The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-04-01
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.


derer.
The inhabitants of Stuttgart, the
beautiful capital of Wurtcmburg, Ger
many, have been thrilled with horror
by the fiendish deed of a monster who
butchered the family of his brother,
consisting of five persons-father'
mother and three small children. The
crime was committed in cold blood, tor
purposes of robbery. The murdered
man was his brothers host and bene'
factor, having welcomed him to his
house and treated him generously.
When the full extent of the crime and
the hideous cruelty and ingratitude OF
its perpetrator became known, the
fury of the populace knew no bounds
Threats of summary vengeance were
heard on every side, and it was with
the greatest difficulty that the police
could protect their prisoner from death
at the hands of the mob.
John Waibel, the murderer, is a mill
wright, thirty-seven years Of age. Like
every able-bodied German, he served
his time in the army. His military re-
cord was Of the very worst kind. He
was reported for conduct unbecoming
soldier, for violating the rules and
neglect of duty about 200 times, and
was fined in each instance. In 1861 he
served in the Third Cavalry regiment,
and during the campaign in 1866 he was
transferred to the Chasseurs. At the
expiration of his term of service he en-
listed again in the Third Cavalry regi-
ment, and took part in the war with
France in 1901. He was a brave
soldier. and for courage in battle was
decorated with the Iron Cross.
At the close OF the war he was mus
tered out, and returned to his place OF
nativity, Kupferzell, where he resumed
his trade. Toward the end Of December
last he visited his married brother
who lived with his wife and four chill
dren in Weber street, Stuttgart. The
brother was employed as carpenter, he
was Woodworking man, and took good
care of his family, and was well liked
by his neighbors. He received his way
ward brother, some years his junior,
very kindly. Mrs. Waibel sacrificed
her own comfort in many ways for her
guest; she surrendered her room to her
brother-in-law, while she was content
to sleep on q lounge in the sitting-room
beside which she placed the cradle with
her baby, three months old. John Wal
bel knew that his brother had 400 marks
(about SlOO) in his possession and urged
him to give him the money. The latter
refused to part with the hard-earned
savings which he had laid up for rainv
day. Determined to get his little Urea
sure, John Waibel conceived the murder
of his brothers family, and in the dead
of night perpetrated it in cold blood.
He provided himself with a hammer
and an axe, and stealing upon the slum-
bering members of the family, strewed
the floor with their crushed and mani
gled c0rpses.' Tnen he uurst open the
bureau drawers, ransacked the place till
he found the treasure and fled.
He had not been gone long when the
neighbors discovered the wholesale mur-
der and notified the police The sight
that met the gaze of the officers when
they entered Waibels dwelling was Il
-1,.,,t11 ava Mrs VUo;Io1 hoI I,oo,,
slain on the lounge in the sitting-room !;
her head was beaten and cut into IN un-
recognizable pulpy mass. There were
thirty-eight wounds on her skull re-
presenting so many blows from the axe.
The innocent babe had not been spared; !;
it was dead in its cradle-its skull FAC
tured by blow of the hammer. On the
threshold leading to the sleeping-room
lay the bent body of the husband, whose
skull was split open by two tremendous
blows of the axe. Blood marks on the
wall indicated the struggle between the
murderer and his victim, and blood
pools were everywhere. The corpse of
child three years of age was found.
with the skull fractured, in the sleeping
room; third child, about six years
old, was breathing yet, but lis injuries
were such that death ensued in the
course Of few hours.
The Oldest child, q girl of thirteen
years, was left to tell in part the bloody
tale. She had been wounded, but not
fatally. She said that her uncle was
the murderer of the family. Police.In-
spector Kern learned that ut nine
o'clock in the morning a man, answer
ing to the description of Waibel, had
bought a pair Of stockings and suspen-
ders in Bender's store in Koenigs-
strasse. An expressman named Zahner
told him that the man on leaving the
store entered an eating-house in Vein
strasse, where the fare did not suit him
He inquired of Zahner for better place
where he could get all he ordered.
Zahner recommended him to Bardill's
restaurant in Tuebinger street. Thithe1
repaired Inspector Kern, accompanied
by Zahner, and found a man enjoying a
good breakfast. He was cleanly shaved