The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1913-02-07


his left eye, passed our hiding-place,
and, turning sharply around, whis-
pered:
Come, quick: now Is the time!"
1t was Latrille.
! placed myself at the head OF my
men, and in less than a minute We
were in the den, a narrow room, with
a small bar covered with zinc, tables
and chairs along the wall. Half a
dozen ruffians were sitting there, lis
tening attentively to one of their
party, who was emphasizing his words
with a bottle he held in his hand.
And then the scramble began. Three
were overpowered before they could
make use OF their weapons; but the
others fought like savages. One, with
a knife between his teeth, had harri-
caded himself behind a table, and fired
revolver shots at us; while the other
two, armed with huge knives, threw
themselves upon those nearest to
them. Brunei received an ugly cash
in the thigh. and poor Larose was shot
in the leg. Suddenly n of my men
shouted:
Look out, SIR"
7 turned quickly, and saw a fellow,
who had been hiding underneath a
table, pointing a pistol at me. But the
arm that held 1t was caught, wrenched
backward, and, with a howl, he fell on
the floor. In less than FIVE minutes
everything was over, and my prison
ers, carefully handcuffed, were con-
veyed to the prefecture.
Then came the day OF reckoning.
Crampon and his accomplices were
committed for trial. or the eight who
were arraigned, sever we're sent to
penal servitude; but Crampon, the
murderer, was sentenced to death.
The latter, who had told me twice that
he wanted TO be. as he called II,
butte" had hoped that his sentence
would be committed to transportation
for life; but on the sixteenth of De-
cember, In the afternoon, ! was Of
ficially informed that his execution
would take place the following day.
At five o'clock the next morning,
Deibler, the executioner, arrived on
the Place de la Rouquette to build I'D
the guillotine; and punctually at seven
/ followed NJ. Beauquesne. the govern
or OF the Roquette prison, into Cram
pon's cell. The examining magistrate,
the police commissary Of the Roquette
district. two other oficials, and three
whrders accompanied us. When we
entered, Crampon, who was sitting on
his bed. turned livid.
"Crampon," said NJ. Beauquesne,
"the moment of expiation has arrived"
The condemned man tried to speak,
but We heard nothing but a rafting
sound. The warders helped him to
dress, and we left him alone with the
priest, the Able Valladon. He then
was conducted to the Sale du Grifre,"
a dismal room with q stone floor, and,
in the center, a small stool on which
the culprit sits to submit to the toll
ette," which consists In cutting his
hair and shirt around the shoulders,
and pinioning him. When Crampon
felt the cold steel OF the scissors on
his neck, he shuddered, and uttered
a faint cry.
A few minutes later the heavy doors
Of the prison were thrown open, and
the sad procession appeared. First
came Deibler. and behind him Cram
pom, supported by two OF the execu-
toners assistants. Thus far he had
shown q certain amount of courage.
When, however. he caught sight of the
horrible machine. he seemed para
Used. Deibler's men had to, carry
him; and when, a few seconds later,
the knife dropped, I was almost GER
tain that It had fallen on a lifeless
body.