Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-06-09
EXECUTION OF pReBST.

, PHILADELPHIA. June S.-Probst, the murderer of
me me Deering family was executed this morning.
porters from the city papers Sheriff Howell enforced
the law as to privacy very strictly much to the dis
tnas o OF reporters from distance to whom
At I045 Sheriff Howell drew the cord and the drop
FELL Life was extinct in two or three minutes Probst
wrote letter to his parents yesterday. After men
honlng the religious consultations he has had he
says: Many prayers are offered up for me through
out the entire city, and therefore am now so cheer
full and consoled that gladly offer nv life as an
atonement for my fearful crime. | trust that Won
clergyman will send you all the particulars of INV
death. only entreat you all TO pray for me. Have
the holy sacrifice of Mass offered up frequently for
in eternity in happier and better place, and this
hope makes me rejoice with my whole heart will
% close %y letter. . Many hHsnd greetings all
all meet again in a better world
l-., ANTON PRoBs7."
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
At half nine o'clock this morning the Sheriff
few of his special deputies his jury his legal advi
sers and six representatives of the newspaper
met by previous private arrangement at the Assembly
Building, and taking special at l045 O'Clock on
the Tenth Strent Railway the entire party was soon
Wlthln the walls OF the prison.
After some necessary preliminaries, the prisoner
Tas led from his cell, supported by the Rev. Drs
which he repeatedly kissed his way to the gaI0s
On reaching the scafod. Probst assembled with much
trmness kissing the crucifix frequently. and evin-
cling devotion and much courage.
After engaging in with the attending Priests
t9e Sheriff handcufed him and the moose rope being
adjusted the white cap was drawn over his head. !;
~ AT precisely fifteen minutes before eleven o'clock
Sheriff Hamill drew the fatal cord and Probst had
paid the penalty of his crimes.
The body fell about three feet, and after n spas-
mode Jerking OF the legs and hands, which lasted
PRoBST'S LAST LETTER TO HIS PARENTS.
n. n PHILADEIPHIA, April 18th, 1865.
! write to you now for the last time and desire 70
inform you OF he terrible fate W hch has befaen me-
nave nave row got SO far IN AMERICA that with COM
ahnFr 7 ! I
of life entire family, consisting of eight persons
Although l was taken on the third day after the
day must die. They have not as vet caught the
one who was with me. At first did not wish to write
heart. felt that must let you know of the awful
murders. No doubt it will be matter of surprise to
yoq to know how l could have fallen so low; will
Immediately upon my arrival in this country I
became soldier. in which position heard nothing
in e. cry wickedness When then, was forced from
the army. gave myself to evil companionship, and
to every sort of lcenousness and thus soon reach
ed such pitch that no longer believed in God nor
In anything. Now humbly ask you all to forgive
me. and do not take the matter so much to heart 1t
& ana we can now no Longer change it.
OF you pray for me, for greatly need it. When
only think how good and kind you always were to
me, and how happy and comfortable 1 always was
while was with you, and now have sunk so low
herein the years of my youth must die on the gal
lows. / would desire but one more hour to spend
with you, then 1 would willingly die. When think
of you at home father mother, brothers. and little
sister Mary, my senses almost leave me. But it has
once happened. and now ! can no longer remedy it.
0nce again ask your pardon Do not let this trou
bic crush you l only bsg of you help me by your
close my letter with many thousand greetings.
nave been your ungratetul son and brother,
IS. Once more ask you ali to forgive me.
wish you much happiness and many blessings, and
The little Mary" referred to in the letter of
Probst is his only sister, girl of fourteen re-
ference to her generally moved him to tears When
that the little baby could not have harmed him or
with his purpose of robbery exposed his
guilt had he suffered it to live he replied:
1t may seem absurd for man guilty of the crime
which L have committed to say so. but killed the j
babe from merciful motives. knew that the Deer
lngs had no Visitors and that it would probably be
several days before the murder discovered, and
could not bear the thought of the poor child dying
kill it. ON'' "
Probst says that after the butchery was completed
ne experienced feeling of thorough appreciation of
his crime while searching the house. HI had ex-
pected to obtain thousand dollars. and he realized
seventeen dollars and seventy cents four dollars
of which proved to be counterfeit The failure of the
reward he had hoped for and expected brought with
it horror of the deed he had committed. He felt
conviction that he would be discovered and hanged,
and he stood for some time with Mr. behring's pistol
poised In his hand and hesitatng whether not, he
should destroy his own life.
He finally determined TO brave it out and he went
on with his preparations for leaving the place. He
salo 1t was when ne started away from the desolae
home that the full horror OF his situation over
him.
The peculiar Stolid manner of the prisoner has
been subject of much remark. He was believed to
be impassive, utterly without feeling. and void of
any feeling of remorse for his monstrous crime
This, we arc assured by those who thoroughly
qualified by experience and opportunity judge, is
a mistake.
10 had but a limited knowledge of the English
language. and he dslked to converse except in Ger
man.. When he was spoken to in his mother tongue,
and the better traits of his nature aroused he
seemed, to the words of our informant, to have
an underlaying of good in him:
His feelings of remorse for his crime, were repre-
sented as being most acute and he often in his
minds eye, in the silent hours Of the night, the
CHASTITY corpses of the men. women and children
whom he had deprived of life.
He invariably docile after his conviction and
he never failed to cheerfuIly admit the justice of the
fate that awaited him.