All efforts to induce him to rise were fruit
less and he giovelled on the flagstones, beg
ging most piteously for his life. To a per
son of any sensibility the scene was one of
the deepest horror, bur. the crowd of roughs
and abandoned women took the keenest, de
light in witnessing the abject fear and lis
tening to the frantic appeals of the mur
derer. It, became necessary for the execu
tioner’s assistants to lift Crampton to his
feet, but even then he hung limp in their
arras, and they were compelled to carry him
to the guillotine. While some of the assist
ants supported him others quickly bound
him and threw him against the bascule.
Even then he did not cease his struggles.
His contortions were terrible but they did
not Inst long.
The bascule was dropped into place and
the assistants shoved it forward until
Crampton’s neck rested in the lunette.
Then “Mouseur de Paris,” attired, as us
ual, in a conventional frock coat, and silk
hat, touched the spring holding the knife.
Silently and like :i streak of light the blade
f.'D and Crampton’s head dropped into the
open basket awaiting it.
The execution was the most horrible one
that has been witnessed in Paris in many
years. The crowd, highly pleased with the
entertainment the state had afforded them,
dispersed, laughing and joking with each
oilier.
