Could justice be more gentle?
Within the last few years, however, a very serious and novel case occurred within the kingdom.
This was an assassination.
A man, a native of Monaco, not one of the wandering strangers of whom one meets legions on these shores—a husband, in a moment of anger, killed his wife; killed her without rhyme or reason, without any excuse that could be accepted.
Indignation was unanimous throughout the principality.
The Supreme Court met to judge this exceptional case (a murder had never taken place before), and the wretch was with one voice, condemned to death.
The indignant sovereign ratified the sentence.
There only remained to execute the criminal. Then arose a difficulty. The country possessed neither guillotine nor executioner.
What was to be done? By the advice of the minister of Foreign affairs, the Prince opened negotiations with France to obtain the loan of a headsman and his apparatus.
Long deliberations took place in the ministry at Paris. At last they replied by sending an estimate of the cost of moving the woodwork and the practitioner. The whole amounted to sixteen thousand francs (six hundred and forty pounds).