“Death Dinner”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 152, 17 September 1927, Page 12

“Death Dinner”

MEN OF THE TOAST TO SWIFT JUSTICE in red wine at P'rance's % “death dinner” held Then were seven at h P L? p -r" Anatele neibler. official .“**• *iic :.s host. It was his .semi-an* CUUo!lf ' to the men whc. help him oo ' ll Ie »r guillotine, the machine inh.^/ii 11 the French Revolution the heads of those condemned ,„ OPs <* by the French courts. 1 to Qe *U The executioner and his __ gathered in a private which none but the proprietor? ' the identity, for fear and supe.Jw* makes executioners men apart—.a- 10 ' 1 pariahs—in France. Deibler kw** all his organisation wears h , ' Ol name with pride on all occasion,? 1 inherited his job from his father took over the headman’s job from infamous “Samson” twe generations Deibler’s men travel under assJL’L names and show themselves at mV only, for their families fear that tvwould be shunned in public if twl occupations were knoivn. -eir

Deibler’s dinner this summer v somewhat sad. He discussed w ! bis men his efforts to get them pay—for the executioner received om--I,ooo’ francs a month (about £8), wVh a bonus for every execution. ’ work has been lighter since the wadays, as the courts have l> en n>or» lenient and executions are rare.

Deibler recent ly presented hn troubles to Premier Poincare, vk, arranged to increase the a lovranc slightly, but since then there has be?a. further slump in the execution business.