The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1872-09-20
IBehcnding Criminals In Ger
many.

1Bchcnding Criminals In Ger.
many.
German journals received give n hor
rible account Of the execution by behead
ing with the sword at Butzau, in Meek
lenbcrg, of three murderers, Peter Nopp
Henry Schaeffer and Francis Newman
The crowd present consisted mostly o
prisoners, their wives and children. Blu
for the scafi6ld, the scene would hav,
looked more like an American barbecue
than an execution, for all present wer'
eating. drinking, singing and chatting
merrily. There were on the grounds nu
merous venders of pies, cakes. apple,
and liquors, apd even an Italian with 4
trained monkey attracted numbers o.
wondering spectators. The executionei
and hisassistants hurried somewhat rude
ly to the rear of the platform. SchaeiIer
a herculean man with high shoulder
and very stout neck, tried to look in
different and even defiant. His two com
panions were evidently almost unnamed
by their terror. Their faces looked
deadly pale, and they we're hardly able to
stand on their feet. At this moment the
wretched Klein, who had been in charge
Of two officers under the scafold, was lei
upon the platform. lie wore the grey
uniform Of the cosvicts, aud was heavily
ironed. lie was evidently terrified and
shed copious tears. After he had been
placed near the judges, in front Of the
arm chair, the executioner approached
SchaeiFer and told him audibly to sit
down on the chair. The old murderei
stepped almost jauntily to it and sal
down. In the next moment his hands
we're united, and then hi arms were fa,-
tened secure to the chairs arms. aud hi
legs TO the legs of a chair. The doomed
culprit still tried TO die game, but the
sight Of the vast crowd seemed 10 dazzle
hi ewes. his breast heaved convulsivel,
and his face turned almost purple. The
President Of the court nov stepped for
ward to read the death warrant. Schaef-
fer'- rcspirations became more and more
spasmodic. He cast wiStiul glances at
the executioner, who stood near him, and
who, a. soon "a the priest ceased reading,
rapidly stepped up to him; the culprit's
neck was barred. When the executioner
touched his skin, Schaeiler, gave n start
and uttered low gurgling sound; then
his ewes were bandaged. One of the n,
sistants seized him by the hair aud drew
the head of the struggling criminal, Will,
the executiuner took the sword from tn,
morocco care, poised the flashing blade
closely to the right side of the culprit'.
neck, aud then deliberately cut into it,.
At the moment when the sharp edge cut
into his living flesh, Schaeiler
gave convulsive start and drew up hi,
legs, but il was soon over for the heads
mans sword passed surely, though some
what slowly, through the flesh and rer-
bra with a horrible sound that was au-
dihle to a considerable distance. and
shocked the bysianders to their inner
most. When the head fell off stream
of blood ruse, perhaps, three feet into the
air from the trunk Of the decapitated
man. Ii was ghastly sight, every one
turned pale, while the two wretched con
spirators, who had witnessed the doom of
their acc0mplice. turned white in their
face>. and cordials had to beadministered
to them to prevent them from fainting
away. Next the corpse was united, and
together with the head put into coffin.
The blood was wiped up with rags, Il e
headsman dried his sword with towel,
and then sharpened il with a piece of
steel. When ali was ready. he turned
with an imperious gesture to NoPp, and
exclaimed, Now, you step this way
The unfortunate man toitered to the iatal
chair, more dead than alive, and the same
proceedings acre gone through with a.
before The man moaned audibly du-
ring the reading of the death warrant,
and when the executioner barred his neck
he began to scream piteously. His yells,
which m de the blood Of the hearers
freeze, did not cease until the sharp blow
of the head man cut into hi. living flesh,
lie gave dreadful start when he felt
the first sharp touch of the cold metal.
The executioner did not cut very
straight, for the blade came out near the
shoulder, and the head had to be torn otf.
Newman was overpowered by it, and
fell into u long swoon. Ha. tshop was
administer d To him. and when he re-
awoke To consciousness he too was led to
the fatal chair and Dispatched in the
same manner as his aecomplices. The
whole execution lasted nearly forty min
utes.
THE time will soon arrive for the fall
planting of fruit trees, vines, etc, and
suok 80 o,,. osft.a,,s ag kava nat sraah