Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-01-29
A WOMAN BRHEADED IN GER
MANY.

Twenty Thousand People look On.
Although the Sd Of December last
was bitterly cold day, from the earliest
hour in the morning vast crowds of people
filed the streets of the little city Of Stade,
on the bank Of the Elbe river, nearly opposite
the great North German seaport OF Ham
burg. By 8 O'Clock at least twenty thous-
and people had arrived in State, and the
police had the utmost difficulty in keeping
order in the surging multitude. The occa-
sion which had caused al these thousands
10 flock to Ssads was the baheading Of
woman, refined, attractive and intelligent.
The name Of the doomed TDman was
Wilhelmina Woltman, and the career CT
this extraordinary woman, almost from
her earliest youth, had been marked by an
uncomfortable aud wicked thmpsr. When
at school she had knocked out the eye OF
one of her young companions. A few years
after she became the governess Of the chill
dren of a wealthy landed proprietor, who
had fallen in love with her and made her
his mistress. Her lovers wife having dis
covered the Hason, the girl poisoned the
woman, and there is suspicion that she also
caused the dsaih Of her own child. She
buried herself thereupon, for time, in the
Whirl of fashionable dissipation in Ham,
burg, where her extraordinary beauty
attracted numerous admirers. But, be-
coming very reckless, the police expelled
her from the city, and she went to Bruins
wick, where an officer Of the ducal army
fell in love with and eventually married
her. She returned his devotion by poison
ing him. She next turned up in Hanover,
where she became acquainted with mer-
chant named Wachter, who married her.
Wilhelmina reVenged herself upon the op-
posing parents by poisoning them. The
cholera ranged st the time, and, in conse-
quenee, il remained q secret for years.
Wachter soon aftorWard became bank
ruDt, and deserted his wife, who went to
Stade and married a wido Ter named Volt
man, who had two children. These also
became the victims CT the murderous pas
sions of their stepmothsr, and then her
criminal career was brought to a close.
She was arrested, her sntecedents closely
examined into, aad her victims exhumed.
Her trial took place at Stade on the I'd OF
October, and the result was that she was
convicted and sentenced TO death.
Pastor Decker made, on the morning OF
the day on which she was to be executed,
determined effort to move her stony heart.
The woman was fastened to the wall by a
chain ten feet long, which was attached to
her left wrist. After listening to the rev.
erend gentleman for two or three minutes,
she made q sudden attack on him, COM
pelling him to beat a. hasty retreat. Retf-
fenberg the eXecutioner, salused his VIC
tim respectfully, and informed her who he
was. "What' do you want Of me?" sh5 said
to the headsman, fixing her large, lustrous
eyes inquiringly upon him. 81 want 10
prepare you for the scaffold," he answered.
COB" she said, carelessly, 81 am prepar-
ed" "Not quite" he rejOined. He then
unclaimed her hand aud began to cut
off her hair. Then he threw heavy fur
CAPE over her shoulders, and the toilet
for the scaffold was flashed. He there
upon left her cell, and the next visitor was
the Warden of tn. prison, who asked her If
she wished anything. "Only glass OF
WATER" she said dryly. 1t was then about
hslf.past 1, and her last moment rapidly
drawing nigh. Ten minutes sfterward the
Judge and Clerk of the Criminal Court ap-
pe ared before her, and the death warrant
was read to her last time. The presiding
Judge urged her in feeling words to confess
her crimes and make her peace with God.
CUo TCSpJIuSO Wy SA9hlAAo NeA
patiently. They left her, and then the
headsman and bis assistant took her to the
scaffold. When she appeared in the open
air, the biting cold caused her to shiver;
but she bore the glance Of the thousands OF
ewes, which the multitude riveted upon her,
without fiinching.
The scaffold was coarse, wooden struc-
ture, about eight feet ia diameter. WI
helmina Woltman ascended 1t with t1rm
step and walked to the fatal block in the
middle without betrayiug any nervousness.
The warden asked her II she had anything
fo saw. GiNo, no." shs answered angrily.
"Make haste ,Imake haste" The next mo-
ment two assistants of the executioner
caused her to kneel in front Of the blo-k.
Thev took the fur cape from ber shoulders,
and pressed her head upon the top OF the
block, to which they fastened it by means
of a leather strap. She shook convulsiveiy
for moment or two, until the execution
or who had meantime taken his flashing Ak
from a sort of scabbard, hastily stepped up
70 her. he took his position at the left SIDE
of the block, lifted up his ak, and struck
heavily upon the beautiful white neck OF
tba woman. He had done his work well,
for the head fell down in front Of the block,
while the trunk raised Itself conEulsiVely,
stream of dark red blood spouting in the
air. The headsman and his assistants
sprang to one side of the scafold in order
not to be stained By the blood Of the muir
deress.