Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-11-28
FRANCH is EXECUTED,
spain RidS the World of a Demon
Who Darkened Many
Homes.

Barcelona, Nov. 21.-Jose Salvador
Franch, one of the most desperate of all
Anarchists, the man who threw the bomb
at the Liceo theater, this city, on Novem-
Der Z, 1898, killing twenty persons and
wounding fifty others, was executed this
morning by the garrote. Franch DISPLAYED
the most bravadO, shouted Down with re-
ligion," and died almost with the words of
an Anarchist song upon his lips.
Franch, who speit tie last twenty-four
hours Of his life in the black-draped chapel
Of the prison according to the Spanish Gus
tom, only slept about an hour during the
night. The wife and little daughter of the
condemned man, contrary to general ex-
pectation were admitted to see him in the
chapel. But their tenderness and SYM
pathy were utterly thrown away upon the
Anarchist who also remained Obdurate to
the administrations Of the priests who kept
him company IN the chapel. He scoffed at
their supphcatiOns to prepare himself for
death and laughed derisively at their ref
erences to future life. The Anarchists
wife made last effort to soften his heart
but he roughly told her to go away and
she tearfully withdrew after kissing him.
After his wife had left the chapel, Franch
continued to treat the priests with con-
tempt, saying among other things: st
u
weapon which l have shown Anarchists
how to use"
At a. m. the judge, with the court
clerks and other officials, entered the
chapel and told Franch to prepare for
DEATH The aGvent of these officials was
soon followed by the appearance Of the
executioners, who, as they began to dress
the prisoner for the scaffold, were contin-
ually insulted by the desperate man.
Franch shrieked: DO your miserable
work. You are only the tools of the bour-
geois." The procession to the place OF ex-
ecutiOn was then formed. Franch was
surrounded by soldiers and was accOmpa-
MED by numbers Of members of the so
ciety known as the Brothers OF GOOD
Death Franch walked trembling to the
scaffold, which was erected III the large
courtyard of the prison. A number OF
spectators were admitted to this enclosure
and large numbers of the troops were
present in order to keep the spectators
at a proper distance from the scaffOld.
A double line of soldiers and mounted
gendarmes performed this duty.
AS the anarchist mounted the steps
leading to the platform upon which the
garrote was he shouted: Down with all
religions! Vive FAnarchie!' The execu-
toner then seized him, and as he strug-
gled and cried they forced him into the
chair, at the back of which was the gar
rote. Franch was then strapped dOwA to
the seat, ana as IDlS Work Was DGIuS
performed he renewed his anarchist cries
and tried to sing an anarchist hymn.
But his false courage was evidently last
giving way, for he stopped in the midst or
his death song to implore his eXecuuonerS
to hurry their final preparations for death.
The trembling prisoners neck was then
encircled by the fatal collar, the screw
was swiftly applied and death was almost
instantaneous The whole affair reflected
great credit upon the executl0neFs, tor
only about minute and half elapsed
from the time F'ranch mounted the plat
form until he was pronounced DEAD:
The military band which was in at
tendance then played and the eXecutioner
moved away from the platform. The body
of Franch however, with the collar OF
the garrote around his neck will remain
exposed until shutdown. 1t will be viewed
by large crowds OF people, for the Inhab-
itants of Barcelona and its neighbOrhood
are focking to the prison from all parts
in order to catch a glimpse of the BODY
of the man who little more than year
ago caused such q sensation in this city
and who threw SO many families into
mourning.
At shutdown the society of the Brothers
of the Good Death viii take possession
of the body and convey it to the cemetery,
begging money in order to raise FUNDS
with which to have masses said for the
repose of the soul of the anarchist.
Franch was about 81 years old, q native
Of Castelsaras, province of TernaI. lie
was tall, of fair complexion and came
of a respectable family, but his personal
antecedents were bad. At the age of Ia
he left home and came to Barcelona where
he did no regular work and gave himself
up to the plots and designs of the an
archists, among whom he speedily became
a leader. Twice after his capture he at
tempted suicide, once by shooting himself
and again by poison.