• HOME
  • Media
  • About Michael
  • The Books
  • What People are Saying
  • News & Events
  • Contact
2014
03.28

Funeral is Held for Namesake of Infamous Execution Machine – 1814

Category: This date in criminal history / Tag: Execution devices, French Revolution, funeral is held for Jospeh Ignance Guillotin 1814, Guillotin, Jospeh Ignance Guillotin, what happened on this date in crime history / Add Comment

On March 28, 1814, the funeral of Joseph Ignance Guillotin, the namesake but not the inventor of the infamous execution device, takes place outside of Paris, France. Guillotin, a member of the General Assembly had what he felt were the purest motives for proposing the use of the device. The machine was intended to show the intellectual and social progress of the French Revolution; by killing aristocrats and journeymen the same way, equality in death was ensured. The first use of the guillotine was on April 25 1792, when Nicolas Pelletier was put to death for armed robbery and assault in Place de Greve. The newspapers reported that guillotine was not an immediate sensation. The crowds seemed to miss the gallows at first. However, it quickly caught on with the public and many thought it brought dignity back to the executioner. However, the prestige of the guillotine fell precipitously due to its frequent use in the French Terror following the Revolution. It became the focal point of the awful political executions and was so closely identified with the terrible abuses of the time that it was perceived as partially responsible for the excesses itself. The association with the guillotine so embarrassed Dr. Guillotin’s family that they petitioned the French government to rename it; when the government refused, they instead changed their own family name. By coincidence, a person named Guillotin was indeed executed by the guillotine, he was J.M.V. Guillotin, a doctor of Lyons. This coincidence may have contributed to erroneous statements that Guillotin was put to death on the machine that bears his name; however, in reality, Guillotin died in Paris on March 26, 1815 of natural causes, and was buried at Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Still, it was used sporadically in France into the 20th century.

Michael Thomas Barry is a columnist for www.crimemagazine.com and is the author of numerous books that include the award winning, Murder & Mayhem 52 Crimes that Shocked Early California, 1849-1949 (2012, Schiffer Publishing). The WINNER of the 2012 International Book Awards and a FINALIST in the 2012 Indie Excellence Book Awards for True Crime.

Comments are closed.

  • California's Deadly Women

    Murder and Mayhem in the Golden State 1850–1950


      Buy from Amazon
      Buy from Schiffer

      • California Crime

        In the Company of Evil Thirty Years of California Crime, 1950-1980


          Buy from Amazon
          Buy from Schiffer

        • America's Literary Legends

          America's Literary Legends: The Lives & Burial Places of 50 Great Writers


            Buy from Amazon
            Buy from Schiffer

          • Short Story

            Once in a Blue Moon

              Buy from Amazon

            • Literary Legends

              The Lives & Burial Places of 50 Great Writers

                Buy from Amazon
                Buy from Barnes and Noble
                Buy from Schiffer

            • Great Britain's Royal Tombs

              A Guide to the Lives and Burial Places of British Monarchs

                Buy from Amazon
                Buy from Barnes and Noble
                Buy from Schiffer

            • Murder and Mayhem

              52 Crimes that Shocked Early Califonia

                Buy from Amazon
                Buy from Barnes and Noble
                Buy from Schiffer

            • Fade to Black

                 

                Buy from Amazon
                Buy from Barnes and Noble
                Buy from Schiffer Books

            • Final Resting Places


                 

                Buy from Amazon
                Buy from Barnes and Noble
                Buy from Schiffer Books

            • Reviews and Testimonials

              "This is an enjoyable read offering more then the interesting anecdotes and history so well described by Michael Barry, but an opportunity for loyal fans to pay their respects to those they love and admire. Thank you Michael for your gift and I hope others enjoy it as much as I have."

              -Celeste Holm, winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1948

              Read More

            • Newsletter Sign-Up

              Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates and information about upcoming events.

MichaelThomasBarry ©2009. All rights reserved.                                                                                      Created by SmartAuthorSites.com ... Websites for Authors