The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-10-14
SPANISH EDUCATOR. FRANCISCO
FERRER, is EXECUTED
BY SOLDIERS.
Determined Efforts on Part OF Devoted
Daughter to Save Her Father From
the Executioners Fails and the Noted
Man Is Shot Down by Firing Squad
Paris Papers Talk.

Barcelona, oct. l3.-Profcssor Fcrrcr
the Spanish educator and convicted
revolutionist was shot to death today.
The execution was at the fortress OF
Montjuich, in which the prisoner had
been confined since his condemnation
by court-martial. The doomed man
faced the firing squad without finch
ing and fell dead at the first Nolley.
Ferrer. except for momentary eX-
preston of emotion Immediately pre-
ceding his death. retained his COM
posurc to the last
His attorney, NJ. Galceran. who had
defended the prisoner SO strenuousiy
as To bring about his arrest for i'm
properly addressing the court. had OBJ
tanned permission for Il brief talk
with the rcvolutionist before the latter
WAS led to the ditch where he Was to
die. To his attorney Ferrer spoke
feelngly of the work for which he
had sacrificed his life and the future
of his daughter. whose brave attempt
to save his life touched the father
more deeply than any other incident
of his trial and conviction.
on FerrerS arrest, his family was
left dependent upon this daughter,
who at once found employment in Il
biscuit factory. When it was known
that her father had been sentenced to
death the daughter made II personal
appeal to King Alfonso. calling upon
him on account of his known generos-
ity to spare her fathers life.
These acts were reported to Ferrer
and be broke down. Presently the un-
daunted revolutonist was again him
self Ferrcr declined To receive the
last sacrements and turned away from
the two priests who had been sent by
the prison authorities to offer him the
final consolation of the church.
When the hour of his execution ar
rived he walked braVcly through the
prison yard to the ditch in the shad-
ow of the encircling wall. Without Il
culver he faced the infantrymen. who
at the word of the commandant fired
simultaneously. When the report of
the volley had died away Ferrer lay
dead upon the ground.
Creates Sensation.
The news of the execution of Ferrer
of Barcelona created a tremendous
sensation when printed here today.
The newspapers issued extra editions
with glaring headlines, some of them
expressing the belief that King Al
fonso had compromised his future by
failing to intervene.
Interviews printed show many per
sons prominent in the scientific and
political world are both indignant and
panied at the days events in Spain.
\ member of the institute said he
Was stupefied at the action. which he
characterized as one political canni~
balism. NJ. Reinach said he had
thought il incredible that the king
would decline to intervene.
.Ferrer." he said. ''was the victim
of the monks who are all-powerfu'
i'm Spain now that they have been re
inforced by their colleagues who were
expelled from France. 1t was I'M
possible of belief that Spain would
dare tn thus defy the universal con
science"
NJ. Pieavet. secretary of the college
of France. who said he had read al
of Ferrer's books. declared the Mod
ern School which the author advo-
Gated simply favored neutral in
struction as the term Was understood
in France.