Execution in France.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 247, 17 October 1891, Page 3 (Supplement)

Execution in France.

A Callous Criminal,

Baillet, the young man who was lately convicted of several atrocious murders, waa guillotined here ab twelve minutes past five this morning (says Router's correspondenb ab Douai). Deiblcs, the State executioner, came from Paris to carry oub the sentence of the law. The convict, on being aroused from sleep this morning and informed thab his time had come, displayed the greatest levity. Laughing, he looked round ab the officials presenb, and taunted them with their grave faces. ' Nobody, then, jokes here,' he said, 'and nobody sings. I have got to die. Well, you have never seen any one die as I will.' Bailleb showed the same absolute indifference to his fate during all the time thab the process of pinioning and the other preparations for the last act were in progress. He embraced the warders and refused to accept the preferred ministrations of the priesb. His accomplice, Dutilleul, the convict declared, was quite as guilty as himself, and ought to have been condemned to death instead of escaping wibh penal servitude for life. When Baillet arrived in front of the guillotine, he shouted, wibh a loud voice, ' Vive la Republique !' The word 3 were scarcely out of his mouth when the executioner's men seized him and threw him upon the plank. Wibhin a second the knife fell and all was over.