Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-02-08
HEAD IN THE BASKET.
Death Apparently Had No TerrOrS for Vail.
liant, the Bomb thr0Wor.

threw q bomb into the Chamber OF Dep
uties, was executed at half-past7 o'cloc!
this morning His last words were
death to society; long live Anarchy. F."
AS late as Saturday afternoon it was re-
ported that Premier Casimir-Perier and
NJ Dupuy, president Of the Chamber OF
Deputies, favored communication OF the
Anarchist sentence, but late last even
ferrous manner it became known
that Valiant was to be killed.
People soon after began to gather about
the neighborhood of the famous prison
OF La Roquette, and at 2 o'clock this
morning in spite Of the fact that it was
raining, quite large crowd had gath
cred about the prison and watched the
workmen erecting barricades across all
the streets leading to the square
from which the people were
soon afterwards driven by the police.
Shortly before 3 O'Clock a detachment
Of the Garde Republicans arrived upon
the spot and the center Of the Place dc
la Koquette was cleared. Later squad
ron Of mounted Gardes Republicans al
rived on the spot. The arrival Of the
military caused the crowds to increase,
and there was such rush Of men and
women up the Rue la Roquette which
caused the police to make determined
counter movement, sweeping the
crowds backward until order was COM
pletely restored.
By this time fully 1000 policemen of
various descriptions and Gardes Repub-
icane were upon the spot and every
thing was ready for the arrival Of the
guillotine. This familiar death machine
arrived in two large vans at about 800
A. NJ, accompanied by Monsieur de
Paris IN. Diebler), the public execu-
toner, dressed in a frock coat and q
high hat. NJ. Diebler attended every
little detail of the work of his several
assistants who, piece by piece, and in
deep silence only broke by the sounds
of heavy mallets which they used,
familiar to the general public.
tine was in progress, NJ. Diebler in
formed the police officers in charge Of
the place that there seemed to be less
space than usual in the square, but that
a bomb might be thrown from the bar
riers. The police took the execution
er's hint and the barriers at the differ
ent streets and about the various por-
tons Of the square were ordered to be
moved backward.
BY this time the rain had stopped
and every point of vantage about the
Place de la Roquette had been occupied.
The judicial authorities arrived at the
prison at 6:15 A. NJ, and entering the
cell occupied by Valiant, they
woke him and informed him that
his last hour had arrived. Valiant
turned deadly pale while dressing.
While Valiant was attiring himself. one
Of N ~ CT 'C
hands tremble slightly as he put on his
clothes, said: Have courage, Valiant. Z"
10 this Valiant smiled in sickly man
ner and throwing his head up, replied:
Never fear; | will know how to die"
At this point Of the toilet one of the
prison officials offered Valiant a large
glass Of some strong cordial Intended to
brace up the condemned mans nerves:
but Valiant gently put it on one side
saying: II have no need OF artificial
strength and despise man who needs
brandy to nerve him to meet his fate"
In reply to a question as to whether he
had any statement to make, Valiant be-
gan making a strong profession Of
Anarchy, defending it in burning
ing words until it was suggested to him
that such remarks were useless and
out of place. Valiant twice refused 10
see the prison chaplain.
AT exactly 7:2O A. NJ. the officer in
command Of the Gardes Republicans
gave the order to "draw swords"
Very soon afterwards the black gates Of
the prison were swung open and Vail
liant appeared, head erect and defiant,
pervecf1 M, ,n,;ehlcr and his assistants.
Here and there we're heard q few t flint
cries of "Yiye PAnarchie." When
Valiant neared the guillCtinc he Shout
ed give IAnarchie.n A moment
later, as he was ascending the steps
leading to the platform Of the guillo-
tine, the desperate Anarchist shouted:
GA mort los Bourgeois AS he uttered
this cry, Valiant reached the foot of
the sliding plank which leads the body
of the criminal when strapped on to it
beneath the knife. After one quick
push, he cried: death to society,""
Valiant had hardly uttered these
words when he was seized by M. deb
ler's assistants and thrown upon the
sliding flank, to which he was strapped,
and his body was thrust through the
lunette or hole in the end of the
ing piece falls after the head is through,
spring was touched and the
shining knife above the Anarchist s
neck sped downward with swift and
noiseless movemenu. There was d ter
rible squirt of blood and the head of
Valiant separated from its trunk, fell
into the basket OF sawdust, and all was
over. With the greatest rapidity the
head and body of the Anarchist were
gathered up, placed in separate baskets,
and were escorted away from the scene
of the execution at a gallop.
If the body of the Anarchist is I'M
claimed, it will go to the Academy Of
Medicine; but it is understood that rep
resentatives of some Of the Socialist So
cieties have announced their intention
of asking for permission to bury the re-
mains of the executed man.
AS the body was being carried away
the crowds made a tremendous rush
forward for the guillotine, but were re-
strained by the troops, and the police
compelled the spectators to remain in
,,laco until tho r,iliotipa boI bao,, or,