Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-06-19
THE TERROR or BAVARIA.
ca aptmrc ssf the GansSvurKcr Rros RI
Triple Execution ssI GSrillhc n,
The Mob Attack the (iutllOtfue.

The small village of Grilllleim, near
Karlskron, in Southern Bavaria,
place of no Importance whatever, is
situated on the edge of q dense forest,
and very seldom visited by strangers.
And yet this heretofore unknown place,
with its $500 inhabitants, has of late
called the attention of the whole of
civilized Europe to itself, for the crlm-
inal records of the kingdom have
shown that it has furnished fully 10
per cent. of the criminals in the state
prisons. The publication of this fact
by the Minister of Police was
caused by the many applications
which that official had received. pray.
ing him to pardon the three Ganswur-
gers, who were sentenced to be be-
headed on the 18th of last month.
Their crimes were, however, so heinous
that the King refused to interfere, and
ordered the execution to take place on
the appointed day. The three Cans.
wurger brothers, Edward, Adolph and
Carl, were respectively 81, 27, and 21
years of age. On the 18th of last
month the guillotine arrived in the vii
lage, and when it was first seen by the
population, among whom the three
criminals had great influence, loud
threats were made. As the mob was
constantly gaining in numbers the
Sheriff dispatched a special messenger
to the post commander at Karlskr0n,
requesting troops to be sent on without
delay.
They arrived early next day, and it
was high time indeed, for the mob bad
resolved to prevent the execution at all
hazards. The cavalry succeeded in
quelling the riot, but not until they
had made free use of their sabres, and
Count Bosselman had notified the
rioters that he would order his men to
fire if the Kings order was interfered
with. The Sheriff thought it advisable
to fix the hour for the execution as
early as possible, and it was precisely
5 o'clock when two companies of
Uhlans road up in front of the guillo.
tine. The three were brought up by
the Sheriff, escortad by another COM
pany of cavalry. A wild yell greeted
their appearance, and rush was made
toward them. It was with difficulty.
and not until several of tho mob
had been wounded, that the execution
could be proceeded with. The Cans
wurgers were closely watched by the
Sheriff and his assistants, who, pointed
their revolvers at the breasts of the
wretched men, threatening to shoot
them if they should make the slightest
attempt to escape. The younger of the
three was then ordered forward, and
when his head fell into the basket, and
his blood rushed over the planks, his
elder brother, Edward, commenced
laughing, and turning to the Sheriff.
exclaimed: "You have the best of us
now. But as brave as the youngest of
us died, we will die likewise" A few
minutes afterwards the three brothers
lay side by side in one great casket,
and the corpses were taken to Karls-
krGn and turned over to the medical
college.
The three Ganswurgers had always
been considered a reckless trio, but no
one of the authorities had ever sus-
pected them of being the perpetrators
of the many murders and Outrages
which had been committed near Karl
skron. They had laid their plans 80
we'll, and executed them so secretly.
that the arduous labors of the author
tiles had always proven failure. It
was we'll known to the authorities that
Edward had liaison with young
married woman, until finally her hus-
bands attention was called to that
fact. When Edward once tried to obtain
admission, he was confronted by Mr..
kufer, the unfortunate husband of the
unfaithful woman, and coolly told
that if his face was again seen near
his (Mr. Kufer's) house the conse-
quences would rest with the Intruder.
Ganswurger left the premises, uttering
q fearful oath, and with murder in his
heart. He narrated the encounter to
his two brothers, and in order to
avenge this insult it was agreed to
murder Mr.. Kufer and then set fire to
the building. Two days afterward the
hellish deed was executed. The three
brothers entered the building by means
of false keys, aud with the knowledge
Edward had obtained on former occa-
sions it was but too easy task to find
the bedroom of Mr.. Kufer, This gen.
tleman and his wife, however, were not
in, and two hours elapsed before foot.
steps were heard. The rain poured
down in torrents, and to make sure of
their work, the younger brother had
used petroleum, and was awaiting his
brothers orders to light it.
To the utter disappointment of the
three murderers, the approaching party
was not Mr.. Kufer, but his clerk. stit
is absolutely necessary to make him
cold in order to quiet his tongue, i" said
Adolph Ganswurger, and plunged a
dagger into the young mans heart.
Shortly afterward Mr.. Kufer came
home, and while he was likewise hur.
ried into eternity, his wife was told
not to reveal the least, the petroleum
was lighted, and the murder
ers made good their escape.
Some four days afterward Ed
ward Ganswurger, against whom war
rant had been issued, was seen by
special detective entering his fathers
house at Grillheim. A posse of twelve
officers was at once dispatched, and SO
completely surprised the entire family
that no resistance at all was offered.
The three brothers were indicted for
murder, and, upon the evidence of Mr..
Kufer, sentenced to be beheaded. The
most remarkable feature of this trial
was the confession of Edward Cans
wurger. He boasted having killed
seven persons alone, and was proud to
say that his two brothers were excel
lent in that business.
A Scene in Boston.
Recently young man, poorly but
neatly clad, applied for lodgings at a
police station, stating that he had just
arrived in the city, and was penniless
and heart-broken. He was slowly dying
with consumption, and, alone in the