Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-13


was one Of the best known of Russian
" ta1o He was born In 1873 and died
America for his Il Or noTe Res
recently released as a photoplayJ
Near the borders of France and
Italy, on the shore of the Mediter-
ranean, is tiny kingdom called
Monaco. There are only seven thou
sand people, but there is a real king,
and palace, and courtiers and min
lsters and a bishop and generals and
an army. The army has only 90
men, but 1t is. an army. And there
are also taxes--which would be very
heavy were it not for the fact that
Monaco is famous for it's gambling,
on which the king receives a percent
age going and coming. so to speak.
Whether you win or lose, if you gam
bic in Monaco. the king gains by it.
Now it happened that a few years
ago murder was committed in this
toy kings domains. Such a thing
had not happened before among this
peaceable, law-abiding people. The
case was tried, however, with due
solemnity. Finally the criminal was
condemned to have his head cut off.
The king read the sentence and con-
firmed it. So far so good.
There was just one trouble-they
had neither a guillotine for cutting
off heads nor an executioner to do
the deed. The ministers at last de-
cided to ask the French government
to execute their prisoner or to lend
them machine and an expert.
France said that a machine and an
expert could be supplied, but the cost
would be 10000 francs.
The King considered this carefully.
Sixteen thousand francs! 1.-The wretch
is not worth the money" he thought.
There must be cheaper way"
So an inquiry was sent to Italy.
and Italy's quotation on a machine
and an expert was $4,000 francs, in
Guiding travelling expenses. This was
cheaper. but 1t was still too much.
The rascal really was not worth the
money.
The King called a meeting of his
council to consider the matter. They
thought of having the army do it,
but the soldiers said they had never
been taught how to execute any one,
especially to cut off any ones head.
So the council had to think of some
other way.
What was to be done? They as
sembled a commission and a COM
mittee and a subcommittee. and
finally they decided that the best
the death sentence to life-imprison-
ment. Thus the King could show
his mercy. and it would also be
cheaper.
The King agreed. and it was done.
They had hard time finding a suit
able prison, but at last a place was
found that would serve. They put
the criminal in there and set a guard
over him. His food had to be fetch
ed from the palace kitchen.
The prisoner remained there month
after month, until a year had gone
by. At the end of the year the King
was presented with a statement of
his income and expenditures. This
year he noticed a new item and re-
garded it closely.
1t was the cost of a special guard
and food for the life prisoner-a
total of a little more than 900 francs
per year. And the young criminal
was still a youth, capable perhaps
of living so years. Why, it would
have been cheaper to have hired
machine and an expert and have exc
cuted him! The matter took on q
serious aspect. This would never do
So the King called his council and
told them that this life imprison-
ment plan was far too expensive.
They would have to think of some
thing else. Finally they delivered
the following solemn opinion:
I'VE think that the guard should
be dismissed"
This was received seriously. and
then some one objected: But with
out guard the fellow will run away
WELL" said some one else. "let him
run away. Well be well rid of him
them
So the King agreed with them, and
the prisoners guard was removed.
Every one waited to see what would
happen. 1t was not much-at dinner
time the prisoner simply came out,
and. seeing no guard, went to the
palace kitchen to fetch his dinner He
took what was given him, returned to
the prison, and shut the door on him.
self. He stayed inside, guard or no
guard. The same thing occurred the
next day. He went for his food at
mealtime, but he showed no DISPOSE.
ton whatever to run away.
What was to be done? The council
had to consider the matter all over
again. 1t seemed that there was no
way out of the dilemma this murderer
had plunged them all into.
No matter how they looked at the
problem, there seemed to be only one
1t was phrased thus:
Wen just have to tell him straight |
out" they concluded. Tell him that |
we don't want to keep him, and that |
we expect him to run away-and |
stay away"
So the minister of justice had the |
prisoner brought before him.
why don't you run away?" the |
prisoner was asked. There is no |
guard to hinder you. You can go |
wherever you like, and the King will |
not mind in the least
II dare say the King would not |
object" the prisoner agreed. but the |