TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF TRAUPMANN.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 68, 28 March 1870, Page 3

TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF TRAUPMANN.

We take up the thread of this hisfcoiy from the point where it closed in our last. After the verdict of guilty had been returned, Traupmann, when asked in the commoa form whether he had anything to say against the application of the law, replied "No:hing. President Thevenin then passed upm him sentence of death. A loud cry of applause arose from the audience, which had waited patiently to the unusually late hour to know the result. All M. LiCbaitd's eloquer.ee and Traupmann's youthful appearance fiiled to palliate public indignation at the bloody drama of Pantin, and to efface from public memory the terrible photographs of t!te good Madame Kinck lying in death with hur murdered children. Traupmann left the dock smiling and bowing to the croud which hooted him, and on passing from the court ifter his condemnation, remained silent on his way back to the Conciergerie. On the two previous days he had assumed an air cf gaiety, and had at once asked for his dinner. His attitude on December 30 was quite different, and on seeing M. Claude, with several other officers of police, lie could not subdue a certain emotion. The warders immediately seized on him, stripped him completely, and and dressed him in tha prison shirt, trousers, and straight waist-coat. During the first part of that operation Traupmann did not pronounce a word; but his features became contracted at moments, while he grew paler than before. But when this last garment was being buckled, he beggod that it might not be fastened too tight, and then remarked, "What a piece of nonsense you are doing now." When he was secured he was asked whether he would take any food, for he had not eaten since eight in the morning, when a cup of chocolate had been brought him. He merely asked for something to drink, aud a bowl of wine having been offered to him, he drank about as much as would be contained in a glass. He thanked the warder who had brought it, and then threw himself on his bed and turned with his face to the wall. M. Claude then withdrew, followed by the two police agents who had been with Traupmann since the morning, and who were replaced by two others. It is not a little strange that what is considered to be Traupmann's assumed insanity should have led to absolute insanity on the part of some of his admirers. Several outrages o n common decency are recorded as follows:—" Bets of 25 and 50 francs have been offered on the Paris Bourse that Traupmann would not be executed. Then a certain M. Gagne offered himself to be guillotined in his place." Then a well-dressed woman called at the police office of the Palace of Justice, and expressed a wish to see M. Berillon, the Commissary. On learning that the magistrate was absent she burst into tears, i and affirmed that she was an accomplice of Traupmann. The secretary, seeing that she was deranged in her mind, sent her to the depot of the-Prefecture of Police, whence she will be taken to an asylum unless claimed by her family.—A clerk, named Libaude, lately caused some scandal in Paris by accusing himself of imaginary crimes. Taken to the Palais de Justice, he persisted in a declaration that he had aided Traupmann in the perpetrations of his horrible crimes, and it was not until he was put in prison at Mazas that he was discovered to be mad. He is now in a lunatic asylum. The papers say this is the eleventh person who has become deranged in consequence of the Pantin murder3.—Traupmann appealed to the Court of Cassation against the verdict which condemmed him to death. When M. Lachaud visited him the warders withdrew, leaving the defender and the condemned alone. " Unfortunate man !" said the advocate to Traupmann, who had bowed low on his entering, " courage and resignation!" " Sir," said the prisoner, " I have been so anxious to thank you for your efforts, your extraordinary exertions to save my life ! That result seems to have been impossible. Never mind, but I have no more than a few hours to live, I am very grateful to you ; and if I had an eternity before me I should retain that gratitude to the end." " Come," said the other, " calm yourself." " Yes, M. Lachaud, what I feel for you is from the bottom of my heart! " " Well, Traupmann, you must appeal." "Sir, I am willing, if by so doing there is any chance of my accomplices being sought for ; but if that hope is in vain, I do not desire toliveany longer.'' "Who knows?" "Well, then, I will sign. But I amtoldthat the Court of Cassation is very slow j strive to urge it on ; I have had enough of agitation, too much ;I; Ido not want any more, unless my accomplices are sought out." At that moment M. Grobon, the director of the prison, appeared, accompanied by his registrar. He was provided with all the papers necessary for the appeal. Traupmann looked at M. Lachaud, and, after reading the formula, affixed his uame. Only, in order to enable him to do so, his movements had to be left free. A warder unbuckled the straitwaistcoat, and Traupmann wrote rapidly. It was at once replaced as before, but the operation of fastening it was somewhat long, and while the process was going on ho said to M. Lauehaud, " Sir, again and again I thank you," and made a low bow. " Adieu!" said the avocat' "au revoir ! If you want me let me know and I will come." " Thank you,' said Traupmann, and the interview terminated

Traupmann also received a visit from M. Bozerian, who defended his appe 1 before the Court of Cassation. The counsel put some questions about the alleged accomplices, and the prisoner maintained that he had had some, and tbat if people would take the trouble to discover the pocket-book which he s dd was in existence, they would find in it not only their names, but tbe reasons which compelled him to keep silence. M. Bozerain urged him to name them under any circumstances, but Traupmann replied in the calmest manlier, "rather than denounce them directly I j/refer to lose my head." Traupmann's memorial of the evidence given against him waffj deposited at the proper offico in Paris. The document was accompanied by a statement of the grounds upon which he proposed to quash the verdict.

Traupmann's appeal to the Court of Cassation having been rejected, the last acl of this unprecedented tragedy has been played out. At 9 o'clock a.m., tho assassin was guillotined. The morning was dark, and although the gas

iamps had not then been extinguished, the. guillotine was only just distinguishable by the spectators. He walked up the steps of the scaffold quickly and in an agitated manner. The figures on the platform looked the merest Shadows. No expressions of feeling escaped from the crowd, which was considerably under 10,000. Perfect order prevailed. Many respectable women were present. Just before his execution Traupmann wrote letters to two photographers who were desirous ,to take his portrait. In one of them be said: —" As I desire to be agreeable to my family, I now propose to you to purchase from me the right of reproducing my likeness, but I tell you beforehand that I cannot make the bargain under 2,000f." Traupmann's family having claimed his body, which had been buried at Ivry after the execution, it was exhumed and handed over to them after the necessary formalities had been complied with.