New-York tribune., 1905-07-16
GUILLUTlNE IN FRANCE.
Public Execution of a Tramp at
Orleans May Be the Last.

Orleans, July 3. 1905
-spital punishment is practically abolished in
-,,-ie and IN the Department OF the Seine owing
80 the public scandal and macahre reveIrv that in
-s-ta5ly accompanied the executions in the Paris
!. Ia Roquette. but the guin5tne stin hourishes as
national institution in the country districts
,-sv-e-theless. the trend Of feeling aEainsr the
-,rIotine Il steadily gaining strength. A bill for
ne abolition OF capital punishment IN France is
lore the Chamber Of Deputies. and influential
senator's. such as Georges CIemenceau. and Dep
,,tst including Jean Jaures OIiIerand. Arago. and
NEWS Cochin support measure which. following
~ examples OF Belgium. Switzerland. Rurania
.,s Holland, would substitute nfe Imprisonment
4o- execution
few DAYS ago. IN the course o: an automobile
+rsp m the Department OF the Loire. arrived at
orleans The town was highly excited owing to
ne sudden appearance OF NJ DiebIer, the public
.v.cutioner. who with lis three assistants had
o-ne from Paris with the guflo1ine to make ready
so- the decapfation OF 4 tramp named Henri
rsnrufe. sentenced 70 Death for numbering on the
B. ..rsrav under extraordinarily atrocious circun-
s.znces al old lemonade seller named Legeais
rhe execution was arranged TO take place the
s,li5v1ag morning az daybreak. and it is pre-
si-ted by Senator Clemenceau and others that
rs IS lely 70 be the last public execution by the
rsllotue il France owing 70 the unusual and
-srurnznr Incidents connected with It. & brief
description CT the occurrence may be justified The
scene moreover gives Al insight into the motives
af the group q French legislators who have eE-
v-.ssed q 5ete-utnation 70 abolish capital punish
ulent-
Tor three davs. n expectation Of Witnessing the
execution. mob Of Ave thousand persons. com
urising t-amps. Vagaoonds and the dregs OF the
pu,lt.ou. among whom the lowest class Of women
-rss largely represented. had gathered about tze
-r5son where LarguiIe was confined. and made
-l.zh- hideoUs with drunken yeIls and orgies. AT
3 o'clock in the morning the guillotine had been
erected in front Of the prison gates Shortly at
fs-war5 the governor OF the jail. a priest. Ian
r-i1s's lawyer and three prison officials went
"a the condemned mans cell to arouse him and
aBpr1se him q hts fate Languille was seated al
small wooden LaoIe. neatly dressed in the prison
costume. He was quite composed. and remarked:
q thought Il vas for to-day. I couldn't sleep. /
have been sitting here TWO hours waiting for you"
7anr7iile took a large yellow envelope from his
oocket and HANDED il 10 his lawyer, with the re-
Guest thar he should keep II and do as ne deemed
res- z1th IL TIE envelope contained small sum
~ money thar he visited given 20 the SOD Of
re man be had murdered. subject 10 the approval
~ his counsel He then exclaimed, Now gentle
men am ~ your d-spcsaI-" 4 keeper OF the
-r-sou stepped forward with a parcel containing
Tanr-iIes clothing and said: You must take
or me prison costume and put on your old gar
...eurs.r An exclaimed Languille, the State
cant AFFORD 10 have its nice new clothes spoiled by
being dumped wiki my dead body into the sawdust
box Al right. VIII change into my own clothes"
vhne he was dressing the priest uaurn1Ired
PRAYERS and asked LangUille &c confess. Ian
r1.lle paid no attention 20 him. He complained
thar -le prison authorities did provide looking
glasses TO enable him TO make his toilet properly.
-,-cw Z an ready 70 start ne said. Two assist
ans offered 10 take the man by the arm, but he
refused tle.r aid saving: y can walk perfectly
we-L I k.5w the way 70 the gIllotine- Follow
sne 7 an not afraid. 10, not DIT afraid"
Tie started at rapid pace for the courtyard where
r. Diebler and MS uwo aids awaited him Il sup
E--l arufr ark RI
sle eEecuroner. You see, here am, alI ready for
sou. ] am LanEuiIe.'
aa attendant. holding bottle of brandy and 2
F.ass, approached Languille and said: Take a few
crops or brandy. Fl VIII DO you good with great
pleasure was the reply; this is probably my last
drink, and hope II -Elu be good one Then the
attendant poured out half q glass OF brandy. Ian
guile said Oh, more than that; I'll IL two-thlrds
-aiL mere is 70 your good health, gentlemen
can't very well drink 70 my ownT'
AZ z sign from the attendants LanguilIe took or
bis coat and waistcoat- One OF the executioners
assistants took sharp knife and cut OF the shirt
coa- and thai portion of the shirt above the shout
GERS. 5ow pale you al look!' said Languille, as
he Eazsd At the group OF a dozen magistrates.
ns1n or1ctals and journalists VINO surrounded him.
h1olis and riDald songs were heard from the mob
o. -liii-4as lmpatenLly waiting outside the prison
1--s. SLlaelz Voices o. half-ilLoxlcaIed women
were neard rising above the uumult. shrieklng
-l @ % -14--g --.4e ~ ay keep os WaIulg Lo5
caop the br1te's head on Then the mob would
-
zEguiie calmly listened without turning pale ana,
:o9a-ag 44eo-eTi ne e1ecut5oneE straight IN the
u a Jew moments the big prison gates swung
wee oPen 4 squad OF gendaTmes and two com
l2nes of infantry kept the ground free around the
fozether for the event Among them vas the son
q the man murdered by Languille. who is a let
[er carrier Of Orleans. Two fashionably dressed
condemned man through their opera glasses Ian
ssie Al the sight OF the crowd Tor the nrst time
turned pale Shouts OF "a mOrLi" "A mort re-
se9naec on AZ sides. on ces sales Paysans.'
q IN taese nltny peasants. exclaimed LaIlguille.
Laen turning 70 the priest who yany tried 70 con-
"a rom yieE the gsli!9Ilnei nc said Faro9n: on
}Elest- and Two assistants. taking the man by the
arms. walked with aim along Lhe gutliotine plank
guile The man was pushed into the guilotiue.
En-e 81 Dlebier tripped him up and an aide seized
-SaF-l-le's head by the ears and pulled II wei
himself thar f5e rsn's neck use exacfIv In the
rght position Languills exclaimed, "Adieu, le
LGagu.iie's head roiIed into The box Of gawdast
Bur tbe rooer Er--4ry zv,ectsre v-ae vet Ia come
D. Beaurieu director Of the Orleans Hospital and
eae- II The CLINIC for nervous diseases. had OBJ
5s-aso from the ProcuEator General permission to
1-Aag-tleg head mad fallen into the box OF saw
4lsi Dr. BesuT1su bent over the box and. taking
neq ~ ts 5%o ears r. Taiseg e.. II ana shouted
al present the eyes opened and stared iutentiy at
ne ne physician with hfs!ike gaze few seconds
.Sier Dr. Beaurieu again called out: "Languilel
-~angul-le! The eyes once more responded by
Langqille. .Languiilet" But this time there was
Tss l1gnbrious details Of LanguIlle's execution
@1Fe been narrated n the leading newspapers OF
Faris and tie provinces. The consensus Of opinion
resident LouDst Is IN receipt Of hundreds Of peti-
tnent Other petitions received al the Eysee Palace
-Eeon Until Parliament enacts the law SUBSTITUTING
IMPRISONMENT for lie instead OF death other petit
ons express the wish that IL future capital execu-
80 ot Jae prison IN the presence Of the necessary
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