The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-11-05
THE SLAYER OF MARAT
Charlotte Corday and the Act
That Made Her Famous.
HER PLANS FOR THE MURDER
The Way They Were Worked Out and
How They Were Put Into Execution.
Her Own Tragic End and the Final
Act of the Brutal Headsman.

Among the instances of fanatic zeal
ior country and people the act Of
Charlotte Corday, who was born at
st. Saturnin, France, July II, 1768,
and who was beheaded at Paris July
II, 1893, stands out in tragic force.
Her childhood and early youth were
full Of privation, although she was OF
O noble family. She was educated at
q convent In Caen and then went to
live with an aunt in the same old town
Of Normandy.
She had q serene and lofty beauty,
was tall and graceful, and her manner
was full Of dignity.
She spent all her leisure In reading,
and her books were always those that
related to heroism and devotion to
country. When the revolution broke
upon France, Charlotte eagerly took
up the reading of politics and public
questions. When the Girondists were
obliged to fly from Paris they went to
Caen and began to hold meetings and
form plans for future operations in
Paris.
The Girondists were the true repub-
licans and got their name from Gi-
ronde, as 1t was the deputies from
this district that had formed the Re-
publican party in the national assem-
bly,. The massacres had terrified them,
and they had tried to stop the violent
measures in the reign Of terror.
Charlotte felt very madness Of EN-
thusiasm as she listened to the fiery
eloquence of these men who de-
nounced Marat. Danton and Robe
spierre escaped much Of the censure
due for their share In the frightful
work of cruelty and death. 1t was
upon Marat that the Girondists poured
their eloquence, for it was he who had
pursued and ordered the death of their
leaders in Paris. In the depths OF her
heart purpose was formed to save
her people from this monster and at
any cost to herself.
Into Charlotte's life tender and re-
spectful love had come to add its in
fuence in these days of strange tumult
and calm purpose. She and young
man named Franquelin had been writ
ing each other, and she had given him
her portrait and told him that he might
at least love that When this lover
marched away to Paris with the Giron-
dists and the neighboring volunteers,
she babe him a calm farewell, for she
knew she was going to save him.
After her execution Franquelin went
home to his native village in Nor
mandy. In the tender care Of his moth
er he gradually failed, for his heart
was broken the day his love perished.
When he came to die he requested that
Charlotte's portrait and letters be
buried with him, and his grave holds
them sacredly.
Charlotte began to prepare for her
Journey to Paris and the tragedy she
had planned. Every effort was made
to hide the appearance Of concealed
purpose. When she arrived at Paris
she at once set about her plans to find
Marat. AS preparation she went to
one Of the shops of the Palais Royal
and bought q dagger shaped knife, pay
ing for 1t co cents. This she hid in the
folds Of her dress. Her plan had been
to kill Marat In the very convention,
where she thought the deed would be
avenged by killing her on the spot.
But Marat no longer went to the con-
yention. He was i'll with n disease that
was slowly killing him, and his body
was In state of disorder and irrup-
tion that gave him an agony Of suf-
fering. He was only comfortable when
In the warm water of his bath. He
lived on the first floor of house in
the Rue des Cordeliers, and connected
with his home were all the affairs Of
his journalistic work and from here all
his pamphlets and journals were sent
out.
After writing two letters asking for
an interview, in which she would give
him some important news about sus-
pected persons, she got no reply. Then
she took her way to the house, insisted
that she must see him, and when for
hidden entrance by Marat's wife she
still urged the Importance of her er-
rand. Marat heard the sound of their
voices and shouted out for reason Of
the noise that bothered him. When
told that 1t was the woman who had
twice written him he babe her come In.
The wife, against her will, let her pass.
Marat was In his bath, wrapped IN
an ink stained sheet, and was writing
on a board laid across the bath. Ask
ing her errand, he took down all the
details she gave him. When he had
the name of each Girondlst who was
at work In Caen he told her that in a
week they would be brought to the
guillotine. Then as she stood beside
the bath she plunged the knife into
his heart, and he died With cry to
his wife to come to him.
Just before her execution she wrote
to the Glrondlsts at Caen that she an
ticlpatcd happiness with Brutus in
the Elysian fields" after her death, and
she also wrote tender and loving fare
well letters to her relatives and
friends.
When she had suffered death the ex-
ecutioner lifted up her head by the
hair and struck 1t n brutal blow with
HE f1St Inst Mt that mnment n Cleam