The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-03-26
Narder by 'reer OF
Norwegian Bsadtt - TWentS.S
H,,u,cides ia four Years.

There are few loveller cities 10 the
world tnsn Christians, the capital o'
the Norwegian Kin. d,m. The popu'
lation, although large, is exceedingly
moral and orderly, aud in consequence
crimes are OF q very rare occurrence
So much the more profound was the
sensation which was pr daced by the
preparation Of numerous murders,
committed under peculiar stroclous CIR
cumstauces, during the past four years.
Within that space OF time twenty one
persons lost their lives, either IN CHRIS
li4uis or It's environ,, by being knock
ed down in the streers with club or
some other blunt instrument, or hy be-
ing burned in houses, 70 whicn tue
vi. known assass,n set fire IN the dead
OF night vsinlv did the police OF
Chrlsusnis endeavor TO ferret out the
assAsslns. Their efforts rrmsined 'ru I,
le-a, and would, perhaps. not have lri
yet to the discovery o. the guilty party
TOR it turned out eventu,Ily that HI
the murders bad been committed by
one MAJ but for curious and iortu :
nate accident.
On the l7th Of November. 1872 the
female seminary. situated IA a suburb
OF Chr strana, burned, and u lady teach.
er and three OF the pupils pershed. l.
was the work of An ince' diary. 10 the
afternoon of November Is. man WAS
found hidden in the forest OF Pregest,
ak miles from Chri-risna. lie gave
his name q. AIhros Grrsen, and sta Ell
at he hal been attacked. robbed, aud
brutslly beaten by high"aymen, who
had lett him insensible A gend,rme
VINO heard oi the discovery OF the man
in the wooiI, has eneh TO the pace
where he was lying. and iUu'd that hs
clothes were halt burnt, that his hands
aud face were blisrered as il bv fire,
aud that one ot his legs was broken.
The officer asked the man 10 repeat
his story to him, and then, although
no, suspectIng vet that he bai before
him tue wretch VINO had caused the
burning OF the seminary. remarked
carei.s-ly, MY friend, YOU look rs II
YOU had been at the fire yesterday.
Gersen, upon hearing these words, gave
olent start, ard this OF course
aroused the susplcionI OF the gendsrme
Without wal. log tor any explanation
from the man he sad 10 hlm, "On,
come. C me; don't deny il; we know
YOU sci fire TO the seminary Yesterday
Gersen turned very pale, but did not
utter a word.
A wagon waa sent Tor. and the gend.
arme took him to the til AT ChristIan'a,
where Gersen wsS recognized by some
persons who had seen him luring the
preceding day in the nei .hborhood o.,
the seminary. He WAS very weak, and
after some prevsric atom. broke com
pletply Gown, and confessed that be did
set fire 10 the seminary building lie
made in regard 10 It the following start
ling statement:
"My name ia Albr)g Gersen Nv
ather WAS the late Swedish General
Ridderslag ! Was educated TOR the
army, but was expelled rom the mlll-
rary academy 'or committing arson. j
escsped punishment, however, aud Oh
tained, under an assumed name, em-
ployment as an erg'r eer IN the Dame
mora mines. During that time ] re-
peat, dly felt an u1courrolisble disppsr-
ton To commit sr-on. but always over
came il. An old classmate of nine
recognized me one day, aud | was a.
once drrcharged from INV pos pion ]
wa resolved 10 take 'A[ibIe revenge
on him.
Hearing tha, he lived at Chris,iania
! followed him 10 this city, but never
vet had an opportunity to meet him sO
~ 10 be able TO Kill him. Four years
long ! dreamed OF my revenge night
and day ls.t fire to buildings where
] bplleV ed that he or any Of his relations
we're | have killed several people on
the streets and on the neiahb)ring hi,h-
ways, believing that they were Justu-
D iko-, nv emmy Finally. on the day
before ye-rerisy, ! found out that
Drgo-' 'daugnter Was pupil at the sem
nary | resolved TO burn 1T 70 the
ground.
] concealed myself in the building.
and hesped up - le Of rubbish. which
7 sstur .teG with coal oil and then set on
| fi-e. ] WAS, however not quick enough
in trying 10 make nv trc4pe. and my
rIrrnsz got ign tel. had the utmc 81
d fl ;ulty in ertinguishIne tb. flames,
aud then jumped from q second story
window breaking nv leg. I dragged
myseif towsrd the forest, where ! Sss
found day. am guilty, but could
not help it"
Gerson was tried for his crime in the
Assze Court, anh sentenced 70 be be
hraded on the 81 OF February. Wien
he wss led out r. execution the Gu prIt
presented q most rspul-iye appearance
hrs ACE icing still covered with large
-cars. He died gsmr." however. ant
did not finch even when TIE he.dsman
tying TO ia-ten his head 10 the fatal
bl ok, iound it too ,hort. The wretch
ed culprit bad 70 rise to bis rpet sgsln.
and then kDelt down on the let side Of
the block. 0ne OF the executionsrs 9
s.si-tsnIs pressed his neck sIdsSsys
upon the block. and thus De vas decsp-
itsted with the sIs.
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