One hundred years ago
RAVACHOL THE ANARCHIST, for whose murders as Anarchist the terri- fied Parisian jury found 'extenuating cir- cumstances,' was on Wednesday found guilty of a private murder at Montbri- son, the victim being a 'hermit,' and the motive the theft of his large hoard of £600. He was found guilty, and sen- tenced to death. He was not allowed to read his defence, but it has been pub- lished, and reads in the Times' transla- tion like a travesty of Anarchism. The writer declares that under the present organisation of society, men wish ill to each other; that productions are abun- dant, yet some men starve; that working is no protection; that he himself 'pre- ferred to be coiner, thief, and murder- er;' that 'the distressed should take what there is, and, no matter by what means, satisfy themselves;' and that a man ought not to be 'suppressed' who 'prefers to take by violence what can ensure him comfort, even at the risk of death.' People say it is cruel to murder; but 'the murderer takes his resolve only to avoid death for himself,' and the jury is going to put to death for the same reason. The paper, in fact, is a defence of violent crime as necessary to the safe- ty of any individual who is not well off, and while defending Socialism, is really a degraded plea for the divine right of utter selfishness. Anything is lawful so. that I may not suffer.
The Spectator 25 June 1892
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