The Dickinson press., 1897-04-10

1t Is impossible to
read much in his
tory without COM
ing across curious stories Of apparent
sensation and thought after execution.
Some of them go back to such remote
periods that they are in general regard
ed as deserving to be placed in a cate
cory with the wondrous discoveries OF
Marco Polo and Ferdinand Mendez
Pinto, but subsequent explorers have
verified many things in the narratives
OF those two which, at one time, were
considered impossibilities, and cience
may yet demonstrate beyond contradic-
ton the possibility Of many startling
events narrated as having occurred at
executions. The fact remains that for
centuries the impression has prevailed
among certain scientists that the brain
still retains its capacity for thought,
and even action, for some moments
after its separation from the body. and
some OF them have made experiments
upon the heads Of decapitated criminals
even more than al hour after execu-
ton, and have met with q certain
measure Of success which partially cor
roborated their theories.
The curious in such matters will find
that historians relate a remarkable in
stance Of speech after execution which
recalls the story Of the head Of the
poet musician, Orpheus, which was said
to have still murmured the name Of his
beloved Eurydice after it was thrown
Into the waters Of Hebrus. This in
stance occurred in the thirteenth zen
fury, when Conradin of Swabia and
Frederick of Baden were executed on
the market place in Naples. These two
young princes had invaded the king
dom with an army in defense of Con-
radin's rights as heir to his father.
Having been defeated and captured by
the forces of Charles of Anjou, they
were held by him prisoners for a year
and then condemned to execution.
Bartoned has given a glowing de-
scription of the death scene, drawn
from contemporary accounts, the cen
ter of the market place covered with
crimson velvet, the king in a distant
tower to see the execution of his will,
and the crowd of curious and plying
lookers-on. Prince Frederick's head
was the first to fall, and the nearer
spectators were electrified to hear the
quivering lips call twice upon the
Virgin: maria, Maria!" Conradin
WAS moved by 1t to forget momentarily
his own coming death. Lifting the head
he kissed 1t tenderly and pressed 1t to
bis breast, while he deplored aloud that
the youthful prince-Frederick had not
yet reached his eighteenth year
should have been brought to his death
through devotion to himself.
One Of the most remarkable records
in all history Of action after execution /
Is contained in the police archives of
the Austrian capital. This 10 the case
Of the bandit Schaumburg, who, with
four companions, was condemned to
death in 1880 for sundry adventures
rivaling those of Fra Diavolo. Accord
ing to this seemingly impossible chron-
icle, the chief, finding he was to be the
first to suffer, demanded one last favor
of the presiding Judge. This was that
his companions should be placed in
a straight line, several feet apart. This
having been granted, he then begged
that he might attempt their reprieve
in the following manner: If, after his
head had fallen his body should walk
past each comrade in turn, he prayed
that the Judge should grant an I'M
nesty. That officer, who no doubt
thought this quite an impossible feat,
agreed to the proposition and the exc
cution proceeded. The robbers body
bent before the headsman, Strengthened
up after the head had fallen and walked
up to each Of the other bandits con-
secutively before 1t finally fell. The
Judge made haste to notify the kaiser,
and his imperial majesty was pleased
to confirm the promise Of clemency and
to have the story placed on record in
the police archives.
In the present century an interesting
gence after execution has been record
ed by M. Pettigaud as having occurred
at Saigon, in Anam, where he witnessed
the execution of several pirates. His
Interest and sympathy were excited by
the fine physique and manly bearing
of the leader of the condemned men.
who manifested no fear and met his
death with the greatest courage and
Goodness.
The culprits were made to kneel on
the sand before the executioner, who,
with n expert blow, separated the
heads from the bodies. The head of
the chief fell almost at the feet Of M.
Pettigaud, the severed neck resting
squarely upon the sand, thus arresting
the flow of blood from the arteries. He
was Mortified to find that the eyes |
looked up at him with an air Of per-
feet consciousness and intelligence. In
order to test the reality Of this appear
ance NJ. Pettigaud moved to one side
and found that the eyes followed his
movements. AS a further test he then
resumed his first position and the eyes
turned slightly, but before regaining
their first direction an expression of |
agony passed over the face, such as
might have been produced by suffoca-
ton, and the head rolled over on the
sand with every appearance of death.
From fifteen to twenty seconds had
elapsed during these observations.
1t was possibly this story which in
duced De Laborde of Paris to make GER
tain experiments upon the severed head
Of a murderer nor than an hour after
execution. In this a s blood was in |
iected into the arteries an dby means
Of an opening in the skull it could be
seen to circulate. The eyelids opened
and upon the placing Of a light before
hem the pupils of the eyes grew small
sr. Possibly had the experiments been
made Immediately after execution the
results might have been much more
curious. .4=
The Bible.
There is a Bible Of the spirit and a
80, - Ill.,. ~ T. r#r !