Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-02-04
VOL. XII.
THE LAST VICTIM OF THE

GAUNTLET.
The imperial rescripf. bearing the date oi
the goth of August. 1854, and the signature
Of the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria,
has abolished forever, within the regions OF
the whole Austrian empire, that terrible
chastisement--running the gauntlet Ter
rible it was indeed--a cruel and barbarous
remnant of those dark and dismal times CALI
ed the middle ages. / witnessed the last
execution of this kind, and record il for the
benefit of those who still cling with strange
fondness even to the worst legacies of by
gone centuries.
On an autumn morning, 10 the year 1851,
the garrison of the fortress of Theresie3-
stadt on the Eyer river, in Bohemia, was
formed in a large square on the spacious
place before the residence OF the comman-
dant. In the middle Of the square, drawn
up in file, stood q company of a rife
battalion, to which the delinquent belonged.
Il was unarmed, each private, (there were
three hundred) being provided with switch,
and placed at a small distance from the
next man. At the tenth stroke of the clock
the drums were beaten, and amidst silence
deep and oppressive the prisoner was march
ad into the square.
He was as fine a looking man as bad set
eyes upon tall, powerfu. and we'll formed.
His handsome features, to which a black
moustache gave bold and martial expression
shone forth in the full glow and vigor OF
manhood, only they were of deadly pale-
ness nf,si .sd
d He was non-commissioned officer, and
during the last campaign in Italy, in la49,
he had distinguished himself in such man.
ner that his superior officers had Eecommen-
ded him for promotion. Austria 10 more
generous than England towards those that
ehed their blood in her service, and he would
have been made commissioned officer long
since--in spite of his humble origin and his
Poserty--if it had not BEEN for a fatal inn
pediment. This impediment was his own
spa ssienate temper; he wasia very choleric
man, harsh and brutal towards his interiors,
Rorose and stubborn towards his superiors,
whenever they deemed it necessary to check
or rebuke him - He was hated by the men
to the utmost. There was not private in
the whole battalion that had not vowed him
revenge. He had never made one friend,
nor did he care TO have one. Strict in the
performance of his military service--the
most minor duties OF which be discharged
with the utmost exaciness-he went his
own way. reserved and solitary. Innumer-
able were the punishments which he had
brought upon the men; Tor, however light
offence might be, he was sure not to the
pass it over in silence.
His superior officers respected him for his
usefulness, his ability, and his exactitude,
Z L.. a.. l.
of humanity in the man made him an OBJ
| ject Of doubt rather than OF love. Moreover
there was a vague rumor about his once hay
ing struck at his own tfficer in peil- nell
caused BY hand-io hand encounter with
the enemy. The reLnrt never took clear
shape, the ,fficer having been killed IN the
engagement, and the gossippings of few
! wounded soldiers having been much TOO in
| coherent and contradictory to lead to for
NAL investigation OF the matter; besides. it
was at the victory of Novarra. He had
greatly distinguished himself. and old Field
Marshal Radetsky had, with his own hand,
| affixed the golden medal on his brenst. The
rumor, however, together with the knowl-
edge Of his harsh and violent temper, caus-
ed his name to be erased from the list of
/
! promotion.
When this incident was made known to
| him, he became even more sulen, more cru
! Ell than ever, but always, as it was well un-
| derstood. for the benefit Of the service, the
| slightest demands of which he performed
/ with the same immutable strictness, as he
enforced them to be done by others.
! "A few weeks previous to the dreadful pun
ishment which he had now to undergo, he
was mounting guard in the outwork with
some twenty or twenty-five men Of his own
company. II was chilly, rainy night; and
when the sentinels were relieved they were
/ glad TO stretch themselves-wet as they
were-upon the floor near the large stove in
the gusrd-room. The floor was not very
clean, (foors never are in these localities, }
and the white uniforms of the men being
wet, it was no wonder that the dirt adhered
to them with tenaciiy that defied all exer.
tions TO get it off when ;he wearers were
reused by this sergeant to prepare for stand
ing guard once more The more they triec
to rub their clothes clean the more sturdily
he lent helping hand to their endeavors BY
an application of the sad equipment of every
Austrian noD--commissioned oficer---the
stick. While he was fully at work, cutting
away at the men with a powerful arm, the
door opened, the officer on duty entered the
guard-room.
Attention. commanded the sergeant; an,
saluiing his superior with the usual repor
that nothing worth remarking had happened
The officer. young ensign, fresh from the
military school, and almost boy. took nj
notice of this important news, but asked th'
sergeant in a brisk and somewhat impetuou
manner, What he was again striking th'
men for!'
The sergeant, already much annoyed a
r this interference, gave a surly and unwilling
answer, and when the young officer rebuke
| him in severe and perhaps somewha
i naughty manner, the violent and passionat
: man, losing all seif-control, lifted up his han
D against his officer.
: - 1t was but one fatal moment quick a
Q lightning. The uplifted hand never descen
! ded; it was caught by dozen powerful arms
: He was felled to the ground and disarmec
Half an hour afterwards he found himself j
= iron in the easement.
q Lifting the arm against superior is con
o sidered capital crime. In this case it ha
Il been committed while both parties were o
!, duty, and the Austrian military laws are tn
: very last in the world to be trifed with
o The following day he was tried by cou
3 martial and sentenced to be shot. Whe
d the sentence was forwarded to the compe
: tent authority for ratification, il happened I
3 be the superior's anniversary day; capit
punishment was commuted--lhe crimin
> had to run the gauntlet. aas s.al
A cruel act of grace was this comDut'
! ton! When the first sentence had bee
: read over to him, he had remained cold an
!. impossible; not muscle of his proud fac