New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1898-09-28

SeOoSS~oO>3
prejudice, but with heart that revolts
against a scene that has neither the
grandeur nor the majesty of punish
ment inflicted, but rather exhibits the
cowardice and baseness Of vengeance
which hides itself from the light of day.
The execution was fixed for O'Clock
in the morning, but from the hour Of
midnight the neighborhood of the
Grande Roquette was swarming with
an undulating and hooking crowd.
Jailbirds, murderers footpads and wom-
en- Of the streets assembled there to see,
as they said, '*the Italian animal short
ened."
Journalists were admitted into the
narrow space SO often described, with
it's five sinister stones and it's legendary
gas jet which is never lighted except on
the evening before an execution.
There in the rain we watched the SET
ting up Of that horrible machine which,
according to the legend, Cagliostro
showed in a glass of clear water to the
terrified Marie Antoinette. In the yell
low and spectral light Of the gas jet
that fickered in the wind these prepa-
rations were hideous to witness. AL
most on level with the ground stands
the scafold with it's two arms in the
air brandishing the sparkling knife.
And /, a woman, in the presence of
these preparations, could not help think
ing Of the family Of the wretch whose
head was soon to fall into the basket.
thought Of his little children, who were
at that moment sleeping soundly some
where, and Of his wife, equally guilty
with him, and who, as it were, pushed
her husband into the arms of the execu-
toner as last resort to save herself.
What remorse will be hers when they
tell her abruptly: "Carrara has suffered
his punishment. You are widowH'
But the day was dawning, and the
lamps were going out. At the windows
and even on the roofs numbers Of spec
tators were gathered as if to witness
some carnival. The sight was heart
rending. Mounted gendarmes and SOL
diers gradually came out of the dark
ness, and one might be inclined to rail
at such display Of force at the execu-
tion Of a wretch paralyzed by fear, who
in a few moments would appear upon
the scene tied hand and foot. i
There was some little connection
among the crowd when people began to
point at thin, old man who hobbled
about with the gestures Of . dancing
jack to. see il the knife in the brass run
ners was in good working order: This
was Deihler, the executi oner, 8 ghost
with a white beard, who adjusted the
instrument with the indiherence> OF q
grocer weighing his goods. Suddenly
there was profound silence; the rain
was over, heads were uncovered and
motionless. sBreath1esss and almost in
agony the crowd followed with staring
eyes the movement Of the doors Of the
prison, which at last opened wide.
A suppressed :.Ahi' came from many
contracted chests, while with pale faces
all ,gazed upon the assassin, whose
crime the mountebanks 81 the fairs pop
ularized. He was simply fzightful to
look at, bowed down as he was with
terror. He did not look like human
being. He looked like beast. His In:
telligenoe was already dead and his
heart had lost all feeling. The instinct
Of the animal still remained. The sight
was dreadfully sad. ca
What followed, beggars description.
The executioner and his aids seemed no
longer to be men employed to carry out
the ends Of justice; they looked like