San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-27


dead woman's head and the two missing hands
found in brine tub! Some of Nine. Gerard's jew
elry was also found IN a secret drawer in VoisinS
rooms.
Although nobody now doubted Voisin's guilt, yet
the man denied any connection with the murder. He
told an ingenious story about how he had stumbled
in on the murdered body of his friend, and being
afraid that he would be accused of the murder, he
had scattered the remains about and had brought
the head and hands to hide in his own home.
The jury took but fifteen minutes to find him
guilty. and when they returned with their verdict the
clerk of the court, speaking in French, asked him
he had anything to say.
VoiSin tried to smile.
81 say am innocent" he replied in French and
visbly braced himself for the death sentence.
Justice Darling then adopted curious pro.
cedure. He passed sentence follows:
"YOu have been found guilty on inconteStable
evidence of the murder of Nine. Gerard, and have
to pronounce sentence of death on you in the form
prescribed by English law. AS you do not under
stand English, shall pass judgment on you in your
own language, and must then repeat it in English,
our law requires"
The Judge then added: MAY the Lord have
mercy on your SOUL" The sentence in French
followed by the grim formula in English, and Vol
sin, who had only paled little, without glance
round the court disappeared down the stairs to the
cells.
cannot say that | felt sorry when received my
orders to report at Pentonve Prison to execute this
cruel murderer.
AS the hour approached for the execution next
morning my assistant and joined the silent little
knot of officials in the corridor outside the
demned mans cell. But Vosin himself was anything
but silent. He had refused to eat his breakfast and
we could hear him in his cell carrying on like de-
mented animal
Perhaps such behavior was only to be expected
from such brutal murderer as VoiSn had proved
himself to be. He no doubt considered that he
doing a brave deed when he killed poor Nine.
Gerard, but now that he had to face the reality Of
death himself all his courage oozed out of him. and
his true nature revealed.
While we stood there waiting, with our feelings
narrowed by the means and cries emanating from
the condemned cell, the doctor arrived with glass
and bottle of brandy and stiff dose of the stinu,
liant poured out and taken in to the doomed man.
Judge that VoiSin did not at first take more than
a sip of the brandy, for heard the doctor call out
Drink it all up"
Things quoted down, and l got the signal to
begin operations | entered the condemned cell and
Voisin seated between two chaplains, who
both assiduous in their ministrations.
Vosin still quietly Sobbing, and in his left
hand he clutched his handkerchief which was so wet
with his tears that it reSembled a dishcloth. My
assistant gently dsengaged this from VoisnS hand
and threw it the floor, that might get hold of
this hand and pinon it at the back By this time the
ministers had risen to their feet and Voisn was, of
course, also standing But the clergymen did not
stand still, Vosn moved also, and had considerable
difficulty in getting hold of his right hand to COM
plete the pinoning.
The voices of the ministers rose in prayer, and
Voisn mumbed what took to be responses in
French.
Within few seconds had him prepared and
then left him in charge of my assistant while hur.
KiaH ord 70 fNll