The Sun. — 1857-03-25 (London, England)

THE EXECUTION OF MATRACCIA.  Matraccia, the Italian who, as reported in the Messenger, was some short time back condemned to death by the Court of Assizes of Aix for a series of extraordinary murders at Marseilles, was executed in the latter city on Saturday morning. At four o'clock he was awakened by the chaplain and director of the prison, and told that the petition for a commutation of punishment, which he had sent to the Emperor, was rejected, and that he was about to be executed. He received the announcement with the greatest calmness, and getting up, seated himself on the side of the, bed, and took some coffee and smoked several cigars. At six o'clock he attended mass, and during the service he appeared very deviant. The mass was followed by a sermon, which seemed to make a great impression on him. The service was attended by all the prisoners. When it was concluded, Matraccia was taken back to his cell, and supplied with breakfast. iihortly before seven the clerk of the Court of Assizes read to him the text of his condemnation, the chaplain translating it into Italian. He listened to the readinn and translation with great resignation, and when they were concluded embraced the clerk and all the persons present, most of whom were so affected that they shed tears. Shortly after, the executioners of Aix and Nimes, accompanied by an assistant, arrived, and proceeded to pinion the condemned. He was then freed from the irons on tie legs, and he asked if he could not be allowed to walk to the scaffold, but was told that ho must be conveyed is a cellular van. He then begged, as a special favour, that he 'night be accompanied by one of his friends, a countryman, who had becn with him all the morning and that his parrot, which was in a cage in his cell, might be taken with him to the scaffold. Both these requests were grant-3, and he was placed in a van, the chaplain being in attendance on him. Arrived at the scaffold, whioh was erected i❑ the place St. Michael, aid which was surrounded by an immense crowd, consis ing of at least 30,000 persons, the vehicle stopped, arc: the cage containing the parrot was, to the surprise of the spectators, first placed on the scaffold ; the criminal, his friend, and the chaplain thee aligited from the van. Matraccia cast a glance at the guillotine, and embraced several persons who were present. Then supported by his friend and the cha7lain, ho ascended the steps of the scaffold, and in doing so it was observed that he slightly trembled. When hi reached the platform he kissed with great fervour tie crucifix which the chaplain presented.; then he embraced the chaplain and his friend and then, turning the parrot, ho said in Italian, "Your waiter is about to die, and he embraces you for the last time !" Afterwards he advanced towards the front of the icaffol I, end cried to the people, " I demand pardon of the inhahitints of Marseilles for the scandal I have occasioned I Pray for me, for in a few minutes I shall pray for you I" He W 93 then seized by the executioners, and in a few seconds all was over.  A letter from Smyrna gives a few details concerning the loss of the Roscoe, already known by telegraph. An Austrian steamer haling arrived with intelligence that a vess,l, laden with c)al, was on fire near Gliediz, the admiral dispatched tae Brandon, steamer. to her assistance. She proved to be the English brig Roscoe, which was on shore, and horning furiously in consequence of the inflammable nature of the cargo, and the wind blowing fresh at the time. The crew, nineteen in number, bad got into three bogs, and been able to save some of their property. Just after the arrival of the steamer, the Lrig, having burned to the water's edge, filled and went down. The crew were afterwards taken on board the Brandon and couleyed to Smyrna.