Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-01-20

out WIN lnlllllle TACT
Is it necessary to produce proofs
of this?
A pigheaded gambler after a day
of bad luck insulted the sovereign.
He was expelled from the country
by royal decree. :,
For month he roamed around
the forbidden paradise, fearing the
flaming sword Of the archangel IN
the shape of gendarme's saber.
Finally he one day plucked up cour-
age, crossed the frontier, gained IN
thirty seconds the heart of the coun-
trv and entered the casino, But
suddenly an official stopped him.
"Were YOU not banlshed, mon
sieur?'
"Certainly ] was, but am going
back by the next train.
ooh, in that case it is all right
You can enter, monsieur.
And every week he returned, and
on each occasion the same Official
put to him the same question, which
he answered in the same fashion.
But a few years ago Il serious and
entirely novel case arose III the prln-
cipality.
A murder had been committed.
4 man, native of Monaco, not
one of the transient strangers OF
whom one meets legions, but mar
ried man. in il moment OF passion
had killed his wife.
He had killed her without reason,
without any cxtenuating clrcum-
stances. This opinion WAS unanl-
nous throughout the whole prlnci-
pality,
The supreme court met to Judge
this exceptional case, for never be-
fore had murder been committed,
and the wretch was condemned to
death.
The outraged sovereign signed
the death warrant.
1t only remained to execute the
criminal. But here a difficulty pre-
scented itself. The country possessed
neither executioner nor gulllotlne.
What was to be done? On the
advice of the foreign minister the
prince entered into negotiations
with the French government to OBJ
tain the loan of ii remover OF heads
and his apparatus.
Long deliberations III the minis
terial office at Paris. Finally they
replied and forwarded minute OF
expenses for moving the guillotlnt
and for the services of the expert
The total was 10000 francs.
His majesty of Monaco thought
that the affair was going to cost hin
pretty dear. The murderer assured
iv was not worth SO much money
Sixteen thousand francs for the meek
of a rascal, The devil.
lie then preferred the same re
quest to the Italian government. \
king, a brother in royalty, would
doubtless not prove such hard bar
gamer as "a republic.
The Italian government sent
n,inute of evpenses which amounted
to 10000 francs.
Twelve thousand francs Why, l
would be necessary to impose new
tax. tax of 2 francs a head on tn
inhabitants. That would be enough
to stir up unknown trouble IN tn
state
He contemplated decapitatins tn
ruflian by an ordinary soldier. Blu
the general, on being consulted, wa
doubtful whether any of his mel
had had sufficient sword practice L
acouit himself satisfactorily OF
tas k demanding great experience Il
handling the weapon.
So the prince again convened IL
supreme court and submitted t
them this embarrassing position o
affairs.
The coGrt sat ii long time wltll
out discovering any practical sou
ton. IL last the president suggest
', ed committing the death senlenc
into one of Imprisonment for lll'
and the SUI -estion was adopted.
But tbcy had No prison. 1t wa
, neccssar, 10 improve e one. ~ lal
er was also commissioned who too
chnrgr Of the prisoner.
For six months everything wen
well. The convict slept all day o
Il mattress in his hut, and his guar
did the same on "A chair just insid
, the door facing the passersby.
, But the prince is economical
is his least falkland requires tn
details of the smallest expenditure
incurred throughout his dominion
Among these were placed befol
him the items of the disbursement
relating to the creation of a ne
office, the maintenance of the pri'