Horrible Scene at an Execution.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 183, 18 December 1886, Page 13

Horrible Scene at an Execution.

Full particulars have now been received of the double execution of the most painful character which took pl^ce in the little town of St. Denis dv Sig, in Algeria, and of which n telegraphic summary ha& (already been pvYbiishod in this country, m December last six natives broke into the house of M. Bellier, a French baker, at St. Denis dv Sig, and murdered him and his servant A grown up son wa« frightfully mutilated, bui, escaped wifch hia life The lenders of the gang, Milul Ben Lemna and E) Hadji Buazxa were tried in July and subsoquunily sentenced to death. The scene at the execution is thi's described : At 4am the Piocurator, followed by an interpreter and tho prison officials, entered the cells in which tho condemned Araba were asleep El Hadji Buozza was first awakened, and tho death warrant was read out to him. He listened with perfect calmnees, and &aid, "Innocent though I am, I bear no malice against my judges or the French They havre been deceived by Milud,. who has borne false witness against me! I desire to eeo my father and my mother and the Cadi. Give m • water for my ablutions, and leave me by myself to pray." Hore the prisoner Ut a cigarette and ato some meat with apparent relish, after which he conversed with the Cadi. ' Milud Ben Lemna winced under the sentence, and exclaimed, "I and Buazza are both guilty, Let the Cadi come to mo. I will ao on fasting." At half past five the prisoners were pinioned, their hair and beards were cropped clo?e, and their under garments cut away around the neck. During half an hour while these pteparations lasted, they both saug verses of the Koran. When they were escorted to the scaffold betweeu two rows of mounted police, Milud's wife burst into loud sobs, and tore her hair. It was she who informed against her huwband. It was broad daylight when Buzza was beheaded amid the applause of a ferocious rabble, which, according to French custom, had been allowed to see the execution. Then it was Milud's turn, but tho kuife was jammed into the wooden framework, and only mutilated the wretched man's head. Thereupon the executioner took out a handsaw and began to operate upon his neck, but to no purpose. To finish the ghastly work a razor had to be procured. The bodies? were taken to the diescoting room of the hospital.