The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-05-16
Hanging q Maniac.
PET1RuI SCENES OF THE EXECUTION

Joseph Waltz, who was hung at Cats
kill, N. T., on Friday, for the murder
OF Joseph Holohsr, scissors-grinaer
and who, only on tho day preceding
his execution, mashed in tho skull of
the keeper placed in the cell to watch
him, was undoubtedly a maniac, a
maniac, however, whom it woul have
been dangerous to allow at large, aud
who would have been IN unsafe inma. o
even for an insane asylum. In his con
fesson of the murder of Holoher he
atates that his victim came to the house
of his (Waltz's) father to pass the
night. The evening Was spent in plea
SAINT conversation, aud after all had gono
to bed, young Waltz, as his confession
states, was seized with an unc ontroll
able impulse, which he took for the
prompting of an evil apiri. to kill tho
German. He opened his Testament to
read, but soon laid it down and "resisted
the spirit until it o7ercame him" He
then went cut of doors aud got hatohet
and crept softly into the guests room.
Another struggle Of conscience against
the murderous impulse took place, but
it vas too feeb}o and he killed the old
man in his sleep. IIe says in a subse
quent confession, II struck very hard !,
but l seemed to have no strength" He
then buried the corpse, and broke tho
scissors. grinders poor apparatus to
pieces and buried and hid the fragments.
He committed so naay follies as to
attract suspicion to hiaaself, and after
he was arrested no took the officers to
the place where the body was buried,
and made voluntary confession of tho
crime. He felt no renorse for what he
had done and no fear az to his own fate
iiio family were too poor to employ;able
;cspnssl TO defend him, and he was Dos
yicted. HIS execution was delayed for
some time. and Gen'l Dix made some
effu,t to gain information as tn his
mental condition He was satisfied that
Waltz was not so insane az to be moral
W irresponsible, aud therefore refuse d
to interfere with the execution of his
seatencc- On Thursday Waltz gave
another terrible proof of his homicilal
madness. Hc had been violent all day.
and come time before had shreatea ne d
the life of his keeper, Charles Ernest.
But tho latter did not beliov in his
insanity and did not fear Ills violence
His confidence proved bis ruin, for
about two o'clock, as he was lying on
lounge in tho cell, Waltz attacked him
with an iron bar he had torn from the
foor aud crushed his skull ia several
places. He possessed himself Of the
Victims revolver and keys, but made no
effort to escape. Having gratified his
murderous impulse, he sat down ON the
floor ia the corner, growing and muttor
ing like wild beast. He made no
resistance to the jailers who cane in and
chained him, with tardy decision and
sugacity. Ernest was general favorits
ias the village, and there was mom en-
tary attempt to lynch his slayer, but the
Sheriff succeeded in preventing it:
Up to the moment o + the execution,
the conduct of the doomed man did not
differ from what it had been since he
was first arrested. He muttered, or
rather growled, and most Of the time he
was crouchad silently in corner. He
stared vacantly at his keepers, and
would answer no questions. At Q
O'Clock his mother was led into his cell
Il was thought that she might bring
him to consciousness OF his position.
but those who held this belief were dis
appointed. For few minutes after sh o
entered he continued gazing at the wall
His expression 0as then that of an utter
idiot, and lacked even the slightest CLEAN
Of Intelligence. Suddenly, and without
relaxing his gaze at the wall, he gave .
fierce, hoarae howl, pprang to his feet
and seized his mother by the hand in a
threatening manner. Tho officers had
anticipated misehief, and Constable
Whitcomb, who Was watching the pri
soner's movements, forced him to ZOOS }
his hold on his riothor, and the lady at
once retired, grief-stricken at her son 8
sad condition.