The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-10-28
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 tho Brutal Headsman.

Act Of the Brutal Headsnnan.
Among the instances Of fanatic zeal
for country and people the act OF
Charlotte Corday. who was born at
81. Saturnin. France. July p. 1I6s,
and who was beheaded at Paris July
II. 1893. stands out In tragic force.
Her childhood and early youth were
full Of privati0n. although she was OF
q noble family. She was educated at
convent In Caen and then went to
i've with an aunt In the same old town
or Normandy.
She had 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
unon Franee. Charlotte eagerly took
up the reading of politics and public
auesfiois. When the Girondists were
obliged to fly from Paris they went to
| Caen and began 10 hold meetings and
form plans for future operations IN
raris.
The tiror1.sts were the true repub- 4
llcans and rot their nanie from Gil
ronic. as il was tie deputies from
this district That h;,d formed the Re
publican party 10 the national assem-
bly,. The liassacres had terrified them,
and they ind tried 10 stop The violent
measures IN The reign of terror.
Charlotte felt II very madness OF en-
,hux.asia as she listened 10 the fiery
eloauence Of these men who de-.
noun,ed Naraf. Danton and Robe.
spierre escaped much Of the censure
due for their share 10 The frightfui
work Of cruelty and death. II was
upon Marat that the Girondlsts 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 a purpose was formed TO save
kher people from this monster and NJ
any cost 10 herself.
INFO CbarIotte's life a tender and re-
spectful hove had come TO add It's In
fuence In tlieS. days OF strange tumuit
ard calm turInsa. She and young
man named FraIfquelln bad been writ
In: each other. and she had given him
her portrait and told ni1 tba; he mighi
M lsast love that. When this lover
, marched away TO Paris with the Glrcn
/, dlS,s ard tie neighboring volunteers
she bade him calm farewell. for. she
! tney she WAS going 10 save him.
al,pr her execution FranqueliD wen
home 10 bis native village IN Nor
mandy. In the tender care Of bis moth
/. er be gradually failed. for MS hear
!, was br0grn i'ie day bis lore persisted
= Nhea he came TO die be requested tina
/, Charlofte's portrait and letters b
buried with him. ard his grave holdi
|. them saerelIy.
n Charlotte BEGAN 90 prepare for ne
Journey 10 paris and the tragedy shi
had planned. Every effort was mad,
q hide the appearance OF concealed
purpose. When she arrived nj Parl
a she NJ once set about her plans to hn'
: Mara,. As preparation she went I
Z one u the shops 81 the Paiais Roya
! ard bought dagger shaped knife. pay
Q ing for II co cents. This she hid In th
!. folds of her dress. Her plan had bee
i 10 XII Marat III the very convention
d where she thought the deed would b
5. avenged by killing her on the spot.
e But Marat no longer went TO the cor
m. ...n. an .xtfh Itaqo an fhg
: was slowly killing him. aud hrs bod
e was IN a state of disorder and irruI
p ton that gave him an agony OF su
i. fcrlng. lie was emily comfortable whe
ID IN the warm water Of his bath. II
ie lived ON the lrst floor OF house
the Rue DIES cordeliers. aud connecte
n with his home were al the affairs ,
Is his journalistic work aud from here q
et his pamphlets and journals were SCI
= out.
a After writing two letters asking Il
NJ an interview. 10 which sue would civ
H. him some important news about 81
~ pected persons. she got no reply. Tue
b. Size took her way 10 the house. insist,
he that she must see him. ard when 70
In hidden entrance by Marat's wife 81
b still urged the importance OF her 9
u. rand. Marat heard tie sound or the
u voices and shouted out for reason
I'd the noise that bothered him. Wiz
told that II was the woman who hi
twice written him he babe her come
The wife. against her will. let her pa
'se Marut was In his bath. wrapped
al. an Ink stained sheet. aud was writi
e. on board laid across the bath As
|th ing her errnnd. he took down nll 1
I'd. details she gave him. When he b
&c the name OF each Girondlst who "
ral nj work In Caen he told her that In
70. week they would be brought TO I
,th guIllotlne. Then s1she stood best
IN. the bath she plunged the knife II
ght his heart. aud he died with cry
the his wife to come TO him.
bal. Just before her execution she VIZ
ap. TO the GIrondists at Cacn that she
his ticIpatcd happiness with Brutus
ave the EIysian fields after her death. a
hat she also wrote tender and loving IA
mad well letters to her relatives Q
ave friends.
~rs when she had suffered death the
m.