Arizona republican., 1914-09-01

higher court he was honorably ac-
quilted and given the power to pro-
secute his enemies for reparation. Re-
turning to Loudun with an air OF
triumph he treated his enemies with
a naughty GOODNESS, which the latter
construed into nothing but an act OF
hold defiance, and they breathed
nothing but revenge
Not long afte.. reports were whis-
pered through the town that some OF
the nuns of the Carmelite Convent
were possessed of evil spirits. Mig
non, one of Grandier's enemies, call
ed Apon one of his friends, Barre, tC
come with him to the convent anC
exercise the nuns who were possess
ed. Then were. gathered many OF
the dignitaries of the church and the
officers of Loudun and the surround
ing towns When they arrived a
Carmelite they learned that two Of
the nuns at that moment were pos
sessed, one of them the prloress, ant
she was then examined.
For what reason have you entered
the body of this virgin?"
The woman-who was supposed t
be then under the influence of th'
deyil-repled: out of spite and ami
mostly"
Upon the girl being asked by wha
pact, she answered, BY flowers,
and then under examination TIL
| devil" in her told that one had sen
her some roses, whose name wa
Urban. AS the pope's name was u"
ban she was asked his surname, t.
which she answered. "Grandier."
The girl then went on to tell o
what church he was and when tn
questions were finished she conven
iently returned to her senses. Thi
was not the only exhibition, for al
most every day some of the nun
We're possessed of a strange spirit
which contorted their faces AM
bodies Upon being examined, the,
all replied that the devil had beef
sent by Urban Grandier. He at frs
| took no notice of these exhibitions
regarding them merely as l farce
but ominous whispers began to b
| muttered, and he resolved to fire.
himself from gossip once and for all
The result of the public examina
ton showed that the girls had beef
prompted by the enemies of Gran
der. and if. as one said, the devi
really was in them, they would know
| how to talk good and perfect Latin
| which the nuns did not in answer +,
the questions At last three of tn
nuns, being tired of the long tria
before the kings attorney, confessed
that they had learned their parts an,
! had been instructed by Barre, Mig
| ron and one Laubardemont. But evel
this did not influence the judges
who were greatly prejudiced agains
Grandier and determined that h
should die.
The trial jagged on for more thai
two years. and it was on the 18tI
| of August. 1884, that the sentenc
was at last pronounced. Grandie
was convicted of the crimes of ma
sic. sorcery and the possession en-
| tailed by his deed upon the person
Of several nuns, together with othe
! enormities, for which he was sen
| fenced to be led with a burning tore
around the city,s to be burnt alive a
| the stake, and previous to this, t
| be put to torture, ordinary and ex
! traorcinary. so that he would confes
his accomplices."
This was carried out, the tortur
consisting of the legs being bound b
two boards and wedges driven be
tween. eight in all. By this both hi
legs were crushed and broken.
The next morning he was wheele
away in a cart and tied to the stake
He persisted in his innocence to tn
last saying that he had never know
the nuns, some of whom accuse
him. In his sentence it was agree
| that he should be strangled by a rop
before the fire burned him to deatf
but this was not carried out, TO
one of his prosecutors tied a knot il
the rope which prevented the noos
from slipping and thereby prolonge
the agony. While the flames licke
around his BODY, he prayed until hi
voice could be heard no more, to tn
last protesting his innocence, an
J asking forgiveness for his enemies.