 ono van and hy the light
Of n lantern ed the knife and ropes rs
lie evidently keeps the apparatus scrupu-
lousy clean for the blade glistened brightly
The construction OF the guIllotlne proceeded
rapidly ana silently, but for the occasl onal
The lamps were still lighted at I O'Clock. but
the inky blackness OF the night had begun to
Just as the second part OF the guillotine was
erected Chaplain Naladier arrived IN CAP.
see that all precautions against Anarchists
1fter, noting that the troops and police we're
NJ, Gaillot, Chief Of the Municipal Police, had
since Ss oSoet ga.s
sash OF oillee. aud was accompanied by several
Deibler Euperintended carefully the erection
OF the guillotine and watched closely the set
ting OF the two ffteen-foot posts and the ar
The rain stopped at 5::sO, and the air
cleared suihcienty e reveal plainly the
the aiShed doorway Of the prison. and ABOUT
twenty-five feet from the wall.
The axe fell at 7:l9 o'clock. and Yaillanrs
head fell into the basket.
The crime for which Valiant to-day paid tho
penalty with his life Was committed IN the
Chamber Of Deputies on Dec. g last. At about
O'Clock 10 the afternoon OF that day, while tho
Chamber was discussing an election case,
valiant who was sitting In one Of the gal
ieTlss set apart Tor the use OF Spectators threw
a bomb toward the floor OF tho house. The
bomb exploded Just as II left the mans hand.
and he was among the number Injured, About
hity persons We're hurt by the explosion.
deputy Abbo LemtTe was the worst injured
OF ali those struck hy the living nails with
which the bomb had been loaded and for
some tine II was thought that lie would die.
The Count dc lanlunRis was also seriously
wounded. 4 majority OF the Injured were
occupants Oi the galleries.
Tho CONSERVATION that followed the eKUlo-
sion was terrible wild rush was made bV
the visitors to get out OF the Chamber but the
gendHTme-. who are always on duty in the
Iobbiss. caused the doors 70 be shut. and al
lowed TO one 10 leave the building. Ii was
due 10 this eoOlheadedhess that the arrest OF
valiant was made
AS lie attempted 10 leave the building he Was
detained By gendsrme. who thought he Was
displaying too much anxiety to get away. His
arrest followed. lie was taken 10 the Hotel
Dieu, where his wounds we're treated. After
h. H. full nj ia