New-York tribune., 1906-07-21
DEATH OF LOUIS XVI.
Some of the Tragedies of ReUoIu-
t5OnGry Paris.
Paris. July 10.

Paris, July TO-
In the third series Of 'TVieilIes Maisons, Vieux
Papiers," the author, NJ. CASTOR Lenotre-who
is a direct descendant of the famous architect
and landscape gardener who designed the parks
OF Versailles and Saint-Cloud, and who when
asked by Louis XIV to select his armorial es-
cutcheon, replied. Three snails and a cabbage
leaf, please, your majesty'-offers fascinating
study OF revolutionary days in Paris One
finds In this compact volume Of 400 pages an
array Of picturesque figures of the leading men
and women OF the Reign Of Terror The chap
ter devoted TO the regicide Santerre contains a
description Of the execution of Louis XVI mar
rated by Santerre himself to Mercier du Roche,
who wrote it down at the time in his notebook.
From this ii. appears that the story that San
terre gave the order for the drums to beat to
drown the Kings voice is an error, for the order
in question was not given by Santerre, but by
General Berruyer, who commanded the troops.
Santerre thus described the execution
when the King reached the guillotine he
asked to be allowed to pray before getting out
Of the cart. He did so. Shortly afterward he
stepped. unaded, to the ground The execu-
toner. taking the King by the arm said: Mon
sieur, take your coat OFF, Nor replied Louis
XVI But you must remove your coat. do
not wish to perform the operation unless you
do so, for otherwise 7 shall botch the business,
owing to your coat collar.
'T do not wish TO take my coat off, firmly
reiterated the King. Whereupon the execu-
toner and his assistants laid violent hands on
him, and began to take his coat off by force.
The King said. with quiet dignity, Please do not
touch me; prefer to take my coat off myself
He then removed his collar and unbuttoning
his coat removed it slowly and threw the gar
ment on the ground. Samson. the executioner,
who wore on the occasion a handsome sabre
and pair Of pistols. nodded in approval, and
suddenly catching hold OF the patients hands.
tied them behind the back. and then drawing
pair of scissors from his pocket cut off the
Kings hair from the back of the head
1.-The King became pale and trembled slightly
as he mounted the scaffold OF the guillotine.
Several shouts OF Grace! Cpardon him) arose
from the crowd, and the King began to address
the public. General Berruyer ordered the drums
to be beaten with long, continuous roll to
prevent the Kings words from being heard.
The King stamped with his foot the gull
lotine and commanded the drums to cease. Gen
eral Berruyers aide-de-canp stepped forward
to Samson and said: Don't hesitate; finish the
business at once" Richard, one Of the execu-
toners assistants, drew a pistol and aimed it
| at the Kings head. Samson and the other
sistant dragged the King under the knife. The
King kept talking with animation, but nobody
could understand what he said on account Of
the knife OF the guillotine fell"
Santerre died of paralysis February 6.
1909 in the house bearing the number II Rue
des Petites- -Ecuries. A year before he drove to
the Ministry Of War in the Rue de Lille to ask
for the command OF division in the imperial
armies OF Napoleon. The ice that covered the
streets prevented his horses from proceeding TO
the door Of the ministry, and he got out OF his
carriage to walk, when he was seized with
cred
NJ Len6tre devotes an interesting chapter 10
the Chouan conspirator Limoean. who organ
ized the attempt to assassinate the First Consul
Fonaparte in the Rue Sant-Nicaise by means of
an internal machine. and who succeeded in es-
Gaping 70 New York There under the name of
"Guitry,' he earned a living by painting por-
traits He resided afterward at Savannah
Charleston and Baltimore, where as "Pere de
Cloriviere" he took holy orders in the seminary
OF the SulpIcians and on August 1, 1912. he was
ordained cure OF Charleston by NIonsignor Car
roll Archbishop OF Baltimore. In 1914 Limoslan,
| or rather Father de Clorivere was made director
of the convent OF the Sisters of the Visitation at
/ Georgetown. At the request of NJ. Len0tre
Professor de Sumichrast, of Harvard University
attained from the Superior of the Sisters Of the
Visitation a copy Of the records of that convent
which show what reverence and esteem Father
GlOrlVlere
! 1896 and was buried in crypt of the chapel
which he had built there
strange romantic tale Is related OF the
| conventional Bilaud-V -Varennes. the successor Of
Marat and of Robespierre who was subsequent
" deported 20 lifelong imprisonment in the gal
! levs AT Cayenne. Billaud-Varennes's beautiful
Young wife AngeIique, after her husbands de-
/ portation, married certain Harry Johnson a
wealthy American resident of Paris on condi-
tion that he should sbequeath all his property to
| the ,rnnrisoned Conventionnel. johnson kept his
! v,ord hut meanwhile Billaud-Varennes had
married Brigitte, a fifteen-year-old Negro GIRL
with whom he came to Newport. R. l. on May
! = 1916 Accompanied by his dusky Antigone
! and by his faithful dog Patience ne after
ward vainly sought to earn living as jour
nalist I'm New York. and finally went TO Fort-
au-Prince, where he died in 1919
! H. Ien0tre's book describes numerous sprish'-
" eEigodes in the careers OF Roland the uh-
happy husband of Nine. Roland, who was a
victim of the guillotine; OF la Cheyenne VIM
rouet: of Henriot commander Of the army OF
Paris who was euillottned tosethef