The New York herald., 1868-03-14
THE scAFFoLD.
Execution Of Andreas Roesch as 81. Peter,
Minnesota, for the Murder Of Joseph sauer,
Jr.-The Crimc-Incidents OF the kxecution-


Jr.-Thc Crmc-Incidents Of the kxecution--
The Condemned Asserts His Innocence.
lSt. Peter Mimi correspondence March 81 Of the
st. Paul Evening Despatchl
Our town has to-day been the scene OF an excite
ment which trust no one desires to see repeated.
An old man between fifty and sixty years OF age,
named Andreas Roesch, was hanged for the murder OF
Joseph saner The circumstances which have led
TO this execution are a. follows:-
In the town q Lafayette In this INieo'etu county,
about thirty miles west from 81. Peter SO me OF the
farmers have for several years been ANNOYED by in.
jury done their horses while feeding on the prairie.
Sometimes they would be found badly cut. as If done
with scythe or an axe, and at others killed out
right Many dogs were also poisoned-some OF them
valuable hunting dogs
Suspicion naturally turned upon Anareas Roesch
native Of Switzerland who for three years past has
resided on his farm In Lafayette, near the Minnesota
river, and opposite New 0hn. During that time he
has been considered q vicious and dangerous man,
and II any OF his neighbors happened 10 have any
difficulty with him they were quite certain 70 nave
their dogs poisoned or their cattle or horses wounded
by some sharp instrument. Within the year previous
to his committing the crime for which he has to-day
paid the penalty three horses were killed either by
stabbing or cutting the throat.
In August last horse belonging to one OF Roesch's
neighbors was killed. and the citizens determined 70
have the matter investigated. Roesch was arrested
and taken before justice OF the peace for examna.
ton. The testimony was so strong against him taat
he was bound over for trial at the November term OF
court following But alas for him, at tha term OF
court he was tried for higher crime tfan that OF
Among the witnesses at the examination before
the Justice Of the Peace was the lad JOSEPH Sauer,
Jr., the son Of a German who owns and lives upon
farm adjoining that Of R0esch. The testimony OF
this boy strengthened the suspicious against Roesch,
and the latter then threatened the life OF the lad.
THE MURDER. n
Young Sauer had acquired quite taste Tor hunt
ing by often accompanying Captain w. H. Sigler, OF
this place-for two or three years resident OF
Lafayette-on his shooting excursions and on
the 5th Of last November he LEFT home
about one O'Clock in the afternoon, to hunt prairie
chickens. He passed near the house OF Roesch, who
nj
tie corner Of o field near by to adjust something
aboCt his gum ard from there proceeded across the
belonging 70 Roesch. The latter, keeping his eye
constantly on the boy hurried across the prairie 6y
shorter route and secreted himself where ne could
TIE SOY, UNCONSCIOUS Q! TIE danger that awaited
him. was l:iety st-o.ng along, watching for game,
upon him, wrested his gun from his hands, aad MUIR
aered hiI IN broad daylight y beating him I'M on ms
that the prn was broken in many pieces, and the
boy's skull smashed IL terribly
Little d,d tas crEe, and coward!y murderer think,
however that there was witness standing where
he could see the whole proceeding But sc II was,
ard that witness was h.s own son, Andreas Roesch,
was raKiEg hay oI, short distance OF. This boy,
although ne was TIE principal witness at the trial,
mas been reared ID sucE ignorance ana so abused ana
little above an ic.Ct when called 10 the witness
stand.
HIS testimony was conflicting and received with
much doubt He testified al one time that he himself
was the murderer. but afterwards said his father
told him TO say SO. and he was afraid TO do other
wise One thing was noticed, however, that when
ne told straightforward and consistent story II
always impl.ca;et bis father.
After Roesch had killed the boy he carried and
dragged the body nearly mile to slough and threw
It IN. His SCI did not see where he went, but the
neghbors. after considerable search found the body,
the broken gun. &c.
Roesch was then arrested, examined before JUS
tice and committed fc. trial at the November term.
