The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-06

tuated by a spirit of impartiaiity in the first instance, and by humanity Tn the second. On October 10. 17S0, pr. Gullotin moved in the Assembly. where he sat as one of the representatives for Paris. that the public executioner should be rendered an impartial func- tionary, putting all his victims to death
 in the same fashion and by means oi some mechanical apparatus. When he had put this motion he went on to pro- pose the idea of a machine, rapid in action, which would diminish the suf- ferings of capital offenders. His motion was carried unanimously, but the sug- gestion as to the machine was reserved for future discussion. It was during this debate that Dr. Guillotin, vehem- ently advocating the instrument of death which so far existed only in his own mind, exclaimed in an unguarded moment:
 with my machine could cut your head off in a twinkling, and without your suffering a twinge.'
 There was a general laughter. But the hilarity of the Assembly seems tragic enough when we remember how many of those who laughed were de- stined to perish by the insatible weap- on, which as yet had neither name nor form. As a matter of fact, the worthy Doctor, a man already at this time famed for his philanthropy. did not not invent, but only suggested the gull lotine. By the expression. my ma chine," he simply menat such ma- chine as the authorities if they profited by his vague idea would cause to be constructed. He had proposed nothing more than the principle of decapitation. while indicating in general terms the various instruments anciently employ ed for the purpose in different coun- tries. Nevertheless. the whole nation was soon laughing at him. his exciama- ton being made the text of endless pleasantries. People were intensely amused at the idea of cutting off ones head in a twinkling from philanthropy. The instrument was christened long be- fore it had been invented, and with the name of the unhappy Doctor. On the 21st of September. 1791. after lengthy debate, the Assembly adopted the new penal code, of which one clause provid- ed that every criminal sentenced to death should have his head cut off. The method of decapitation now re- mained to be decided. Up till then the instrument employed had been the sword or he ax.
 This ghastly operation had been per formed on a block. and clumsiness or emotion on the part of the executioner had sometimes caused the victim in- describabiy horrible tortues. instances had occurred in which the criminals head had not been severed from the body till the sixth or seventh stroke. This question greatly preoccupied the Assembly. At length the Committee of Legislation called upon the celebrat- ed surgeon Louis, to draw up a report on the subject indicating the fitting methods for cutting off a persons head rapidly and according to the prin- ciple of science. pr. Louis presented his report to the Assembly on March 20, 17o2. and. adopting the idea pro- pounded by Guillotln, he maintained that decapitation. in order to be surely effected. must be the direct act. not of a man, but of a machine, the adoption of which he now recommended. Dr. Louis did not content himself with drawing up his report. He hired Ger man mechanician named Schmidt to construct, under his directions, a ma chine which, after a succession of im- provements, was definitely adopted. Originally the new instrument was sometimes called the Louisette, after the name of It's actual creator. But gull lotfne was already the common title, and it soon became universal. as well as technical and official. The guillo- tine took it's first human life on April 25, 1792.