Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1906-03-30
Bloody Records of
Old Paris Prisons
Especial Correspondence

"reminiscences of old Paris prisons
are very interesting, indeed. About
me Bastile everybody knows, but the
story of the Conciergerie, the Chate.
set the dungeon of vincennes, LAB
baye, Sainte Pelagie and st. Lazare
Is new to most Americans and it is
generally thrilling
The Oldest prison in Europe is the
Conciergerie, whose remains now
form part Of the Palais de Justice at
Paris. 1t was famous for its exquis-
lite tortures. It was here that Nine.
de Brinvilliers, tied down to trestle,
was forced to swallow three buckets
OF water that was poured down her
throat through funnel; it was here
that La Voisin was stretched on the
rack while she smilingly observed
that the torture suited her WELL as
she had always complained of being
too short; 1t was here that the high
wayman Cartouche, the idol of the
gay ladies Of Paris, was broken on a
wheel, after having undergone the
boot to soften his heart. For several
centuries executioners from all parts
OF Europe came to the Conciergerie
to take lessons in their gentle art,
and hundreds of thousands of guilty
or innocent prisoners gave up the
ghost in its mephitic cells. At last,
In the year of American independence,
it was burned down. 1t was rebuilt,
regardless of expense, by Louis XVI,
who little thought that he was con-
structing lodging for his wife
Consigned to the Conciergerie by
Fouquier Tinville, Marie Antoinette
made the place the fashion, and until
Thermidor it was the main source
of supply for the guillotine. Prison
ers of all classes and both sexes,
herded so closely that there was no
room for the decencies of life, swarm
ed there in disorder, dirt and disease,
bullied by drunken turkeys with saw
age dogs at their heels, and thinned
out when the tumbrils called for a
batch for that days meal for the gull
1otine.
From the Conciergerie the guillo-
tine received over two thousand vic
Tins, among them the Girondins, the
Duke of Orleans, the Duke of Lauzun,
Charlotte Corday, Lavoisier, the
chemist; Danton, Camille Desmoulin
and Robespierre himself, and such
was the exaltation of the time that
many went to the scaffold singing,
laughing and shouting: Long live
Francei"
Vincennes Once State Prison.
A rival to the Conciergerie was Vim
cennes. Under the kings it was a
state prison-the prison of the great.
In it's cells Henry of Navarro, the
Prince de Condo, the Marshal de
Montmorenci and the Cardinal de
Retz, with many prince and duke
and count, slept and groaned, and in
more modern times it housed Diderot.
Mirabeau and, for a brief hour, the
Duke d'Enghien. One of its inmates
in the old days was La Mole, who.
when he was sleepy. laid his hand
some head on the lap of the beautiful
Marguerite de Navarro, and for such
impudence was doomed by Catherine
Of Medicis to die at Vincennes.
When the deed was done and night
had fallen, the executioner was at
supper with his family. A knock
came to his door. When he opened
1t he saw an armed man and yelled
woman standing outside.
"You are the executioner?" asked
the lady, in an imperious voice.
Eyes, madame"
"You have here the body of gen.