The tra. occupied E.Ee days, and was closed on the
22d o.. November, the jury returning verdict Of
cution was ably conducted by Charles 5. Bryant,
county attorney. assisted by Ladd and Blrnap,
ana and The defence ey &C. G. Go'her q Of pssr New
on Friday afternoon, November 70, the prisoner
was brought into court to receive his sentence.
vicious looking head and face as to hardly leave
doubt that he was at least capable OF committing the
murder. He was requested by the court to stand
up and asked, through the Interpreter. Charles
kayser, he had anything to say why sentence
should not be pronounced against him. He replied
with much apparent earnestness and agitation that
he was innocent O. the crime OF which he had been
convicted. He was then ordered to listen to the
SENTENCE OF THH COURT.
After a long and patient investigation and the ex-
animation .. many witnesses by the Grand Jury OF
yoar county they accused you OF this crme The trial
and ao one Of them was hostile or Objectionable to
you Ipon ycrI fnal trial before them you had the
fc: you t..a, could be done. All testi.
raony TIA, you ccuid produce every. circum.
% and du:y A' ,oasaered ' Nothlns Ns was vas rejected rejected
and your ccanse. had no refusal, no order. no de.
cislon, from the commencement to the end. TO ex.
dlspassicnate examination OF ali the facts, pro.
IoanceG you guilty Of the wilfui and malicious mur
der ofJosepa saaer boy who had hardly arrived
you had nc other provocation than thoughtiess
trespass on his part. This you should have ave
angry moment, but instead thereof you re-
so;ved upOa his death. This wicked pur:
sUa I: execute w saey o
and death to your victim. The opportunity at last
to present itself-the boy leaves his home at
MONDAY. expecting no evil; he has been warned
against you but knowing you had no cause to inure
him, fears you not. You meet him. descending
prev. disarm him and beat out his brains in broad
daylight and almost within sight OF the fond
| parents and loving brothers and sisters, who
but few moments before sent him out In health and
promise but whose eyes are full Of tears and throats
OF choking sghs forevermore. This deed could only
| have been done by hardened crimnal-one whose
| deeds OF crime had been many, or whose heart was
| naturally most corrupt and who had long aban-
| doned himself to brutal and murderous tenn.
| per- Yourself and yoar counsel are Obliged to
admit .tnat you are guilty Of this deed, II your
| own son, who has been chief witness against
| you. Is not. II he Is IL fact the guilty party,
stil You have fearful responsibility to answer You
have wilfuly brought up your children In ignorance,
! have taken from them the Key OF knowledge have
made brutes Of them that you might the better en-
slave them. And this son ou have evidently trained
in crime and deeds OF darkness. Had these things
4 beer OtnerWlSe you WOuiu not nave siODu mere
| to-day a convicted ieion by the act or word Of
| your own heir, II by any possibility you are
innocent OF the murder The sentence OF the court
is that you be taken hence into solitary confinement
and kept there until Friday the seventh day OF Feb
ruary next when. between the hours OF ten O'Clock
In the forenoon and two O'Clock In the afternoon OF
that day you be taken 10 the place OF execution, and
that you then and there be hanged by the neck till
1 you are dead And may God show you that mercy
| which yon denied to Others
Since the sentence he has sent for his boy several
times and tried to induce MN 70 acknowledge COM
mi,tirg ,he crime telling him II he would do so he
would only be sent to the state Prison for year
and then they would both be iree But the boy since
the Old mans Imprisonment seems to have improved,
| and talks ana acts more independently. He admits
that he killed horse al the instance and through
fear OF his father, but persstent!y denies having
/ killed young Safer. Only last week the old man
| sent for him and tried to make him confess the
| crime, but the boy replied "father, you know you
| killed him. you know didn't do it,
II any doubt existed as 10 the guilt OF Roesch al
the time the verdict was rendered think Ills con.
| duet since has removed all such doubts Although
| the Judge appointed the 7th OF February a. the day