The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-01-23
DISCOVERED TOOLATE.

maj NY paw VI onO olA DOlSSlaH oo"A
Antwerp. and around large buildin
which appears to possess for them som
extraordinary attraction. The buildin;
is the town hall, and this is the day Of tn
trial Of Leopold Minister and Chariot Lut
zan, for the murder Of Maria, Counties
Esteven, By poison.
cit will go hard with the miscreants,
warrant me-" says stout burger in tn
centre Of the group, by whom he seem
reckoned parsonage Of vast Importance
"and rightly enough, too, Isay-for w
want no poisoning conjurors in this -fai
city, neighbors."
"You are in the right Of it, Master Var
Noor-den," replied another wiseacre, ant
the mob. easily swayed, muttered thei
assent
II would I had the basting Of that ole
WITCH" shrilly exclaimed a stout, rosy
checked dame, with pair Of earring
saucily displayed. Il wouldn't lot tht
roast lack basting, know"
A sally Of laughter greeted this pretty
display Of women's spite, and a loud, hearty
voice cried out:
CAY, trust a woman to run woman
down if she be in trouble They say vol
yes will eat wounded conrade ;hut, fo1
my own part, I think the spite Of wild
beasts is nothing to the spite of women
against woman.
The dame who had spoken turned an
grily towards the last bold speaker, and
he would mayhap have come off with a
scratch face, but for loud shout from that
part Of the crowd nearest the hall, which
signifed the trail was over.
The sentence! I! Are they guilty j" cried
thousand voices.
"Yes-YEs GUILTY 4"
"And the sentence"
ssThe man to be burned alive; the wo-
man to be confined for lifev'
aHurrah hurrah p
The air rang with cheer from the
whole Of the vast multitude, which speed
lily turned to storm of Kisses and groans,
as the unfortunate condemned issued from
the judgement hall, strongly guarded.
The trial had been short, but the evi-
dence was supposed conclusive.
This is what had passed.
The respected DR.. Faunhen had testi-
fed that he had been called in suddenly
on the last day Of July to attend a lady
who had been taken ILL and was at the
house of the male prisoner. He had in
quired for suitable nurse for her, and
was exceedingly struck by the readiness
with which the female prisoner volunteered
to ELL that situation. He had sent in
two draughts, being simply anodynes, but
quite harmeless, after taking oneof 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 few drops left in it, which
when tested by himself, Herr Fruchen, !,
were found to contain aquafortis. The
second bottle, with contents untouched
was also found to contain the same poison
From this it was inferred that, had the
first not taken effect, the murderers inten.
ded to administer second dose. Perhaps,
added the doctor, Gas there could be little
doubt that the first draught would prove
FATAL the second might have been inten
ded for Don Estevan"
It was distinctly proved that the sole
inhabitants of the house where the alleg
ed murder took place, besides the luck
| less couples, were Leopold Winter and
Chariot Lutzan; and the quantity Of GOLD
contained in the valises of both the IN
fortunate lady and gentleman supplied
ample motive for their murder by man
so well known to be aYaricious and miser
/ ly as Winter.
The latter was q singular character, bu
one common enough in the age in which
tksse event happened. He was half ;
scientific investigator and half an impos
ter. He studied nature andimposed upor
man, fancying that his superior knowledge
gave him the right to deceive his fellow
creatures. By those who lived near him
or came into contact with him, he was
looked upon with some respectaud grea
deal more dread He was known every
where as necromancer-as one who deal
with awful mysteries for awful purposes
His manner, his dress, his gloomy house
his laboratory, the curious animals from
far-off countries with which he surroun
ded himself, his cultivation of strange
planes, were, in the minds of the vulgar
only 50 many proofs Of his dealing will
the powers Of darkness.
On the night Of the murder, the ne
cromancer had, by his own admission
aquafortis in his possession. Further, h
confessed that contrary to his usual habit
he sat up all the night. In the morning
the aquafortis was missing, and both tn,
bottles destined for the unfortunate lad,
were proved to have contained it. Thel
the female prisoner admitted that twic'
during the night she went to the laborato
ry to her master (although she averret
that the last time he was fast asleep ant
as she also admits that her hand place.
the first bottle on the deceaseds table, i
was inferred that the master consulted will
the servant, prepared the poison, and thel
left it to the old woman to administer i
for consideration Of part Of the gold t.
be acquired. Thus she became an accom-
plice This evidence was deemed conclu
siye, and the judges were united in con
demning the prisoners. Thus the cid mai
was sentenced to be burned alive in tn
market-place, and his ashes to be scattre,
to the four winds; and the cid woman, il
consideration for her age and sex, beside
having been, it was supposed, to some ex
tent, made a tool of, was awarded the miti
Egated punishment Of imprisonment 70
life.