Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-08-27

'Suerite fcter ordered tne prayers to recOrn-
mcnce, to prevent as she said, q Satan getting
continued without interruption till about seven
o'clock on Saturday morning.
AT 10 o'clock the same day, a great number
OF persons, many of whom had been specially
sent for by Marguerite had assembled in the
house. Marguerite made them ascend into one
OF the upper rooms, and there declared to them
in prophetic tone, that q the day was at hand
when blood should be shed for the salvation of
a multitude of souls, and that there. was not a
moment to be lost if they wished to snatch the
victory from Satan" seen added she. &c the
ghost of my grandmother, who reveals TO me that
II, order to save the souls of my father and bro
Their, 1t is necessary that one of us should Law
down his life. myself am ready to give mine
In order to redeem with my blood the souls of
several millions of The living and the dead"
She concluded by ordering those present to
strike their breasts with their hands, which they
accordingly did. After this exordin,n she seiz-
cd an iron mallet and inflicted several blows
with il upon her brothers, Ursula Kundig and
John -Moser. Their blood soon flowed in album
dance, and the life of her brother had nearly
paid the forfeit Of the holy vigour with which
she applied the rnalltt. He was hurried away
from her dcvout fury in the arms of a female
servant named Marguerite Jaeggli. Elzabetli
Peter then offered herself as the first victim.
upon which her sister Marguerite, and her
friend Ursula kundig fell to striking her upon
the head until she expired under their blows.
Her sister Susanna and Henry Ernst helped on
the work of blood also with the handle of larpe
scissors and piece of timber torn from the par
tition, Marguerite then declared to those pre
sent, that her sister though apparently dead. ,rns
atve in the spirit, andte Lord ,could not fill 10
recall her TO Visible life. Then announcing her
own resurrection as an approaching event, she
commenced preparations for her own suffering
1t may be asked what was Peter, the father of
the family doing during these hideous scenes ?
Ite was IN room below stairs, very calmly &C.
cupied with his domestic affairs. He saw with
the utmost indifference his son brought down
bathed in blood, and in apparently diving state.
and he awaited with great calnness the dread
ful catastrophe preparing above stairs, SO com
petciy had a stupid fanaticism stifled in his
heart natural sentiment. In the meantime
Marguerite seated herself upon the bed on which
was the still palpitating body of her sister, and
commenced striking herself on the head with
the iron mallet, but not satisfied with her own
sclfexecution, she commands Ursula Kundie to
take the fatal instrument and. try her hand
This did not even content her, for she exclaimed
that as she was the expiatory victim offered by
Christ to his Father for the ransom of several
millions OF souls, 1t was necessary that she should
not only die, but die the death of the cross. At
these words Ursula and the others present shud
dered; but she became indignant at their weak
ness, and said to her frend-es What, Won do no,
wish to do any thing for Christ? take courage.
strike; may God strengthen your arm ~
At this command Ursula reioubled herblo,ys.
and the blood which soon followed in album
dance, was received in buclset.-This was
termed the precious pledge of the redemption
OF man. Marguerite then called for razor
and told Ursula to scar her with il round the
neck, and make a crucial incision on her fore
hoo Tt,a Lei e
fused the horrible office; but Marguerite a.
reused her courage by saying, " May God
strengthen your arm---now is the moment of
victory, the souls are ransomed, Saten IS van
pushed. see him plnnging into darkness
During the operation, she gave no signs of pain,
nor uttered the slightest complaint, unless "a
gainst the resolution of her executioncer. But
all was not yet accomplished. She said that
she must be crucifed. g Whatfear YOU ~ said
she to those around her on seeing them hesitate.
Is My hour is come; going to resuscitate
my sister, and my self shall come to life in three
days." She then had some pieces of timber
placed upon the bed in forms of cross Upon
these she laid herself and at her request John
MOser, Susannah Peter, and Ursula Kundir
commenced mailing her to the cross. Follow
ing her reiterated orders, they drove nails into
her hands and feet, and into the articulation of
her elbows. and through her breast. Margue-
rite, in the midst of these hellish operations ne
yer uttered the slightest complaint. She only
found fault with the want of vigour of her exc
cutioneer. From time to time she exclaimed.
81 leef no pain-be strong, in order that Jesus
Christ may conquer"
Thus fixed upon the cross, and so trans.
pierced with nails that her body was but one
wound, she cried with loud vove, ssReioce
you with me! that God may rejoice with you in
heaven !" and at another moment, g As the wo-
man in labour cannot retard the hour of her
deliverance, so must my death warrant be ac-
complished, in order that the souls vet in the
power of Satan may be savcd.n To Conrad
Moser, who endeavonred repeatedly to persuade
her to put an end to her sufferings, she ONLY re-
Piled Do whatI command your The cru
ciiiXion being completed Marguerite told them
to drive nail into her heart, orto splitter head
Ursula Kundig, who obcyed the most implicitly
to the wishes of her friends, endeavoured to
pierce her skull with knife, but the knife turn
ing, she cried out in kind of frantic transport
and looked at those near her with wild and
hagard air, ''What! must do every thing my
self will no one come to my aid2n Upon hear
ing this apostropbc, and after fresh order from
Marguerite, the youngest of the Mosers seized
an iron malet, and aided by Ursula Kundig
soon broke to pieces the skull of the victim. A
low moan announced to them the horried min
istry was at an end, the unfortunate wretch had
ceased to breathe. When the slaughter was o.
yer, & the helish excitation of tie preparation
lad subsidized a little, some feeling of horror
came over them. At the sight Of the mutilated
bodies they shed tears in abundance, and G.
vinced, if not renorse, at least inquietude.