The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-13
DISCOVERED TOO LATE.

citizens are standing together in the market
place Of the cid Belgian town oi Antwerp, ana
around q large building which appears to pos
sees Tor them some extraordinary attraction.
The building is the tOwn'hall and the day IS the
day OF the trial of Leopold Wtnster and Chariot
Lutzen, for the murder of Maria, Countess Es-
alt will 20 hard with the miscreants. war
rant me" saws a stout burgher, in the centre OF
the group. by whom he seems reckoned per-
sonage of vast Importance; "and rightly enough
too, say, for we want no poisoning conjurors
in this fair city, ne1ghbors."
''You are in the right Of it, Master Van Moor
henH replied another wlseacre. and the moo,
easily sWayed, murmured their assent
81 would had the basting of that old witch" +"
shrilly exclaimed stout rosy-cheeked dame,
with pair OF large earrings saucly displayed.
az would not let the roast lack bastng, know"
A sally OF laughter greeted this pretty display
of woman's spite, and large hearty voice cried
OUT
"Ay, trust woman to run woman down il
she be in trouble. They say wolves will eat
wounded comrade; but, for my own part, think
the spite OF wild beasts is nothing to the spite OF
woman against woman"
The dame who had spoken turned angrily
towards the last bold speaker, and he would
mayhap have come off with scratched tace but
for a loud shout from that part OF the crowd
was over.
.The sentence the sentence are they gull
ty ~ cried thousand voices
"Yee, yes, guilty ~
''The man to be burnt alive; the woman to be
confined for liie,"
"Hurrah! hurrah - And the air rang with a
cheer fIom the whole Of the vast multitude,
(which speedily turned to storm OF Kisses and
gTdans as the unfortunate condemned issued
from the door of the judgment hall, strongly
guarded.
supposed conclusive.
This is what had passed.
The respected Doctor Fruchen had testified
that he had been called in suddenly on the last
day of July to attend lady who had been taken
Ill, and was at the house of the male prisoner.
He had inquired for suitable nurse for her, and
was exceedingly struck with the readiness with
which the female prisoner volunteered to ill
that situation. He had sent in two draughts,
being simply anodynes, but quite harmless; after
taking one of which the unfortunate lady was
found dead. That she had taken the dose there
was no doubt, as the almost empty bottle was
found with but n few drops left in 1t, which,
when tested by himself (Herr Fauchen), were
found TO contain aquaortls. The second bottle,
with its contents untouched, was also found to
contain the same poison. From this it was IN
ferred that had the first not taken effect the
mutderers intended to administer a second dose.
Perhaps" added the doctor, las there could be
little doubt that the first draught would prove
fatal, the second might have been intended for
Don Estevan."
1t was distinctly proved that the sole inhabi-
tants of the house where the alleged murder
took place, beside the luckless couple, were
Leopold Winter and Chariot Lutzen; and the
quantity or gold contained in the valises of
both the unfortunate lady and gentleman sup
piled ample motive for their murder by a man
so well known to be avaricious and misery as
Winter.
The latter was a singular character, but one
common enough in the age in which these
events happened. He was half a scientific In
Yestigator and half an impostor. He studied
nature and imposed upon man, fanc ying that
his superior knowledge gave him the right to
deceive his fplIOW-nrpaTurpg ~ mhO
lived near him or came into contact with him,
he was looked upon with some respect and a
good deal more dread. He was known every
where as a necromancer-as one who dealt with
awful mysteries for awful purposes. His man
ners, his dress, his gloomy house. his laboratory,
the curious animals from iar-of countries with
which he surrounded himself, his cultivation of
strange plants, were, in the minds of the vulgar
only 80 man. proofs OF his dealings with the
powers OF darkness.
On the night of the murder the necromancer
had, by his own admission, aquafortis in his
possession. Further, he confessed that, contrary
10 his usual habit, he sat up all the night. In
the morning the aQuatortis was missing, and
both the bottles destined for the unfortunate
lady were proved to have contained it, Then
tine female prisoner admitted that twice during
the night she went to the laboratory to her
master (althOugh she averred that the last time
he was fast asleep, and she also admits that
her hand placed the first bottle on the deCeaseds
table, ana it was inferred that the master con-
suited with the servant, prepared the poison,
and then lett II to the old woman to administer
il for a consideration OF part of the gold to be
acquired. Thus she became an accomplce
This evidence was deemed conclusive, and the
judges were united in condemning the prisoners.
Thus the old man was sentenced to be burned
alive in the marketplace, and his ashes to be
scattered to the four winds, and the old woman,
in consideration for her age and sex, besides
having been, it was supposed, TO some extent,
made uool Of was awarded the mltigated pun.
ishment OF Imprisonment for lile
Within a week the horrible sentence on the
Door old man was carried out in all its awful
details, he to the last protesting his innocence.
Indeed, from the time of the murder until he
was actually tied 10 the stake, he spoke and
acted like one under the influence of q dream,
But the populace were under another impress
sion. They fully believed him guilty, and when
he was brought out to death, behaved in
savage manner, that moved the aged victim TO
tears. He died confessing that he had been
guilty OF many wicked, impious impOstures, but
solemnly called Heaven to witness that he was
guiltless OF the foul crime OF murder.
Dame Chariot, as soon as she heard that her
poor old master was actually dead, fell INTO a
swoon which lasted eight-and-twenty hours,
and upon her recovery from it, it was found
that the poor creatures mind had given way.
Her sentence was then partially revoked and
as the old necromancer had lett no Will, and his
money was confscated to the State, the town
council allowed the poor old woman (who was
harmless) to occupy her late masters house,
under the care of middleaged female named
Gretchen as her attendant. To this house then,
about three months from the beginning OF ouI
story, the two women repaired.
On the very FIRST night of their occupation o
the old dwelling, the old dame and her atten
dant sat in the kitchen, where three months
back the worthy housekeeper had consequen
italy tended the basting OF the fowl which wa
TO be Donna Estevaus last meal on earth. Per
hans even across her weakened intellect there
a1 fol MT oh,