A Murderer on Board Wages.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 368, 15 May 1889, Page 3

A Murderer on Board Wages.

JYI. ijk AIAUUA'jSAM'Vnew book is a pleasant I rambling description of a cruise along the Riviera. ' Ifc concludes with an amusing stoi'y of ; the- principality of Monaco. According to M. de Maupassaat, the ' great pacific monarch '- of the little promonloiy ' reigning peacefully over his happy little flock of subject?,' had once a criminal — a ' murderer —^ within -his gates. Justice was called for. He was unanimously condemned to death. But then arose a difficulty. The country possessed neither guillotine nor executioner. The Prince tried to borrow one from Paris. Paris sent a.n estimate of 16,000 francs for the loan of the woodwork and practitioner. The monarch of Monaco 'reflected that the operation would cost him dear : the assassin was certainly not worth Ithat price. Sixteen thousand francs for the head of a wretch like that ! Never ! But the Italian Government also sent in an estimate, amounting to no less than 12,000 francs. It wuuld be' necessary to impose a new tax — a tax'of two franca a head. The Supreme' Court 'deliberated long. At last they determined to commute the sonbenco of death to that of life-long imprisonment. But they did not possess a prison. It was necessary to fit one, up, and a jaoler was appointed who book charge oi the prisoner. For six months all went well. . The captive was comfortable enough. T ho Prince, however, is economical, and when they handed him the, bill of the expenses incurred in the creation of this new function, the cost of the prison, the prisoner, and the watchman, he made a wry face, and reflecting that this might go on for ever (the prisoner was young) he requested his Minister of Justice to take measures to suppress the expense. The gab'er wars discharged. The prisoner, thus invited to guard himself,, could nob fail to escape, which would solve the question td the satisfaction of all parties It, became the duty of a palace scullion to carry him his meals, bub the captive made no attempt to recover his liberty. Finally, one day, as they, had neglected to furnish him with food, tbey beheld him tranquilly appear at the palace to^claim it ; and 'from that time he saved the cook the trouble of the walk to and fro. He never slept away a single night: -f-The situation became a little puzzling — dot for, the convict, bi,ib for ,the judges/ The court, reassembled, andy invited "the criminal to leave the State of Monaco. He refused. He said: -'Jam yQur prisoner, judged and condemned by you. lam faithfully fulfilling my sentence. I remain here.' The Supreme Court was floored. The Prince was iff a terrible rage, and deliberations were^ resumed. They then decided to oifer fche culprit a pension of six hundred francs if he would leave the State and live elsewhere.' Ho accepted. .He h»s rented a little plot five minutes' walk from the kinsrdom. of his former Sovereign, and lives happily upon his property, despising all "potentates—as well he I may*,