(Report by Cambon, Frimaire 6, year II.) "Citoyenne (madame) Deguerrois, having come to procure the release of her husband, a public functionary demanded of her ten thousand livres, which he reduced to six thousand for doing what she desired."-- "One document attests that Massey paid two thousand livres, and widow Delaporte six hundred livres, to get out of prison."] [Footnote 33119: Mallet-Dupan, "First letter to a Genoa merchant," (March I, 1796), pp.33-35.

"One of the wonders of the reign of Terror is the slight attention given to the trafficking in life and death, characteristic of terrorism....

We scarcely find a word on the countless bargains through which 'suspect' citizens bought themselves out of captivity, and imprisoned citizens bought off the guillotine.

...
Dungeons and executions were as much matters of trade as the purchase of cattle at a fair." This traffic "was carried on in all the towns, bourgs and departments surrendered to the Convention and Revolutionary Committees."....

"It has been established since the 10th of August." "I will only cite among a multitude of instances the unfortunate Duc du Chatelet: never did anybody pay more for his execution!"-- Wallon, "Histoire du Tribunal Revolutionnaire de Paris," VI., 88.