The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-19
THE LAST VICTIM or THE GAUNTLET

realms Of the whole Austrian empire that terrible chas
tisement-running the gauntlet. Terrible 4 was, m
deed "a cruel and barbaroas remnant Of those dark
and dismal times called the middle ages witness
cd the last execution of this kind and record II for the
benefit of those who still cling with strange ionaheas
even 10 the worst lcgaces OF by-gone centuries
On autumn morning, in the year 1901, the garrison
of the fortress of 1horesenstadt ON the Eyer river In
Bohemia formed in large square on the spacious
place before the residence OF the commandment In the
middle of the square, drawn up IN ME- stood company
of n ride battalion 10 which the delinquent belonged
It was unarmed each private there three hundred
being provided with switch, and placed at small dis
tance from his next man AT the tenth stroke of the
clock the drums beaten and amidst silence desp
and oppressive the prisoner marched into the square
lie as fine looking man as ever have set eyes
on-tall, powerful, and well formed. His handsome
features TO which black moustache gave bold and
martial expression, shone forth in the full glow and
vigor of manhood, only they of deadly paeness
He was non-commissioned officer, and during the
last campaign in Italy in 1919, he had distinguished
himself in such that his superior officers had
recommended him for promotion Austria is more gen
than England towards those that shed their blood
in her service and he would have been made commits
stoned officer long sncein spite OF his humble origin
and his poyertyif it had not been for fatal imped
nent. This impediment his passionate tenn
per he very cholerc man harsh and brutal to-
wards his Interiors, morose and stubborn towards his
superio whenever they deemed it necessary TO check
rebuke him. He was hated by the men to the utmost
There ont private in the whole battalion that had
not vowed him revenge He had never made one friend
did he TO have Strict in the performances
Of his military servicethe most minor duties Of which
lie discharged with the utmost exactness-he went his
own way proud, reserved, solitary. lnnumerable were
the punshmcnts which he had brought upon the
for however slight tho offence might be- he not
to pass it over in silence.
His superior officers respected him for his usefulness
his ability and his exacttude but they did not like him
The evident lack of humanity in the man made him
object of doubt rather than of love. Moreover there
was vague rumor about his having struck at his
i'm midst NELL caused by hand
to hand encounter with the enemy. The report
took clear shape, the officer having been killed in the
engagement, and the gossppngs of few wounded sol
ders having been much too ncoherent and contradictory
to lead to formal investigation of the matter besides
il was at the victory of Novarra He had greatly distin
guished himself and old Field Marshal Radez1y had,
with his hands affixed the golden medal on his
breast The rumor, however, together with the know
ledge of his harsh and violent temper caused his name
to be erased from the list of those that recommend
ed for higher promotion.
When this incident was made known to him, he be-
came even more suen rigid, more cruel than ever;
but always as it we'll understood for the beaet of
the service the slightest demands of which he performed
with the immutabe strcness as he enforced them
to be done by Others.
A few weeks previous TO the dreadful punishment
which he had now to undergo he mounting guard
in the outwors with twenty or twenty-five men OF
his own company 1t was chilly, rainy night; and
when the sentres relieved they glad to stretch
themselves-wet they were-upon the floor near the
large stove in the middle of the guardroom The floor
not being yery clean floors seldom are in these local.
ties and the white uniforms of the being wet it
was no wonder that the dirt adhered to them with te
nacty that defed all exertons get IL off, when the
were reused by this SERGEANT prepare for stand
ing guard The more they tried to rub their
clothes clean the surily he lent helping hand to
their endeavor by application of the sad equipment
of every Austrian commissioned olicer-the stick.
Whilst he was fully at work. cutting away at the
with powerful ARM the door opened, and the officer
duty entered the guard room.
siAttention r. commanded the SERGEANT and, sauting
his superior made tho usual report that nothing worth
remarkng had happened. The officer, young ensign,
fresh from the military school, and almost boy took
notice whatever of this important news but asked the
sergeant in a brisk and somewhat impetuous manner,
.'What he was again striking the for ~
The sergeant already much annoyed at this intcrfer-
ence gave sury and unwilling answer; and, when the
young officer rebukcd him, in severe and perhaps
somewhat naughty manner, the violent and passionate
man losing all sefcontrol lifted up his hand against his
officer ~ .sS5
1t was but one fatal moment quick lightning The
uplited hand never descended it caught by dozen
powerful arms. He was fclled to the ground and dis
armed Half an hour afterwards he found himself in
irons ia the casemates.
Lifting the arm against superior is considered CAPT
tai crime In this case it had been committed whilst
both parties we're on duty the Austrian military laws
are the very last in the world to be trded with The
following day he tried by courtmartial, and SEN
fenced to be shot When the sentence forwarded to
tho competent authority for ratification it happened to be
the superors anniversary day capital punishment was
commuted the criminal had TO run the gauntlet
manned cold and impossible not muscle of his proud
f,oa - Ia he locked IL in