The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-04-28
THE PRUssIAN DEcAPITAroa.

HIS EXPERIENCE IN GERMANY-wHY his
TRADE DISAPPEARED AND HOW he FEELS
The celebrated beadsman of his majesty the
Emperor of Germany, has lately arrived on
these shores and has taken up his residence
in New York City. A reporter of the Sun
interviewed him and the following is the
account given. The headsman said that
"hard times and ridiculous obloquy caused
me and my two daughters to leave the old
country. By hard times / mean the
new criminal code OF GERMANY. Nothing
could be more ill-advised than that. / and
my four colleagues thought so as soon as
the German Parliament was foolish enough
to pass it. What has been the consequences?
Why, sir. in the past twelve months there
have been more murders committed in Ber-
lin alone than formerly, when we were
about, were perpetrated in the whole mon
archy. But sir" he added sorrowfully. call
this is principally the fault of his majesty
the emperor. Old William dislikes to sign
death warrants. He studies over them too
long, and, worst Of all, he never wants wo-
man to be beheaded. Two years ago / had
an old girl who had poisoned her husband.
just where wanted her. / went with nv
implements to Cullen TO dispatch her. and
lust when arrived there, telegram ar
rived from Berlin committing her sentence
to penal servitude for life; and had already
cut off her hair" Our reporter thereupoIl
ventured to question now many heads
Mr.. Scharffenberg had cut off altogether.
LET me see" said the ex-headsman, count
ing his victims on his fingers, forty. five
no, forty.six." "How many of them were
womep?" asked the reporter. HAbont a
Dozen" said Mr.. Scharffenberg, land I
wish there had been less of them. They
gave me more trouble than all the men +
had to put to death. Why, the last person
of that kind 1 had to attend to was an old
lady with her son. They had poisoned the
father to get his money. 1 thought the
mother ought to have her head cut off first;
but the clerk OF the court, meddlesome
sort of fellow, directed me otherwise. and
so had to 'cut' (Schneiden) the Young man
first. His mother took it very badly. 7
could hardly get her in good shape, on the
block"
what were your emolumentsi in Prussia?
asked the reporter
"Three hundred thalers for each head emf
off," replied the ex-headsman land, besides
I had in my district all the skinning of fall
len cattle. / had, however money of NV
own, both my grandfather and ather having
been in the same business. @, they had a
good time oft; my grandfather alone had
over two hundred executions!"
"Two hundred executionsf
"Yes," be said proudly, send half of them
he broke on the wheel"
"Did you ever break anybody on the
wheel" asked the reporter f.-
"No,'' he replied, ''the worst / did was
cutting with the sword, AID little did I like
It.; for it is an uncertain way of doing it.
Give me the axe, and the head flies off like
nothing"
"And you say the rev German code is
bad?" asked the reporter.
"Why, of course" said the old headsmap.
'very bad! Very ba4 !! Just see what they
are doing II Berlin. One murder a dav
and not ne execution in six months. The
emper,r is too soft-hearted. He will par
don ITEM All ,o,1 That's not the way of doing
thinss. In lS41 axed nine fellows in the
! Maien werder District, ana we never had had
roland. They whip there the feiloSss -.
Dad that they do not know where they ares
"But they do not kill thems" said the re-
porter.
''Do not kill themr" exclaimed the old
headsman, scornfully. Few OF them do
survive, indeed! The Russian lash is as
good as an axe. But hardly any body hears
OF the culprits death.
The reporter had had enough of the heads
mans experiences and opinions, and bade
him good night. r,- .T-T- =