The copper era and Morenci leader. [volume] (Clifton, Ariz.) 1911-1929, 1913-06-13
TO hide GU|LL0TlNE
Bill Is Before French Parliament
to Abolish Publicity.
Spectacle Of "Red Widow" and Her
Victims in Streets Of Paris Being
Opposed BY Many al condue-
I've to Crime.

Paris.-The death of criminals
apon a guiIlotine set up in the street
N full view of the public may soon be
abolished in France. A bill for the
repeal of the law providing for public
executions of the death sentence Is
now pending in the chamber of depu-
ties.
1t is therefore probable that when
the three-and possibly four-heads
Of the notorious bandits of the Bonnot
band of outlaws are chopped on by
the Red Widow" as the French call
the guillotine, the CORY spectacle may
be given in private. Should that De
the case the motor bandits would be
the first to benefit" by the new law.
Public beheadings are intended to
inspire awe. The would-be assassin
Is supposed to see the terrible END
Of fellows such as he and refrain from
committing the deed
The reverse of the picture is said
by many to be true. The hardened
criminal usually meets his doom In
way that inspires other of his stamp
with the notion that he Is a real hero,
for public beheadings furnish occasion
for the exhibition of a certain kind OF
bravado which has a strong appeal 10
the desperate type. Senator de Chau-
ME, one of the leaders of the public
beheadfng abolition movement. so
says, adding that not only are sucn
scenes disgusting beyond expression
/ but demoralizing in the extreme.
Beheadings now take place at sun
rise. The condemned man Is kept In
| lot ~ death
until he is awakened to have his hnal
toilet made for the knife. Until that
moment he has hopes of executive
ciemency, it being the invariable rule
to ask the president as a last resort to
use his prerogntive and show mercy
The scene usually is In some stree'
near the prison in which the man II
confined. The narrower and more
crooked that street, the better. sinc<
the authorities desire as few OF thu
rabble as possible to see the BLADE
fall. Scores of police and largt
number of troops, on foot and a-horse
keep the crowds back and only thu
officials, newspaper men and prison
chaplain are grouped about the bas'
of the guillotine.
When several persons are beheade'
they are brought out of the prison on
at q time. the last to die not SEEM
the others meet their fate. The GRIN
inaI is tied to a sort of block whic
piyots in the middle; he is given
push, he falls horizontal and the TT
angular blade descends. The hea
rolls into a basket on one side, tn
body is dumped into a similar bu
longer receptacle on the other. The
the carcass is carted away at gallo
while the headman's assistants was
: the guillotine with huge sponge
, which they wiring out in pals
water.
They call this making the widow
toilet for her next husband
Much of this sickening sight as po
r sible is hidden from the public. whiC
remains passive, or becomes demo
strative according as to whether tt
man Is an ordinary criminal, OF 20
ular" or much disliked. II hated crit
of "a mort" and Death to the mu
derer!" are heard as the knife falls
:. Senator Chaumie Is against hidiI
: the guillotine up a narrow street
blind alley In a speech before Il
:, senate he said he favored abolition
- the guillotine as a public e1hibitio
- but until the government should ma
~ the necessary laws, beheading shou
:. take place in the broad open day a
In the most crowded squares to
found If the death is to be ma
- public, said, then let it be really p'
-, lie. Have 1t where all may see
He guarantees that If this rule be
:. lowed everybody would be so sicken
at the sight there would be little
position to private beheadings-