The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-05-16

Joseph Waltz, who war hung at Cats
kill, N. T., on Friday, for the murder
OF Joseph Holehsr, a scissors-grinaer
and who, only on the day preceding
his execution, mashed in tho skull of
tho 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, and
who would have been IN unsafe inmate
even for an insane asylum. Ia his con
fession of the murder of Holcher ho
states that his victim came to the house
OF his (Waltz'sl father to pass the
night. The evening was spent in plea
SAINT conversation, and after all had g,ne
to bed, young Waltz, as his confession
stntes, was seized with an unc ontroll
able impulse, which he took for the
prompting of an evil spirit to kill che
German. He opened his Testament to
read, but soon laid it down and "resisted
the spirit until it oyercame him." He
then went cut of doors aud got hatche.
and crept softly into the guests room.
Another struggle Of conscience against
the murderous impulse took place, but
1t was TOO feeb}o and he killed the old
man in his sleep. lie says in subse
quent confession, IL struck very hard
but l seemed to have no strength" He
thou buried the corpse, and broke the
scissors. grinders poor apparatus to
pieces and buried and hid the fragments
tie committed SO macy follies as to
attract suspicion to hiRaself, and after
he was arrested he took the officers to
the place where the body was buried,
and made voluntary confession of tho
crime. He felt no renaor5e for wha. he
bad done and no fear as to his own fate.
His family were too poor to employ able
. - eleafs.ssl hi.e,ess.el lses
victed. His execution was delayed for
some time. aId GenI Dix made some
effolt to gain information as tn his
meutal condition. He was satisfied that
Waltz was not so insane an to be moral
ay irresponsible, aud therefore refuse d
to interfere with the execution of his
sentence. Ga Thursday Waltz gave
another terrible proof of his homiciial
maduess. He had been violent all day.
aud some time before had threate d
the life of his keeper, Charles Ern sst.
But the latter did not beliov in his
insanity and did not fear his violence
His confidence proved his ruin, for
about two o'clock, as he was lying on q
lounge in tho cell, Waltz attacked him
with an iron bar ho had torn from the
foor aud crushed his skull in aeveral
places. He possessed himself ot the
Victims revolver and keys, but made no
effort to escape. Having gratified his
murdereus impulse, he sat down on the
floor in the corner, growing and muttor
ing like a wild beast. He made no
resistance to the jaisers who came in and
chained him, with tardy decision aud
sagacity. Ernest was general fayorite
iIs the village, and there was a mom en-
tary attempt to lynch his slayer, bat the
Sheriff succeeded in preventing it:
Up to the moment 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 tho time ho
was crouchad silently in corner. He
stared vacantly at his keepers, and
would answer no questions. At
o'clock his mother was led into his cell
1t was thought that she might bring
him to a consciousness of his position
but those who held this belief were dis
appointed. For few minutes after sh Q
entered he continued gazing at the wall
His expression was then that of an utter
idiot. and lacked even the slightest CLEAN
Of intelligence. Suddenly, ond without
relaxing his gaze at the wall, he gave q
fierce, hoarse howl, qprang to his feet
and seized his mother by the hand in a
threatening manner. Tho officers had
anticipated mischief, and Constable
Whitcomb, who was watching the pr
soner's movements, forced him to loos
his hold on hi mother, and the lady at
once retired, grief-stricken at her son s
sad condition.
Tho most pitifpl spcne of the day,