The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-11-09


In these rusl ing times we might take
for our motto something New, AL
ways Something liow." Consequently,
] imagine that the impressions of II
woman at the foot Of the guillotine
would net hc commonplace. was pres.
ent ut ono performance in the Place dc
In Rouuctte, where NJ. do Paris and his
assistants ofliciGted in tho namc of sn
called Justice Tho horrible spectacle
haunts aud racks tho mind and tends
rather to rc-euiurco the partisans of the
abolition Of capital punishment The
horror of the punishment imposed rem
ders a guilty man almost worthy OF
pity. The sight of human being.
dragged like bcpst to the slaughter
house, up even To the sinister seesaw.
is terrible
know many people may be astonish
ed that anybody could be moved to pity
for the ferocous brute, CarraIa, who
transformed his mushroom establish
ment into crematory and had no mer-
cy for the unfortunate young man, La
mara, whom he threw into the fire
after having murdered him for the pur
pose of robbery. | know all that, and l
do not dispute the fact that the Italian
was a monster, but that is no reason
why we should not be disgusted at the
spectacle which was presented to our
eyes aud which will now endeavor to
describe with the impartiality Of u sim
pie spectator, without resentment or
prejudice, but with "a heart that rovolts
against scene that has neither the
grandeur nor the majesty of punish
ment inflicted but rather exhibits the
cowardice and bnseness of vengeance
which hides itself from the light Of day
The execution was fixed for 4 o'clock
in the morning, but from the hour of
midnight the neighborhood of the
Grande Roquette was swarming with
an undulatirg and mocking crowd.
Jaibirds, 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
its five sinister stones and its legendary
gas jet which is never lighted except on
tho evening before nm execution.
There in the rain we watched the set
ting up of that horrible machine which,
according to the legend, Cagliostro
showed in glass of clear water to the
terrified Marie Antoinette. In the yel-
low and spectral light Of the gas jet
that flickered in tho wind these prepa-
rations were hideous to witness. AL
In r,,h cta 10
the scaffold with its two arms in the
air brandishing the sparkling knife.
And l, 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. l
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 1t were, pushed
her husband into the arms of the execu-
tioper as last resort to save herself.
What remorse will be hers when they
tell her abruptly: "Carrara has suffered
his punishment. You are u widow!"
But the day was dawning, and the
lamps were going out At the windows
and even on tho roofs numbers Of speo-
tators were gathered as II to witness
some carnival. The sight was heart
rending Mounted gendarmes and sol
diers gradually came out Of the dark.
ness, and ono might be inclined to rail
at such display Of force at the execu-
tion Of wretch paralyzed by fear. who
in few moments would appear upon
the sceno tied hand and foot.
There was some little commotiOn
among the crowd when people began to
point at thin, old man who hobbled
about with the gestures Of a dancing
jack to see IL tho knife in the brass run
ners was in good working order. This
was Deibler, the eXecutioner, ghost
with white beard, who adjusted the
instrument with the indifference Of o
grocer weighing his goods. Suddenly
there was profound silence; the rain
was over, heads were uncovered and
motionless. Breathless 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 "Ahp ~ came from many
contracted chests, while with pale faces
uii Bazeu upou tno hsshbhiu, WnOs6
orimo the mountebanks Of the fairs pop
ularized. He was simply frightful to
look at, bowed down as he was with
terror. He did not look like a human
being. He looked like beast. His in
telligence was already dead and his
heart had lost all feeling. The instinct
Of the animal still remained. The sight
was dreadfully sad.
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
butchers. They seized the condemned
man, some by the ears, some by the
legs, while others held down the center
of the body and kept holding him up to
the very moment when, with a sudden
rumble, the knife fell, the head re.
bounded into the basket and the abomi-
PATTON was at an end.
But one should be present and see the
pavements covered with blood, the CORY
~