The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1878-09-14 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

DOUBLE EXECUTION IN PARIS.  The Paris Correspondent of The Times writes : Barrd and Lebiez, who enticed a widow woman into their lodgings on the pretence of exchanging some bonds for her and then murdered her, were executed between five and six on Saturday morning in the square opposite La Roquette Prison. An attempt is always made to keep the day of execution a secret, but in this case, Fridays and Sundays being always avoided, there was less uncertainty than usual, and a large crowd collected at night to wait for the ghastly spectacle. The police and soldiery were not sufficiently strong. and at the last moment the enclosure round the guillotine was forced by the mob. Several leading newspapers call for executions inside the gaol instead of this feeble compromise between publicity and Neorecy."  The Paris Correxpondent of the Daily Telegraph gives the tollovring account of the execution : -  "It was hoped that, during the period of the Exhibition, we should not have the scene of a public execution presented within the City of Faris. After the discovery of the murder committed by Barr 4 and Lebiez, however, it was felt that the disagreeable event could not be avoided consistently with the provisions of the law. These two men, who barbarously killed an old woman to get possession of her savings, amounting to about £2OO, were publicly guillotined yesterday morning in front of the prison of La Roquette. Contrary to custom, the public generally bad got to know beforehand the time at which the execution would take place, and the consequence was the assembly of an immense crowd on the Place de la Roquette, whence a confused noise, composed oi .oud jests and murmurs, proceeded, which must have reached the ears of the condemned men. If so, this was the first intimation they had that their appeal for mercy was finally refused by the Marshal. When the hour arrived for conducting the prisoners to the scaffold the officers proceeded first to the cell of Barr& Their communication filled him with terror. He trembled, and could only steady himself with copious draughts of wine and puffing furiously at a cigarette. Before acr-ompanying the officers and the priest he examined a Man of papers so slowly that the impression left on those present was that he desired to gain time. Lebiez, the medical student who cut the body into pieces acted very differently. He had sat up playing cards till three in the morning, at which time his calculations must have been die turbed by the cries of the ribald mob without. After putting aside the cards, he read some pages in A History of Navigators,' and then went quietly to sleep. On entering his cell in the morning, the officers were obliged to wake him from a deep slumber. When he understood their business, he at once jumped out of bed, dressed himself, and set to work to arrange his papers, refusing to drink or smoke. He went through the process of pinioning with perfect calmness, offering in that respect a contrast to his companion, who wa.: obliged to drink more wine in order to sustain the operation. On starting for the scaffold Barre asked for another cigarette, which was refused. OD the way out of the prison the warders were obliged to support Band. Lebiez, on the contrary, walked with a steady step. The only moment at which the latter winced was when he saw his companion's head roll from the knife and witnessed the gush of blood through which he had to walk to his own doom. Pronouncing the words, Adieu, messieurs,' he stepped forward, one of his old companions calling out from the crowd, Bravo, Lebiez !' In another second he also had passed through the hands of the executioner. Both men had expressed their contrition in their last days, and had conformed to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, although they had formerly been strong ad. vocates of Materialism. Before being executed Lebiez said to his father, Do what you like with my body; but do not allow any cast of my head to be taken, as I wish to disappear for ever.' His remains were Claimed by his family. Those of Barr g were handed over to the School of Medicine for dissection. The double execution, of which the details have been generally discussed to-day, has produced a gloomy impression on the whole city."