The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-07-22
HOW The CUILLOTNE
WAS INTRODUCED
French Physician First Pro.
posed It and His Name Was
Borrowed" for It.
From the Indianapolis News.

X. GAOI1l SAAO AA0lo1AdPOllS NUNS L ISIS
~ The recent recrudeScence of that bar.
,baric instrument, the guillotine, at Be-
ithune, France. where it Sliced of the
heads OF four murderers nay again
render Of interest the history Of this
machine which performed such bloody
service In the reign OF terror. The
guillotine was preceded by a number
of similar machines. among hic was
1.-THE Maiden" in Scotland, and another
used in Italy about h year 1875. It is
supposed that 1t was an account Of the
latter instrument that suggested to DR..
Gutllottn the modern machine tina
bears his name.
1t has often been stated that DR..
Gulllotin, born in 1873. persisted by the
instrument which bears his name. but
It Is beyond question that he survived
the revolution n died a natural death
In 1914.
It was on December 1. 1889, tina DR..
Gufllotin. a member OF the constituent
assembly, brought before that body a.
proposition to infict the death penalty
by means of a machine in describing
the operation OF which he said: With
my little machine / strike off your head
In the twinkling OF an eye, and you
never feel it," a statement that was
followed by such a burst OF laughter
rs only a French assembly could give.
Following this came a popular song
which carried the name OF the doctor
AAAAAS0 VIZ 4AS l 40 III
she designation it has since carried.
1t had previously been intended by
the assembly that decapitation should
be by the sword. but Monsieur Samson,
the general eXecutiOner of Paris, doubt
less seeing much work ahead OF him,
pointed out many objections to the
sword and a committee of the assem-
bly, requested DR.. Antoine Louis, secre-
tary of the Academy OF Surgeons. to
prepare a memorandum on the subject.
Without even mentioning the name Of
Guillotin the committee recommended
the adoption Of a machine similar to
that which had been suggested by him.
"a German by the name of Schmidt, a
maker of musical instruments. who had
made a number Of spinets and harpsi-
chords for Marie Antoinette, made, un-
ger direction OF DR.. Louis, machines
Tor use in each of the French DEPART
ments.
To determine the practical working
Of this machine it was first tried on
several dead bodies at the hospital of
Bicetre. It was afterwafd located in
the Place de Greve. Its first victim be-
25th Of April. 1892. At first the ma
chine received the names "Louisette"
and II Petite L%ouison.' but the mind
g the nation caught by h song OF the
Yuillotine gave the name it has since
borne p%opularly and officially.
oAA4AOSAAA0 was lAIcllucO ny kL0
euggester and by its inventor to be an
instrument OF mere and 1t is said that
Louis XVI and his queen, Marie An.
tsoinette, both Of whom lost their heads
by 1t, were shown the model and were
greatly interested in 1t.
The execution OF Charlotte Corday.
who In French history comes next In
romantic interest. furnished the most
grim and sinister story Of the guillO-
tine. She, who with the most sublime
conception Of patriotism meted out
fierce Justice to the monster Marat, was
executed on July II. 1893. She had tbs
distinction Of being the only victim on
that day.
Some time later the question wa
much debated whether or not death by
The guillotine was instantaneous. In
support OF the negative side the case OF
Charlotte Corday was adduced. Her
eheeks, It was said, Redeemed as with
Indignant shame when the brutal
headsman. who on this occasion was
hot Samson. but Francois LIE eros, ono
pf his assistants, holding up her head
to public gaze with atrocious barbarlty
struck the face with his fist.
It was estimated that the death work
pr the guillotine in France in the Reign
bf Terror exceeded 10000 persons. The
blade of the original guillotine was
bold. It is said. for $4,000, and is now in
the Tussaud collection OF grim curios.
tiles in London.