, 1859-08-05
VICTIM OF THE GAUNTLET.

Goth Of August, 1854, and the signature OF the
Emperor Francis Joseph Of Austria, abolished
for evermore, within the realms Of the whole Aus
trian empire, that terrible chastisement running
the gauntlet Terrible Il was indeed cruel
and barbarous remnant Of those dark and dismal
times called the Middle Ages. Witnessed (says
. writer in Dickens's Household Words'O the
last execution Of this kind, and record Il for the
benefit Of those who still cling with strange fond
ness even to the worst legacies Of by-gone cen
turtles. r-Tr--,o-.
On an autumn morning, in the year 1851, the
garrison Of the fortress Of Theresienstadt on the
Eyer river, in Bohemia, was formed in large
square on the spacious plain before the residence
Of the commandant In the middle Of the square,
drawn up in file, stood o company Of rife bat
talon, 70 which the delinquent belonged. twas
dred) being provided with switch, and placed
ct small distance from his next nan. At the
tenth stroke Of the clock the drums were beaten,
and amidst the silence, deep and oppressive, the
prisoner was marched into the square.
He was a. ine-looking man Is ever have
Get eyes upon-tall, powerful, and well.iormed.
His handsome features, to which q black nous.
tache gave bold and martial expression, sbone
forth in the full glow and vigor Of manhood, only
they were Of deadly paleness.
He was Q non-commissioned officer; and dur
ing the last campaign in Italy, in 1s49, be had
distinguished himself in such manner that his
superior officers had recommended him for pro-
motion. Austria Is more generous than Ameri-
ca towards those that shed their blood in her ser
vice, and he would have been made commission
ed officer long since-in spite Of his humble ORR
gin and his pOverty-if il had not been for fatal
impedimenE This impediment was his own pas
sionate temper; he was . very choleFic man !;
harsh and brutal towards his interiors, morose and
stubborn towards his superiOrs whenever they
deemed Il 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 had one friend,
nor did he care to have one. Strict in the per-
iOFmance Of bis military service-the most minor
duties Of which he discharged with the utmost ex-
actness-he went his own way-reseFved, proud,
solitary. Innumerable were the punishments
which he had brought upon the men, for, however
slight the offence might be, he was sure not to
pass Il over IN silence.
His superior officers respected him for his use
fulness, his ability, his exactitude; but they did
not like him. The evident lack Of humanity in
the man made him an object Of doubt rather than
Of love. Moreover, there was vague rumor
about his having struck ct his own officer in the
midst Of . pell-mell caused bys hand.tO-hand
encounter with The enemy. The report never took
the engagement, and the gossipings Of . few
wounded soldiers having been much too incoher-
snt and contradictory 70 lead 10 formal inves-
ligation Of the matter; besides, It was at the
victory Of Novarra. He had greatly distinguish
cd himself and Field. Marshal Radetzky had, with
his own hands, affixed the golden medal on his
breast The rumor, however, together with the
knowledge Of his harsh and violent temper, caused
his name to be erased from the list Of those that
were recommended to higher promotion,
When this incident was made known TO him,
be became even more sullen, more rigid, more
cruel than ever; but always, as Il was well un-
derstood, for the benefit Of the service, the slight
est 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 punish.
ment which he had now 10 undergo, be was
mounting guard in the outworks with some
twenty or twenty-five men Of his own company,
Il was q chilly, rainy night, and, when the SEN
tries were relieved, they were glad to stretch
themselves, wet a. they WERE upon the floor
near the large stove In the middle Of the guard,
room. The floor not being very clean, doors
seldom are in those lOcalitieO and the white uni
forms Of the men being wet it was no wonder
that the dirt adhered to them with . tenAcity
that deiled al exertions 10 get Il Of, when the
Wcarets Wete fOuseu " w sefes.ht W Ptepate
for standing guard once more. The more they
tried to rub their clothes clean, the more sturdy
he lent helping hand TO their endeaVors BY an
application Of the sad equipment Of every Aus.
trian non-commissioned Oficer-the stick
Whilst he was fully at work, cutting away at the
men with 10 powerful arm, the door opened, and the
officer on duty entered the guard-Foom.
"Attentioni" commanded the sergeant; and, q.
luting his superior, made the usual report TINT
nothing worth remarking had happened. a1s
The officer, young ensign, fresh from the mil
itary school, and almost q boy, took no notice
whatever Of this important news but asked the
sergeant In . brisk and somewhat impetuous
manner: "What he was again striking the men
forP"
The sergeant, already much annoyed ut this
interference, gave . surly and unwilling answer;
and, when the young officer rebuked him, in .
severe and perhaps somewhat naughty manner,
the violent and passionate man, losing an self
control, lifted up his hand against his superior.
Il was but one fatal moment, quick as hight
ming. The uplifted hand never descended; Il
was caught BY dozen powerful arms. He was
felled to the ground and disarmed. Half an hour
Afterwards be found himself IN irons In the case
mates IS 80 #N
Lifting the arm against superior Is consider
cd capital crime. In this case 4 had been CON-
mitted while both parties were on duty, and the
Austrian military laws were the very last in the
world TO be triHed with The following day be
was tried by eourt-martial, and sentenced to be
shot. When the sentence was forwarded to the
competent authority for ratification, ii happened
to be the Emperor anniversary day; capital pun
ishment was oommnied; the criminal had to run
the gauatlet
A cruel act Of grace was this commutationi
When the first sentence had been read over to
him, he had remained cold and impossible; not
muscle Of his proud face stirred. He did not
fear death; be had looked Al d IN Tho ace many
1 time without fIinching; and 10 die in The
omen mir. piereed by dozen balls--a soldiers