The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-01-23
HE HAD A GREAT SORROW.
How German Immigrant Explated a
Helnous Crime Committed In Father
land-His Unwonted Jollity Before His

[Cor. PHILADELPHIA Timcs.l

heinOus Crlme committed IN Fatner-
land-His Unwonted Jollity Before His
Decease.
[Cor. Philadelphia Times.l
Last September German about forty
years old and a stranger in the vicinity
applied for work TO farmer named Bap-
tist Deutzer living in Palmyra Township,
five miles from the village of Hawley, Pa.
He said his name was John, but would
give no surname. Deutzer was in need of
help and employed the stranger, who
proved to be an excellent farm hand. He
formed no acquaintances outside of the
farmers family and seldom spoke to any
OF them. He seemed to be constantly
brooding over something and would sit by
the hour with bis head In his hands. Some
times he would start up suddenly, look
wildly around and then sink back in his
chair and resume his favorite position.
All efforts to obtain from him any expla-
nation Of his singular conduct were unsuc-
cessful, his only answer 10 inquiries being:
~ have had great sorrow" He was fire.
quently heard late at night walking In his
room, and had been heard to cry out in
terror and moan as II in pain while
asleep.
On Wednesday afternoon last Farmer
Duetzer sent John on an errand TO Ludwig
Kenthe's, farmer who lived about mile
away. When the hired man knocked at
Kenthe's kitchen-door twas opened by the
latter's wife. The man entered. Mrs.
Kenthe threw up her hands and, stagger-
ing back into chair, exclaimed in Ger
man:
"My Cod the man who killed the shep-
herd.n h.'H... If|..-.
The hired man turned pale and backed
quickly toward the door, but almost in
stantly recovered his composure, told
Farmer Kenthe the nature Of his errand
and walked away without word. When
he returned to his employers the family
was surprised at the change in his de-
meanor. For the first time since he came
to the farm he was cheerful and in good
spirits. At supper he conversed freely
with the others, and they could scarcely be-
lieve that he was the silent and morose
man of few hours before. When he re-
tired to his room, about nine o'clock, he
bade the family goodnight one by one,
whereas before he had shuffied away to bed
without saying word to any one.
Thursday John did not appear at his
usual time, and farmer Deutzer went to his
room TO see what detained him. The farm.
er was Mortified 10 see the hired mans
dead body hanging from a spike in a beam
in the room. He had tied whip-lash
about his neck, and fastened the other end
to the spike. Soon after this discovery
was made, Mr.. and Mrs. Kenthe came TO
Deutzer's TO tell Of the discovery they had
made in regard to the strange, weird man.
Mrs. Kenthe came TO America about five
years ago from Germany. She married
after coming here A year before she left
her native village a young shepherd had
been murdered while tending his sheep,
and robbed Of a small sum Of money. The
| crime was traced directly TO n man who
worked on the same farm with his
victim, and who had disappeared. Mrs.
Kenthe lived near and had frequently seen
the murderer, but having heard his name
casually did not remember 1t. The face of
the man was indelibly impressed on her
memory. She had never seen Deutzer's
hired man close by, but when she saw him
at her door she recognized in him the MUIR
derer Of the shepherd. The sudden change
in his demeanor is explained only by the
theory that his discovery by Mrs. Kenthe
had relieved him Of the burden of his dead
secret, and believing that he would be
taken back to Germany and executed, he
anticipated justice and took his punish.
ment in his own hands.