LANDRU EXECUTED,

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1922, Page 11

LANDRU EXECUTED,

X 6CENE AT VERSAILLES. j EXCLUSION OF CURIOUS. CRIMINAL SILENT TO THE END. No untoward incident marked the execution of Landru at Versailles on the morning of February 28. The man. who had murdered and robbed ten women and a youth went to the supreme chastisement gamely and without a quiver of his bearded lips—without a word of cor r ession. As if to make amends for the disgusting scenes at Landru’s trial, the authorities had taken every precaution to prevent people in search of emotions from witnessing the execution. Elegantly-dressed women had gone to Versailles overnight and had slipped, before the barrage of troops had been completed, into the street where the guillotining in front of the prison was to take place. Some of them took refuse in the only cafe that remained open -for the journalists, who, it has to be stated, did their work thoroughly, writing accounts of the final scene with a wealth of detail, with a pictureque note that would seem strange to English read-

Determined that, though the expiation was public, no one except those on business—that is to say, journalists and officials—should see Dedbler, the executioner, operate, the police made a round during the night and sought the occupants of motor-cars who were in hiding. One was found in a telephonebox, and certain women who had taken

rooms, including one who had come all the way from Nice, interrupting her winter sojourn there, were compelled to rise from their beds, make a hasty toilet, and quit. Even the representatives of newspapers were closely questioned before they obtained their permits enabling them to pass through the barrier of troops. Landru had had a troubled night. The noises from the street had roused him. So he was awake when the magistrates, his counsel, the prison doctor, and a priest entered his cell. It was the representative of the Procureur of the Republic who informed Landru that his petition for clemency had been rejected by the Presidente of the Republic, and, on being told to be courageous, the condemned n a replied that he would show all the courage and calmness necessary.

The priest now stepped forward and asked him if he would hear Mass. *He replied that it was not necessary. “Besides,” he added, “these gentlemen (meaning Deibler and his assistants) are waiting, and I do not want them to wait.” Then a question was put to him which brought back a gleam to his eyes. Had he any revelation to make? “None,” was his laconic reply. His counsel, Maitre de Moro-Giafferi, insisted on asking M. Beguin, Substitute of the Procureur of the Republic, to repeat the question. It was again put. Landru drew himself up and, fixsng his eyes on the official, said: “You have not been presented to me. I do not know who you are. Why do you wish me to reply?” M. Begnin told him that he was the Substitute of the Procureur of the Republic. Whereupon : Landru scathingly retorted: “W i, ■

since you are the Substitute of the Procureur of the Republic, you insult me, for you have already a-sked this question and I have given you an answer.”

Gently pushing the priest away from him, Landru turned to his counsel and thanked them for all that they had done to save him. “I am ready,” he declared. The traditional glass of rum and a cigarette were offered to him, but he declined both, saying that he neither smoked nor drank. The points of his beard were cut, and he was bound. He begged that he should not be strapped too tightly, a request that was heeded. When he was led through the prison door his face was livid. To some of the onlookers he seemed to falter a moment on seeing the ugly instrument of execution. Was he going to speak? But never a word came from him. A few more seconds and it was the eritl of the French Bluebeard. He had torn up several sheets of paper in his cell, and had handed others to liis counsel. His family has claimed his body.