THE GUILLOTINE IN AMERICA. A Criminal Ready for the Axe, but the Machine Not Yet Ready.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 194, 12 March 1887, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE GUILLOTINE IN AMERICA. A Criminal Ready for the Axe, but the Machine Not Yet Ready.

New York, Dec— "Could you make a guillotine ftxe if I shouid furnish drawings and dimensions ?" This singular question was addressed by <\ gentleman, ovidentiy French, to the manager of one of the cutlery concerns in New York, and was accidentally heard by a reporter who happened to be in the store The manager replied that the company would undertake to supply anything in the edge-tool line, from a surgeon's lancet to a double-headed sword or a medieval battle-ax. The gentleman nude inquiries about the cost, the time required for tilling an order, etc., and said that he might order an axe within a short time if he should receive final instructions from his principals. The remarkable character of the inquiries induced the reporter to inquire for what purpose so ghastly an instrument as a guillotine could ba wanted in this country. The gentleman replied : " I have no objection to telling you all about it, as it is a matter of public bueiness, «nd my part in it is merely that of an agent, acting to accommodate certain officials in a iriendly way, I would prefer not to have my namo appear. I have been requested to make these inquiries by the officials of Sir,' Pierre. St. Pierre, sometimes called St. Peter, is the capital of the French colony of St. Pierre at Miquelon, the only possession in North America remaining to France. The colony consists of the ialauds of St. Pierre, Langley, Miquelon and Isle au Chiens, off the southern coast of Newfoundland. It is a small but very importaut colony in a commercial sense, Almost the sole occupation of the population of 6,000 people is catching and curing fish. In the fishing season the population of the colony is greatly augmented by the presence of the fishing fleet from France, and millions of dollars' worth of codfish, mackerel, and other varieties are cured and exported. The town of Sr. Pierre has a permanent population of about 3,000, mostly [ French, ot couise, although all the maritime nations are represented. The colony has its peculiar local customs and regulations, but is governed by the lav/a of France in all important matters. The people of St. Pierre ex> Miquelon have been in I much agitation for the pa*t five months over the 'cause celebre' of Carlos Zazuarj regui, condemned to death for aeaassiuation. It is the only ca9e of the kind within the memory of the oldest fisherman of Miquelon, and is regarded toy these simple people aB one of the greatest caees in the history of the world, although in all probability it has j uot been heard of south of the St. Lawrencs to any great extent. You have heard of it ? Well, then, you know that, under the French law, the aseassin must be executed by the guillotine. " That is where the hitch comes in. Nobody has been guillotined in this country, and thero is no machinery here The island never had any use for such a contrivance heretofore, and after sentence was pronounced the question of executing it came up It was discovered that under the law nobody but Monsieur de Paris, the public executioner of France, can behead a criminal. Zuzuarregui was sentenced to be executed in September, but Monsieur de Paiie and Mme. La Guillotine could not arrive in time if sent for, and a respite was granted. It was learned that Monsieur and ■ his tools could not leave France, except in a Government Bhip, and that a man-of-war would have to bring him over at an expense to the colony of 30,000 franc 3. It was proposed to appropriate this sum for the purpose, and if all other methods fail the money will be appropriated!, and Monsieur invited to visit the very interesting colony of France. But 30,000 francs is a large price to pay for chopping a man's head off, and the Colonial Court is trying to devise some way of getting around the difficulty. One proposition is that a euillotine be erected at St. Pierre, and eotne resident appointed by the French Government as a deputy of Monsieur de Paris to carry out the sentence. Nobody on the Island can make a proper axe. "I have been requested to ascertain if euch an instrument can be procured here," said the man already quoted. 4I I have been to the Boston Museum to see the guillotine axe that sheared the head of inncc-nt Marie Antointte from her beautiful shoulders. That ghastly historical relic, rusted and stained with some of the best blood of France, is in a glass case at the head of one ot the stairways, and doubtlo? s is paseed unnoticed by many visitors. But there it is, and the sight of it recalls that hideous nightmare of the world, the Reign of Terror. It is a pimple instrument ; merely a sheet of steel about a foot square, or perhaps fourteen inches in horizontal width, fixed in a heavy wooden bar byitsupperhorizoEtaledge. The lower or cutting edge is a straight diagonal, that is, the left eido of the blade, which j elides in a groove of the oppo;it9 upright. The purpose of this form ia to secure a cleaner, neater cut. As the axe descends it shears through the neck of the victim diagonally. The principle is like that of U3ing a knife to cut wood. Frem the edge of the blade along its whole length evenly against a stick and you do not cut much, but draw the whole blade from the heel to the point with a quick motion and you can whittle effectively. That is the reason why the great invention of Dr. Guillotine does its work so beautifully. The axe is the most important part of the machine, and that can be procured ; any good carpenter who has ever seen a pile-driver can make the rest. If M. de Paris will come over to superintend the affair or can appoint a deputy, a machine may be built and I may order the axe, Otherwise Carlos Zuzuarregui may be sent to France" and there beheaded. It is expected that the execution will take place this month or early in January." The celebrated case of the " Isles St. Pierre of Miquelon" is remarkable mainly for the cold-blooded atrocity of the crime. Carlos Zuzuarregui, the assassin, was a Spaniard from the Basque Provinces and an outlaw and refugee from his own country. He appeared at Miquelon in 1873, and worked at the fishery establishment of Mr Calais for some twelve years. He next worked for Pierre Cormier, and soon became insanely jealous of the superior skill of the foreman of the gang, named StanilausCorte. On the day of the murder Corto was at work in an alley, on hi 3 knee?, and the assassin walked up behind him, and, bringing his sharp edged, ' heavy cleaver down with all his might on Cortes neck, caueed the lattcr'a head to roll on the ground. On the 23rd of August last Zuzuarregui ,was convicted of premeditated murder, and sentenced to death by guillotine. The sentence is to be executed probably thin month at St. Pierre, under warrant of M. Henry de Lamobbe, Commandant of the Isles St. Pierre et Miquelon ; or later, in France, by M. de Paris,

Jafeey— "Fader, dare's a fly in der soup." Mr Cohn— '• Veil, eat all but der fly before you f-how it to der waiter ; den you can get some more." .