Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-02-26
MAN CONVICTED
Of Staying 4
IS GUILLOTI NED.
Henry D. Landru, "BIue-
beard of GambaiS," Gives
His Life in Exchange for
Those He Had Taken.
nr The Assoclated Press.l

versailles, Feb. rs (by the Asso-
ciated Press. )--Henrl Desire Ian
dru, "Bluebeard Of Gambais," con-
victed of the murder of 10 women
and one youth gave his life this
morning in exchange for eleven he
had taken. The triangular knife
of the guillotine fell at Cos
o'clock, twenty-five minutes after
the time originally set for the ex-
ecution, the delay causing many
to express the erroneous opinion
that Landru was making a confess
sion.
Mysterious until death, Landru
resented Father Loiselles' query as
to whether he had any confession
to make.
at is an insult to a man like
me-" was his reply. Had I any
confession to make, I would have
made it long ago" But never did
he utter the word innocent" as he
had failed to utter it during his
thirty-four months of imprison-
ment and the twenty-one days OF
his trial.
Refuses Sacrament.
He refused the sacrament but
conversed q few moments with the
priest.
II shall be brave, never fear"
he told the clergyman.
Although plans for the execu-
ton had been kept in the utmost
secrecy, crowds began to gather
about the old Versailles Jail a little
after midnight. The clatter Of cav
airy horses along Georges Clemen-
ceau street in which the execu-
ton took place, was plainly audi
BILE in Landru's cell, and when he
awOke he heard the sound of ham
mers as workmen erected climbers
Of justice" by the Pickering light
of two square, old fashioned candle
lanterns,
The guillotine was erected only
few feet from the main entrance
to the Jail. At 6 o'clock the doors
OF the prison opened slowly, re-
vealing in the court yard the pro-
curator general, the warden of the
prison and Landru's two lawyers,
NJ. Moro-Giafferi and NJ. Dutreuit.
Then Landru appeared, clad in
dark trousers and white shirt. His
beard, which was one of his most
striking characteristics and which
had become familiar to thousands
through publication of his portrait
during the trial. had been trimmed;
his head was shaved and his neck
and face were deathly pale.
Walks Five Steps.
He walked exactly five steps be-
fore the eXecutioner's assistants
caught him around the waist and
leveled him on the table. which
was Immediately appended; the
heavily weighted knife slid down,
and the whole affair was over in
less than twenty seconds. Landru
never faltered from the time he
in the door. He gave the
guillotine one look. squared his
and walked erect, utter
ing not a word
The crowd, which had been kept
at such distance that it saw
of the details, uttered no
cry. and the silence was only brok-
en- by the bugles sounding reveille
In the nearby barracks, and the
Angelus bells The platoon of
cavalry with sabers barred saluted
rs the mystery man went to his
death.
Then the hundred or more news
paper correspondents, and the few
officials who had witnessed the ex-
execution left the scene, while out
side the lines of cavalry. many
persons were asking was It all
over?"
There seemed to be more pity
than bitterness, and never a word
of invective against the man who
had just paid the penalty for a Sc
ries of the foulest murders in the
criminal history Of France.