The San Francisco call., 1908-05-10
HOW FRANCE CAME
TO use GULLOTINS
10 Facilitate Decapitation an
Abolish the Privileges of
the Mobiles
Varying Forms of These Ma
chimes We're Employed in
the Middle Ages

There is no name in France that has
remained longer in the public memor
tnan that Of Monsieur GuiIlotin. Bor
IN the year 1913, and elected membeT
or the constituent assembly some 5
years later, he took up the question
OF capital punishment, and as the re
suit OF his efforts, some three year
later a machine for decapitation sue.
as he suggested became the recognize
instrument for the execution OF crimi.
nails. From all accounts, previous tc
Suillotin entering the assembly exc
cution by deeapitation was a privilege
enjoyed solely by people of rank. til
lower class criminals being hange
fh.s unfair treatment seems to have
impressed him greatly Thus in raising
The question he proposed that 'fn al
cases Of capital purfr' 2
OF the same kind, and executed By
means of a machine" After MAN.
stormy debates 1T was agreed that de
eapitation should be the state punish
fnent for all criminals, but never q
word was mentioned as to any Other
instrument being used but the sword
Some time later, however, the execu-
toner pointed out the Inconvenience
and expense attending such methods
and 1t was finally decided that an in
strument, similar to that which Dr.
Guillotin had previously recommended.
should be used.
FIRST MACHINE USED IN PARIS
The first execution under the new
conditions took place in 1892 in Paris.
the victim being a notorious highway
man Of the name of PelIetier and so
successful did it prove that the govern
ment set up similar machines in all
the French departments At first these
instruments of execution were chris
tened for some reason or other Louis
cite, but as II became more generally
known that DR.. Guillotin was the
original inventor, they were called after
him, and so 1T is to this day 1t is
common belief that Guillotin was him
self sufferer by his own machine
AS a matter of fact. he died a natural
death in the year 1914. For some few
years the guillotine was accepted as
sure, quick and uniform" method of
execution. In 1875, however, doubts
were raised as to whether or no death
by such means was really instantan-
eous. The execution OF Charlotte Cor
day, the murderess OF the revolutions
ary leader Marats gave rise to the dis
pute, for 1t was confidently asserted
that after her head was cut of and
held up by the executioner, there were
distinct indications that life was not
extinct such idea, no doubt, delayed
10 q great tALGlI lHt GQOpllDH Oh the
guiliotine as a mode of execution in
other countries, though the proniiscu-
Gus manner in which it was employed
during the days of the revolution did
more than anything to prevent its
general use.
NOT A NEW INSTRUMENT
But long before the days Of DR.. Gull
iotin there is good reason to suppose
that such an instrument was in gen.
eral use in eastern countries; there was
something very like IL in Persia many
hundred years ago. But however that
that may be it was geerally supposed,
at the time of it's introduction into
France, that the idea was suggested to
Guillotin from a Description contained
IN an anonymous book of travel. Ger
tainly it was not a new form OF execu-
tion; it was even known, and, what is
more, practiced in England, Scotland
and various parts of the continent. For
truth of the assertion one has only to
pay a visit to the Antiquarian museum
al Edinburg. There is to be seen a,
prototype of the modern machine,
which was known in olden days as
the maiden" 1t was this instrument
tha- was used for the execution of the
regent Morton in 1881.
From all accounts the machine used
in England, though fitted with blade,
was quite unlike the guillotine as then
existing in France and Scotland. Up
till 1850 however condemned criminals
in the West Riding OF Yorkshire, and
felons convicted of theft. used to be de-
capitated by a machine which was
known as the Halifax gibbet, pictures
OF which may be seen in old books to-
day. This particular form of trial and
sentence went by the name of the glib
bet law But so far back as the middle
ages the guillotine was in general use
In Germany, where 1t was known as
the "hobel" In Italy, too. ii was in
use so far back as the thirteenlh cen
tury, though, judging by historic rec
ords, only for the execution of criIni-
nails Of noble birth
ETIQUETTE on THE GALLows
But in England. as in France, it was
for many years the accepted custom
that political offenders should be de-
capitated, while all other criminals
were led to the gallows. The scaffold
is the last place where one would ex-
pect 10 find any rules of etiquette. Yet
there were many, and those vigorously
kept Thus in cases where two or
more peers have been beheaded, they
were always brought to the block in
order of precedence. Lord Capel, who
tried to address the crowd wa.h his
hat on, was sharply reprimanded by
the executioner; while in the case of
Lords Balmerino and Kilmarnock, who
were beheaded together in 1746. al
though the latter offered his friend
first place" at the block, etiquette
would not allow Lord Balmerino to
take advantage Of his kindness.-Lon-
don Globe.
PAULINE LUCIA ANECDOTES
The German papers are full of Paul
ine Lucca anecdotes. One of these,