Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-11-29
FRANCH is EXECTTEn
Spain R Rid the World of Demo,
Who Darkened Many 0N
Homes.

Barcelona, Nov. 21.-Josa Sal,
Franch, one of the most desperate "a suot
Anarchists, the man who threw tbo " al
at the Liceo theater, this city, on Nn "OUo
Der Z, 1893, killing twenty persons en-
wounding fifty others, was execnto1 "4a
morning by the garrote Franch d;snl. Ws
the most bravado, shouted Down u.;I 'N
ligion," and died almost with the word,
an Anarchist song upon his lips.
Franch, who spent lie last twan+rs
hours of his life in the black-draDed ch ,vI
of the prison according to the Snanish "te'
tom, only slept about an hour durinr V ,E
night. The wife and little daughter Of tue
condemned man, contrary to general ue
pectation, were admitted to see him IN gk
chapel. But their tenderness and su Tue
pathy We're utterly thrown away unon I h
Anarchist who also remained obdurato Ie
the administrations of the priests who t.so
him company in the chapel. He scoAoS p !.
their supplications to prepare himself at
death and laughed derisively at their W, .|
erences to future life. The Anarrhis5,
wife made last effort to soften his hoa rs
but he roughly told her to go away ', sm1
After his wife had left the chapel, FranunS
continued to treat the priests with cnn
tempt, saying among other things; {!
fooled you nicely. Hypocrisy is new
weapon which l have shown AnarchiS,
how to USE"
At 8 a. m. the judge. with the com,
clerks and other officials, entered ' tbs
chapel and told Franch to prepare fl,
death. The ADVENT of these officials was
soon followed by the appearance of ths
executioners, who, as they began to dress
e., tl,n
ually insulted by the desperate man
Franch shrieked: 'Do your miserTs
work. You are only the tools of the hmr
geois." The procession to The place of ey,
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 i'll 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 proper distance from the scafod
A double line of soldiers and mounted
gendarmes performed this duty
AS the anarchist mounted the stew
leading to the platform upon which the
garrote was he shouted Down with all |
religions! Vive rAnarchiew The execu
tioner then seized him, and rs he strug.
gled and cried they forced him into the
chair. at the back of which was the gar
rote. Franch was then strapped down to
the seat, and as this work was being
performed he renewed his anarchist cries
and tried to sing an anarchist hymn
But his false courage was evidently fast
giving way, for he stopped in the midst Of
his death song to implore his eXecutoneH
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 eXecuticners for
only about minute and half elapsed
from the time Franch mounted the plat
form until he was pronounced dead.
The military band which was in at
tendance then played and the executlonef
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 mhae
itants of Barcelona and its nelghborlooc
are ttocking to the prison from all parts
in order to catch a glimpse of the booT
of the man who little more than year
ago caused such sensation IN TINS cF
and who threw so many tamllles lilo
mourning.
At shutdown the society of the Brothers
of the Good Death will take possession
of the body and convey it to the eenetefH
begging money in order to raise 1un@
with which to have masses sad LOT lns
repose of the soul of the anarchist.
Franch was about 81 years old, a naqTs
of Castelsaras, province of Tcrnal, he
was tall, of fair complexion and cams
of Respectable family, but his persona
antecedents were bad. At the age OF II
he left home and came to Barcelona Whes
he did no regular work and gave hlmseI
up to the plots and designs OF the an
archists, among whom he speedily became
a leader. Twice after his capture, ne at
tempted suicide, once by shooting himself
and again by poison.