The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-09-13
Assa.sination Of Kotzebue.

The following is from London pa
per May 10, 1920, will be long memo
rable in German history Augustus
Kotzebue, after the war of 1873, was ac
cused, as a hireling partizan, of devotinQ
his literary abilities to the subversion Of
the liberties Of Germany in favor of Rus
sia and, like most persons perverted &c
wrong, he, notwithstanding frequent
warnings, lersistc2 and accordingly
/ having become obnoxious to many Of tho
secret associations then prevalent, was in
most of them denounced. In one. that
had the appcllation of the Tugensbund
or Coalition of Virtue, his death, in 1877
was determined, yet some time elapsed
before the casting of lots wa. effected as
to whose hand the preparation Of the
deed should be committed. The chance
fell to Charles Frederick Sand, young
man then about twenty.four years { + age,
of an ardent temperament, and anxious
to ayenge his country Of one whose prin-
oiples had excited so much hatred.
Sand set out from Jena on March Q,
1919. and on the 23d arrived at Man.
helm, where at an inn he conversod with
country curatc, till about ) o'clock, at
which hour, having resolved to perform
his mission lie parted from the divine,
and presented himself at Kotzcbuc's
door. lie was admitted by servant
who conducted him to an apartment, with
the assurance that his master would
shortly make his appearance. Kotzcbue.
on entering the room, was by Sand
stabbed repeatedly, and lie fell a corpse
4 crowd was almost Immediately col
lected, and Sand quietly passed into the
street, knccled down and, in an euergot-
ic tone, exclaimed, :" 1t is | who am the
murderer May all traitors thus per-
ish !" Then. with upliftcd eyes, with
much feryency, continued, II thank thee
o God for thy assistance in this work."
Having thus nvowed himself the mur-
deror of Kotzebue, he barred his breast,
and with the same weapon, inflicted a SO.
we're stab. In his hand was a paper.con-
tanning these words Sentence of death
against Kotzebue, executed 23d March.
1919 y and in his bosom was sccreted
riband, with an inscription purporting
that Kotzcbuo had been condemned to
death two years before Sand survived,
but. as usual, his trial was delayed more
than twelve months, when, at length sen.
tencc of death was passed on hin, and His
execution fixed at eight o'clock, on the
morning Of May 10, 1920 The author
tiles seemed to have been apprised that
a rescue would be attempted, and that
many Of his friends would then arrive
at Mannheim. At six o'clock, when all
was mourufully silent Sand was led forth
to execution. He seemed calm and col
lccted, his countenauco void of fear he
appeared composed in mind and wholly
resigned to his fate lie held rose
that he frequently raised, aud seemingly
enjoyed its refreshing fragrance. The
execution was hasteued, and at the mo.
ment the executionor held forth the sew
cred head of Sand, his friends poured in
from Heidelberg and rushing to the
scshrold, it was soon n their possession.
Exasperated at his death, and eager to
secure some relic of the martyrs they tore
off his clothes in fragments. cut the hair
from his head, dipped their kcrchiefs in
his blood, and evinced every possible
demonstration Of their regrct and sor-
row at his fate. TO this day, these rel
les are preserved with religious senera.
tion, and the name Of Sand, the ayenger
OF his country's wrongs, in the person of
the Russian traitor Koizebue, but slum
bers, to awaken troughou, Germany a
direful vengeance on their oppressors.