Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-03-24
woman,s Fidelity unto Death,

Among those who were accused as
accomplices in the assassination Of the
Emperor Albert by John Of Swabia.
was the Baron Wonder Wart, though
according to the unanimous testimony
of early and late historians, he had not
taken any part in the deed itself. He
was bound to the wheel alive. His
wife Gertrude, did not forsake her I'M
happy husband even in his last mo-
ments, and she describes those dread
ful hours in the following letter to
Margarethe Freinstein, which is insert
ed in book published at Harlem in
1918, under the following title:-Ger-
trude Wonder Wart, or Fidelity unto
Death, true history Of the llth cen-
fury, by J. c. Appenseller."
81 prayed under the scaffold on
which my husband was fastened alive
upon the wheel, and exhorted him to
fortitude. then arose, and with thick
pieces of wood built myself a kind Of
steps, by means of which could mount
ito the wheel, laid myself upos his
trembling limbs and head, and stroked
the hair from his face, which the wind
had blown over t. l beseech you,
leave me! Oh, ! beseech you! he ex-
claimed continually. When the day
breaks, if you should be found here,
what would be your fate? Oh God; is
it possible that thou canst still increase
my sufferings?
I will die with you, IT'S for that l
came, and no power shall now force
me from you, said I, spread out my
arms over him and implored God for
my Radolph's death.
The day broke slowly, when / saw
many people in motion opposite us; !
replaced the thick pieces OF wood where
| had found them. 1t was the guard
who had fed on my appearance, but
had remained near the spot and as it
appeared, caused report to be made
of what had passed; for at break of day,
all the people, men, women and child
rem, came fiocking out of the town,
Among these people l recognized
the jailor, who had given me up the
preceding evening TO Won Lendenberg.
The report must also have reached him
that had been with my husband, for
he approached me, shaking his head,
and said woman? this was not the
intention when Landcnberg fetched
you yesterday
AS more people approached, saw
several of my acquaintance: among
these was the wife Of the bailff, Hugo
Won Winterthur. | saluted her, and
begged her Intervention with her hus-
band, that he might order the execu-
ticner to put an end to my husbands
cruel suferings.
He dare not do any thing for me,
sighed Wart upon the wheel, again
moving his head at this moment, and
looking down upon me with his swol-
len eyes, he dare not do any thing; the
queen pronounced the sentence, and the
banif must therefore obey; otherwise
| had we'll deserved of him to do me
this last service.
Some person brought me bread and
confectionery, and offered me wine to
refresh ME, but l could take nothing
for the tears that were shed, and pity
that animated every heart, and was
kindly expressed, was to me the most
agreeable refreshment. AS it grew
lighter the number Of people increased;
| recognized also the sheriff Steiner
Won Plungen, with his two sons, also
a Madame Won Neftembench, who
was praying for us.
The executioner came also: then
Lampuch the confessor; the first said
with sigh, God have compassion on
this unhappy man, and comfort his
soul! the latter asked Rudolph if he
would not yet confess. Wart with a
dreadful exertion of all his strength,
repeated the same word that he had
called out to the queen before the tri-
bunal at Brugh. The priest was 81.
lent.
All at once l heard cry Of "Make
way" and troop Of horsemen app
peared with their vizors down.
The executioner kneeled, the con-
fessor laid his hand upon his breast,
the horsemen halted. Fathers and
mothers held up their children in their
arms, and the guard with their lances
formed circle, while the tallest ofthe
knights raised himself in his stirrups,
and said to the cxecutioner, whittier
are the crows flown that he still keeps
his eyes? and this was the Duke Loop
ard.