Double Execution in Paris.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 180, 27 November 1886, Page 7

Double Execution in Paris.

A double execution took place at sunrise in the Place de la Roquette. The two men who suffered death deserved their fate, and but little sympathy would have be9n felt for them were it not for that, taking into account the tendency of President Gt6vy to exercise his prerogative of me»cy in favour of much worse criminals, the fact that eighty-four days had elapsed between their sentence and execution might justly have led these wretched beings to believe that their lives would be spared. They were both members of the dangerous classes. One of them, Riviere, was only eighteen j the other, Frey, known among the community of thieves and rogues "?pho infest Paris by the nickname of Pa? de Clwnce (no luck), waa about thirty. In the course of last spring they murdered an old woman who kept a low lodging-house in the Faubourg St. Antoioe, and were detected in the very act by some of the lodgers. They were tried on the 9th of July, and as they had given evidence subsequent to their conviction to enable the police to discover the perpstratois of other yet undetected crimes, they supposed that the capital sentence recorded againßt them would be commuted into baniehment to New Caledonia. This hope was rudely dispelled. At four o'clock this morning, when they were aroused from a deep sleep and told that they mugt prepare to die, Riviere protested, and kepb repeating that it was a shame to be executed after having been led to hopo for mercy for ninety days. One of his phrases was, "Je m'en doulais je devais moitnr, mats vraimcnt quatrc-vitigt-dix jours d'aitente, c'esl trop lony." As he was being tied on to the plank of the scaffold he eaid in a loud voice, " Vous direz au Pere Grevy qua c'est tin assassin." His accomplice, Frey, behaved with extraordinaiy fortitude. He declined the ministrations of a priest, and rofused the dram of brandy which is generally tendered to the convict to enable him to go through the ordeal of the fatal toilette. He was executed after Riv'ere, and the priest, wishing to spare him the ghastly sight, stood between him and the Bcaffold, but Frey pushed him aside with his head, saying, "Pray retire, Monsieur l'Abbd, you are io my way, I cannot see " The "Paris" this evening comments on this execution in a leading article headed, " Le President Bourreau," and urges that the question of life and death chould be left to the law, and not merely dependent upon the will and pleasure of the President of the Republic. The writer, M. Charles Laurent, remarks :—: — " How is it that the President of the Republic should have the right of playing with the guillotine? How is it that for more than two months he should be able to keep the knife suspended over the assassin's heal, to let it fall, as was done this morning when such a long delay may have given ground for hope, and their penalty thus becomes illegally aggravated by an atrocious deception ? Why, torture being abolished in France, does one man possess the light to inflict such torture even upon the worst of fellow-creatures ? This is both immoral and unjust. The law convicted these man ;it should not be left to the President of the Republic to execute them !" While he was on the subject the editor of the " Paris" might have entered hia protect against the aggravation of punishment resulting from a bungling executioner and a defective guillotine. A terrible story comes from Algeria of the execution of an Arab. The knife fell twice without effecting decapitation, when the executioner sent for a hand-saw to divide the cervical verteDne, after which the convict was replaced in the gullotine, which finally accomplished its work. The guillotine, says another correspon. dent, was erected at five o'clock, and thus the people, who wore then Btirring, discovered that the double execution was about to take place. The news spread rapidly, and a great crowd collected. At 20 minutes to six o'clock the magistrates entered the cell occupied by Riviere. The Judge, M Vendling, had been authorised to suspend the executions in the event of the condemned men making statements regarding crimes in which they had taken part. Riviere was out of bed, and half dressed. The keeper of the prison told him that his application for a pardon had been rejected. He would have to die with courage. The prisoner 'aid he had feared that it would come to this. Was the other man to be released ? He wae not innocent, but Frey was the chief offender. The Abbe Colomb, vicar of St. Sulpice, then came forward and besought the prisoner to think of God and seek courage in prayer. His reply wop, "I am not getting weak, chaplain." On b3ing told that Frey was to be executed as well as himself, he said, " Father Grcvy is not metciful, but it consoles me all the same that the other is to go the came way." Abbe* Colomb made another appeal to bioi and presented the crucifix, when he called out, " There is no longer a God. Leave me in peace." The 'great €oor of the prison waa then opened, and the prisoner, a strong man of thirty, walked firmly towards the scaffold. At two steps from it the cbaplaio embraced Riviere, who pressed him against his breast. He also kiaßed the crucifix. Turning round he called out in a loud voice, " You can tell Father GreVy that he too is a murderer." The executioner at these words sprang towards the condemned man and placed him on the guillotine, which quickly operated. When the magistrates entered Frey's room, five minutes after their visit to Riviere, they found him sound asleep. The prison keeper woke him. He got oufc of bod and dressed himself quietly, while listening to what waa said to him. The Abbe Faure, who had been well received by him. exhorted him to die as a Christian. He pushed back the Abbe with a coarße gesture, saying, Chaplain, leave me in peace. Do not speak to me of your Bon Dieu. I have no need of Frey followed Riviere to the scaffold, at a distance of about 20ft. behind. When Riviere wa9 placed on fcbo guillotine the Abbe* Faure threw himself before Frey to hide the scene, but the latter pushed him away with a rapid gesture of hia two bound hands. He said, " Out of the way, Abbd ; there is no need for you here." He looked quietly on. While he was being placed on the plank he cried out in a loud voice, " Good day to all." The knife fell, and the head and body rolled into the baskets which had receivod those of the other murderer. The double execution occupied five minutes.