The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-13
Undor tho, Axe.


black hair, and pair of restless dark eyes
in a face by no means unprcposscssing, was
chained to the wall.
"Scfclogc!" said the jailcr, in trcmu-
lous voice, "Will you be a man2 The
prisoner looked at him with aa expression
OF terror. lie muttcrcd Il few incohercnt
words. "Iomorow at day~brcak," pro-
cccdod the jailor, call will be over"
The pr s>ncr sprang to his feet. The
clanking of his chains caused the jailcr to
shuddcr.
"You mean that shall not be among
tho land of the living tomorrow morning
at daybrcak2 he gaspcd stepping close up
to the jailcr. The latter nodded his head
''iou will now be prepared for the scat
fold, Scfclogc," he sald to tho prisoner.
Sefclogc uttered Il cry of torror, and stag
gcrcd back to his humble couch.
'Pm not prepared to die he moancd,
bursting into tears. ''Is there no hope 2"
"Nonc. lie will be here directly"
"Who?"
''rhc hca,lsman. lie will cut off your
hair"
a convulsivc trcmor passed through the
prisoners frame. lie began to utter heart
rending cries. At this moment the door
of the cell opened. A middlc-agcd man of
very rcsolutc micn stepped in. "Iou can
leave lis alone, }" said tho newcomer to the
jailcr who quietly withdrew. And now
commenced a truly revolving scene. The
prisoner shrank from tho stranger in mute
despair .,
''You had better be as docilc rs possible.
| am the hcadsman, said the stranger. ''Sit
down by my sdc.'
mol No !" shrickcd the ill-fatcd pris-
NJ i,, lin, Il
"You shall not die yet" rcioincd the
hcadsman. "You will DC dcapitatcd to-
morrow"
The hcatlsman dragged him by his chnin
toward him. The prisoner cndcavorctl
frantically to resist him, but tho hcadsman's
great strength enabled him to overcome tho
resistance of tho struggling wretch. Whilo
the latter was wildly clanking his chains,
the hcadsman cut of the collar of his coat
with small, but very sharp knife The
shirt collar was removed, and with Il pair of
sharp scissors the hair of the prisoner was
removed, the whole operation consuming
but a few minutes. In the meantime
the prisoner, whom the touch Of the
cold steel caused TO shuddcr again and
again, uttered loud yclls, groans and imprc-
cations.
ooh, that my bullet had not missed the
heart of that cruel liing!" he finally en-
claimed.
"Silcnccm Numbered the hcadsman.
Another such remark and shall have 10
gag you" -. ,,
"Down with King Frederick William
the Fourth !" cried the prisoner dclinnlly.
The next second the hcndsman had fas-
tened Il small iron gag in the mouth of his
victim. The latter tried to cry out, but was
able 10 produce only sort Of low gurging
sound The hcadsman then commenced to
fcol the prisoners neck with his hand Hc
nodded his head with an air of satisfaction.
"rhat's good neck" he murmred.
Then he left the cell The doomed man
was no other than would-hr rcgicidc, Sc
fclogc, who had deliberately fired at the
breast of King Frederick William the
Fourth of Prussia. But his bullet had re-
bounded, the king wearing IL mnil-clad
vest. What Scfclogcs motive was in at
tempting to shoot king h,is never been def
mitely asccrtaincl. lie seemed to be Il sort
of crack-braincd utopist, and Il number OF
eminent physicians pronounced him insane.
Efforts were made to induce the king tc
commute the sentence OF death that hnd
been passed upon tS,lelogc. But Frederick
,stranccs. His reason had hccn unsettled by
The revolutionary commotions Of 1913, and
there can be but little that, in 1850, he was
already insane. Thus a crowned n,tlmnl
signed the lcath-warrant of another lunatic
Until midnight Scfclogc remained in his Gel
heavily ironcd and gagged. Then his fct
tcrs were removed, and a sumptuous rcpns
was served up to him. On the eve of thci
executions, prussian culrrits arc treat CT
with great libcraliiy. They gave him also
bottle Of port wine, which hc drank so rap
idly that lie was soon completely intoxica
ted. And now the doomed rcgicadc bC
came horribly hilarious. lie made fun o
himself, and jokcd about his impending
Heath. lie demanded more wine, and i
was given 10 him. At last lie fell into ,
sort of stupor, and passed few hours il
filful sumbcr.
AT five o'clock in the morning the heads
man shook him by the shoulder. Scfclor,
uttered cry of alarm. Upon recognising
the hcadsman hc turned deadly pale. "It's
time !" said the hcadsman. The prisoner
threw himself upon the stone floor of his
CELL and rolled on it, prcy to indescriba
bic anguish. Ills appeals for mercy be,
came dcafcning, and in this condition had
to be carried to the scaifold. There he be,
came almost supcrhumanly strong, and for
six minutes the hcadsman and his attend
ants were unable to drag him to the blocl,
upon which lie was TO end his life. The
witnesses of the shocking scene OH the scaf-
fold were terribly excited. One of the
clerks OF the court tainted. Others had to
leave the scaffold in hot haste. Scfcloge's
yclls and roars were so dcafcning that they
were heard at n considerable distance. at
last he was fastened to the block. lie ut
tered last cry, when the hcadsman's axe
descended on his neck, and thick stream,
OF blood rose from his trunk. lie was dead.
Egyptian Pomndcs.
Most interesting is the reflection and how