The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-25
IN FRONT OF THE GUlLLOTlNE.
A Woman's Account of the Shocking
Spectacle.


Spectacle.
In these rushing times we might take \
for our motto something New, Always 1
Something New.' Consequently 1 imagine |
that the impro ions OF a woman at the |
foot Of the guuo-lne would not be COM l
m0nplacc. 1 have just been present at /
the last performance In the Place de ia |
Roquclto where ST. de Paris ana his as |
sistants ofhciatcd in tho name ol.so-called |
justice. The horrible spectacle halnt5 and |
racks the mind. and tends rather 90 rein- |
force the pa-lslns OF the abolition Of |
capital punishment The horror OF the |
punishment imposed renders guilty man |
almost worthy of pity. Che sish- OF |
human being, dragged like q beast 10 !
the laughter house. up even 10 the Sine
lister scesaw, g. terrible. ! know many |
reOplo may be- ast0n.slcd that anybody |
could be novel lo pity for the fcrocious |
brute. Carrlra. WHO Transformed lis |
mushroom c1talli shmCnt into a cremat0ry ]
and had no mercy for Che unfortunate |
young man Lamarra, whom hc threw into |
the IRE after having murdered MIN Ior
the purpose Of robbery. i know all that, /
and 1 DO not dispute tho fact tnat me !
Italian was a monster. but that is no /
reason why we should not De Disguised !
a| fNa N|I..IItNA" .IlNNIl fH.." 30 -.tt.t
our ewes. and which VIII now eudcavor
Co describe with the impar.auly ol "a
simple spectator. without res ntmert or
prejudice but with % heart that rcsolta
against scene Chat has neither che eran-
deur nor the majesty OF punishment in-
aicted. but rather exhibits Che coward
ness and basoncss of "a vengeance which
hides itself from tine light of day.
The execution was fixed for A % clock In
the morning. but from the houf of mid
night the neighborho0d Of the Gran ie-
R0Quettc was sWarmlng with AN un1ulat-
ing and hooking crowd. JLlblrds, muir
derers footpads. and women OF the streets
assembled there 10 see, as they said, "tha
Italian animal shortened
Journalists were admitted into the mar
row space so often described. with IFS
ave sinister stones and Cts legendary
/ gas Jet which is never isnted except on
the evening before an execution.
There I'm the rain we watched the set
ting up of that horrible machine which.
| according 20 tho legent. Cagi0s-ro show
/ "a in "a glass OF clear water 20 the terri
| ned Marie Anuonette. 10 the yellow and
! spectral light OF the gas Jet that hickerei
| in the wind these preparations were h.f-
! c0us 10 witness. Almost on level with
/ The ground stands tho scaff0ld with ifs
Z NHN |Na.l" iIN NAH Aa .NANtt"..lIlI t.l.
/ sparkling knife. And T. q woman. in the
+ presence OF these preparations. could not
/ help thinking OF the Family OF the wretch
| whose head was soon % fan into the
/ basket. I thought Of his littie children
/ who were at that moment sleeping sound
/ ly somewhere. and of his wife, equally
! guilty with him. ana who. as &c were.
/ pushed her husband into the arms of the
! eXccui0nCr as a last resort 20 save her.
( SELF What remOrse VIII be hers when
/ they tell her abruptly, "Carrara has SUE
/ fered bis punishment yOu are widow
But the day was dawninr and the lamps
| were going OUT At tho windows and even
on the roofs numbers Of spectators were
! gathered ass if 10 witness some carnival.
/ The sight was hea-rellinr. Mounted gem
! Garmes and soldiers gradually came out
OF the darkness and one may be inclined
10 rail at such a display OF force az the
execution OF q wretch paralyzed by fear
who 90 a few moments would appear upon
Che scene tied hand and foot.
There was some little commotion among
the crowd when people began 20 point at
"a thin. old man who ho0bied about with
The gestures Of a dancing jack TO see IL
Tho knife in the brass runners was in
good working order. This was Diebier
the executioner. a ghost with q white
! the Indifference Of a grocer Weighing his
goods Suddenly there was profound ST.
| lence: the rain was over, heads were IN
covered 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 "Ahv came from many
contracted chests. while with pale faces
| an gazed un0n the assassin, whose crime
tho mountebanks Of the fairs popularized
lie was simply frightful TO look a. bowed
down as he was with terror. He did not
look like a human being. He looked IKE
O beast. His intelligence was already deac
ana his heart had lost an feeling me
instinct OF tho animal still remained INT
sight was dreadfully sad What followed
| beggars description. The eXecuuoner an'
his aids seemed no longer 20 be men en-
ployed 20 carry out the ends % Jl5tice
they looked Ike butchers. They seized
the condemned man. some by the ears
some by the legs. while others held do"l
the centre of the body and kept holdini
I'D 10 the very moment when, with
sudden rumble. the knife fell the hea'
reb0unded into the basket and the aoom
| nation was at an end.
But one should be present and see III
| Movements covered with blood, the gOr,
/ | knife. the blood squirting from the decap
| itated trunk, the ignominous washing a
| the nearby fountain. and the cutters roll
, | ing 10 the sewer purple-coiored mud
in order 10 be able 20 comprehend all tn
, | horrors OF an execution in Paris.-Inde
| pendence Beige
4
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