The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1870-07-09 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE EXECUTION OF THE GREEK BRIGANDS.  The lest (the 18th) comber of the official correspondence on the Athenian massacreo contain. the following report addressed to Mr. Erskine by Mr. Watson, Secret.ty of Iler Majesty.. I,Ratt,m, upon tile execution on the morning of the 20th of June of live of the brigands belonging to the Arvaniti band, who were condemned to death on the 22nd of May  "Ma. WATSON TO Ma. ERsKINE. "Athens, June 20, 1870. " ' '  "Sir,—l attended the execution of five of the con. demned brigands of Takoe' band, which was carried out between half-past six and seven o'clock this morning in the apace called the Polygon, at the upper end of the Champ de Mare.  "From daybreak people were walking thither, and when I arrived there with Count della Minerva, at five o'clock, the hill immediately above WAS crowded to the top.  "A hollow square was formed around the guillotine, and was lined by thr-e companies of infantry, one of artillerymen, and a troop of cavalry, the whole under the Commandant de Place. The Procureur du Roi, the Italian Minister and myself, some officers of the Royal Oak and Jaseur, the King's chaplain, and some of the jury who had found the prisoners guilty, were admitted within the square. The crowd was quint and perfectly orderly till half-past six, when a general shout from those on the hill announced the coming of the prisoners. They came each separately in a carriage, each with two soldiers, preceded by the two exicutioners in another carriage, and escorted by a troop of cavalry. As soon as the executioners had seen that the guillotine was in order, the first carriage came into the square and the brigand Costa was made to alight, when hie sentence was read over to him and he was handed over to be put to death. As his legs were being bound he requested that he might not be put to pain; and as he was being tied to the guilt itine he turned to the crowd on the right and begged them to forgive him as he hoped tip be forgiven of Col As he was tilted forwards he was answered by a yell of execration, and in two seconds more the knife hail fallen and his head had rolled into the basket.  "Next came Alexis, the brigand accused of having murdered Mr. Herbert, I watched his demeanour narrowly, and though he did not now exhibit the scornfulness which made him so remarkable at the trial, he showed to the Net that he possessed the utmost courage. Like Costa, he turned to the bystanders and asked them to forgive him, as they hoped for salvation. They were awed by the sight they had seen, and not a voice replied to Alexis; yet his bright eye never once quailed, not even at the sight of his companion's headless trunk. The next two brigands executed--with one of whom came their confessor—had been taken before the ex. cursion to Marathon. The first of these uttered a piteous cry of horror at the sight below as his head was being fitted to the block ; he said nothing to the croaff. The seconi had to be lifted out of the carriage by the execntioners, and as his miserable emaciated form was stretched at full length he uttered a cry for forgiveness. "The last of th, se who suffered was Photi ; he, too, had to be lifted out of the carriage, and lull by the two men while his sentence was being read over. He seemed to be suffering great pain, and repeatedly begged of the executioners to be careful to avoid hurting his leg. Ho was at length adjusted, mai turned with his face to the ground, and had scarcely uttered a moan when the string was pulled, and the fatal knife fell for the fifth and last time.  '1 have, &c.,  "R. G.