People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-02-09

PARIS, Feb 6.-Auguste Valiant, the
Anarchist, who on December o threw
a bomb into the chamber of deputies,
wounding many persons. was behead-
ed by the guillotine about 7:3O o'clock
this morning. His last words were:
Death to society; long live anarchy"
The guillotine arrived in two large
vans about $3.50 o'clock, accompanied
by Monsieur de Paris" IN. Diebler),
the public executioner, dressed in a
frock coat and a high hat. lie super
intended every little detail of the
work of his several assistants, who
piece by piece and in deep silence,
only broken by the sounds of the
heavy mallets which they used, erected
the platform. When the guillotine
was completed the executioner, Ian
tern in hand, carefully examined
every part, including the wicker
basket, nearly full of sawdust. which
was to receive the head of the an
archist.
The judicial authorities arrived at
the prison at 6:l5 a. m. and entering
the cell occupied by Valiant, they
awoke him and informed him that his
last hour had arrived. He did not
seem in the least astonished or
alarmed. He turned deadly pale, but
began dressing, remarking to one of
the prison attendants: You see was
right in saying that my sentence
would not be committed
One of the Anarchists hands trem-
bled slightly as he put on his clothes
and an officer said: Have courage,
Valiant" To this Valiant smiled
and throwing his head up, replied:
"Never fear; l will know how to die"
One of the prison officials offered
Valiant large glass of some strong
cordial, but he gently put it on one
side, saying: II have no need of arti-
fetal strength, and despise man who
needs brandy to nerve him to meet
his fate
Later one of the attendants offered
to assist Valiant in dressing for his
march to the guillotine, but the
doomed man replied gently but firm
ly: IL need no assistance from you; |
am dressing as quickly as possible and
will not delay you any longer than l
can help"
Valiant, in reply to a question as to
whether he had any statement to
make, began making a strong pro-
fession of anarchy. defending it in
burning words until it was gently sug-
gested to him that such remarks
were useless and out of place.
Twice during the preparation for
death Valiant refused to see the
prison chaplain, saying upon one of
these occasions: II do not believe in
religion; it is all sham. Let those
who profess religion give some evil
dence of it by extending a helping
hand to the deserving poor. This will
do more to crush anarchy than all the
armies of the world"
When Valiant neared the guillotine
he glanced upward at the knife sus-
pended between the two uprights, the
blade shining out clear and distinct,
owing to the rays of the many lanterns
around the scaffold and then he
shouted: "Vive I Anarchiem
A moment later, as he was ascending
the steps leading to the platform Of
the guillotine, the desperate Anarchist
shouted "A mort les Bourgeois!"
death to the Bourgeoise.) As he
uttered this cry he reached the foot of
the sliding plank which leads the body
of the criminal when strapped onto it,
beneath the knife. After one quick
push, he cried: death to Society,"
Valiant had hardly uttered these
words when he was seized by NJ. Die
bler's assistants and thrown upon the
sliding plank OF basculo, to which he
was strapped with remarkable rapid
ity, and in a moment his body was
thrust through the lunette, or hole in
the end of the scaffold, upon which a
half circle or locking piece falls after
the head is through. A spring was
touched and the shining knife above
the Anarchists neck sped noiselessly
downward. There was squirt of blood
as the head of Valiant, separated
from its trunk, fell into the basket OF
sawdust
With the greatest rapidly the head
and body of the anarchist were gath
cred up, placed in separate baskets
and were taken from the scene at a
gallop. II the body is unclaimed, II
will go to the Academy of Medicine;
but, it is understood, that representa-
tives of some of the Socialist societies
have announced their intention ofask-
ing for permission to bury it.
As the body was being carried away
the crowds made tremendous rush
forward for the guillotine, but were
restrained by the troops and police
who compelled the spectators to re.
main in place until the guillotine haC
been entirely removed.
One of the features of the beheadinc
was large number of people, male
and female, in masquerade dress whC
had come from the balls held las
night. Among the women presen
were some Of the lowest of the demi
monde who behaved in the most out
rageous manner.
The guillotining is regarded as a
defeat for the revolutionary party an,
triumph for the better classes ant
is held to be stern warning to tn,
Anarchists, arrests of whom are be
ing made with the utmost vigilance.