The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1892-07-16 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

RAVACHOL GUILLOTINED.  SCENE ON TILE SCAFFOLD.  Ravachol, who had been sentenced to death for the murder of the hermit at Chamblee, was executed at Mouthrison en Monday morning. When roused from his slumber at 20 minutes to 4 o'clock he assumed an air of the most cynical indifference, and not only refused the proffered ministrations of the chaplain, but broke out into a strong invective against religion. The scaffold, which had been erected on the Place des Prisons, was surrounded at a distance by a noisy and excited crowd ; but all the approaches to the scene from the adjoining streets were blocked by troops. On being brought out of the prison-yard in a closed van, Ravachol uttered some blasphemous oaths. He was, however, quickly placed on the bascule under the guillotine ; but here asked permission to speak. " I have something to say," he shouted. The executioner, nevertheless, proceeded with his teak, and as the knife fell Ravachol was heard to cry, " Vive le ROpublique !" No incident occurred among the crowd, which slowly dispersed. Deibler, the executioner, and his assistants were at work all night setting up the guillotine on a small square, sixty yards from the prison. The public were kept out of.sight by a cordon of troops. At about half-past three o'clock in the morning the Proeureur of the Republic, the Juge d'lnstruction, the Governor of the Prison and several others entered the cell where Ravachol was fast asleep. The Governor put his hand on the prisonet's shoulder. Ravachol woke up with a start, and asked "What's up ?" " Ravachol," said the Governor, "the day of expiation has come. Get up and be brave. CAtrage I" Courage !" said Ravachol, sitting up in bed, "I will have plenty; pity if one showed none in such circumstances." When questioned whether he had any favour to ask, he said "Please send two photographs and a lock of my hair to my family." He said he had no revelations to make. He was given the clothes he wore when he was arrested, and said "I am very smart to-day. I look as if I were going to a ball." He then dressed himself, babbling all the time as if he were going out for a walk. He rejected the services of the chaplain, threatening to spit on the crucifix, and while being pinioned he remarked that the executioner seemed ashamed of the work he was engaged in. From this moment he kept singing a song, the burden of which was "to be happy, hang the landlords, and cut the priests in two." He sang this in the van and at the foot of the scaffold, where his voice was drowned by the roll of drums. When the assistants took hold of him he turned round and cried out "I have something to say, citizens," but he was overpowered and held fast by the ears. In this horrible position he still had strength enough to cry " Vive la " before the knife dropped.  The magistrates at Houghton-le-Spring have had before them a lad named George Hilton, who was charged with blocking a set of points on a railway at Lord Londonderry's R.ainton Colliery, and causing an engine and tender and several waggons to leave the rails, whereby three men narrowly escaped being killed, and damage to the extent of £2OO was done. Hilton, who is of weak intellect, was ordered to be detained in a lunatic asylum. At Windsor, on Saturday, 14 members of the Salvation Army, and three young men who had been attracted by their proceedings, were fined for causing street obstructions. The Inman liner City of Chicago which went ashore on the south coast of Ireland has broken in two and has been abandoned. Efforts are being made to save the cargo. The Belgian State railway authorities are testing a mechanical lubricator. Oil placed in one reservoir on an engine lubricates the whole of its working parts. A public-house in London has been bought by the Church Army. It is intended to use the building principally for training men as managers of eoffee taverns.