The sun., 1891-05-31
nr,ynrn THE nEADsMASnor axRL1x
M. H,.,s.s. . Exempiiaed Ira the Beheat-
,,s ar sbs \ Iuraerer SEEKS dedicke.
Prom the "ohdephfd TIN

lag or the \ turaerer sehn oeeicke.
rr,,, IN, -ahnde,phia Tmv
The pubtic execntio, 'er OF Berlin is curlou
func,ionnry. Imade hh acqualntt nee shol
time ago. whom no yisitch mo In OF uer 10 &c
some facts about tho FIRST n merican eiectric'
execution. He then prom tsed 10 invite,fno 10
present when next he was >ca'ea upoii 10 'aN
acriminals lIfo. In accord. 1ce Win w IN prom
ise he sent me despatc y at ooi ock on
morning enrly last month eanesting me I
coll ut once Mt tho Plotzensee xison. as ptis
oner named Karl schmedicke vas IT, pc be
headed at o'clock NJ eciscy tha az H., Eor
This Is tho ingenious way In WI "h ,ms wn, %og
mSp slSiSs sssa II tho aGssSs press
creed by the unwlilnRne-s OF the pnn pvn ,nv "
rraut q pardon that convicted Il ,ea 4,
6clieve by tho bland oiIlcials that tho victim
Will bo handed over 70 the hsals,man al,s,n In,
arattons, ani then these journals are sudd WI, @
perqssion Is eiVen 1--WE 10 Them to send
forthwith. in nine cases out oi ten these IN :,
nations come too late to DO Of any value vh,
desired, for German ufiicialtsm hates every.
thing in the mature OF publicity, and always
Sss on y sTrva az TIE jail that
the time honored trick had worked as mss success @
iuly as usual In the sourtynrd o, dne pr1s1ni ia%ni
on the samo errand as myself. AuNonE these
cs Gnk shs.as IN Sr
also present, in addition TO hall dozen armed
warders the states Attorney nm, md MS fect5ei
the trial OF schmiedicke. IL representative OF
tho municipality Of Berlin; and nls2 rel,rSs. +.
There has been no doubt Of the guilt oi the the
1s,cd 81 iaSns sG ss @hSs family
order to rob his victims of pnltry sum -
twenty marks The crime h9rriiied everybody. y;
time be had lived on comparatively good terms.
was the FIRST to turn against hin. anu ny ner 1
bSedsG 1ap pspsr eissris setting forth the facts
s5%s Hss q aS usosk Riosyh
position Sttn regarded by Official redtapism as IN
Hs himself set tho example by seating himself:
MS the direct representntiye OF the crown, as
eour eou y yard. cIo.e to The entrance. The table
criminal. Il was draped WITH black cloth. and
sign OF mourning and death. Tho writing
materials, Bible and law books were craped,
tho
heavy black seals.
TO the right OF the States Attorney sat ths
the left tue secretaries and the newspaper rep:
At. the end OF tho narrow yard
OF these lay three broadswords. unsheethed:
The bright rays OF ~. Lhe I morning , sun elintefd
ANA the bssk Rsndos he
long enough to allow Of their being grasped By
two, sturdy hands, On tho other table lay
each edged with the all-pervading, black.
About two feet further away. near the wall.
ali its surroundines. tue, dread loe Of wood,
S;sSss Sss 5TsSs ssas S5S sa H.
ciaiiy purchased for the occasion. To the right
also black. upon which the coat and shirt Of
tine murderer were sSbseHuen,ly thrown: SNI Z, ~.
tioner appeared. wearing his, scarlet hood.
axe. as the insignia Of his ghastly office.
Relnde, the headsman: is a astalwart we'll.
bis Shoes had a strong. face and wore
combine The dignity Of the tambouE; q, s major
colossal cuirassiers. Reindel has served
twenty yenrs In the army and WAS always
an expert with the sword and o giant in
strength. Rendel was appointed to the post
ust as other iHitna .s
keepers, servants, or genlarmes. The ofi1ce
ls supposed to be an honorary and digniaed
Behind Reindel came his three lusty sons,
1a Fsd VIE
s rs
IN Ills upliitsd hand. Suddenly the headsman
Halt! Fiont" and the next inst siant the ittle |
procession @ stood Ike wall ! facing the States
,oIemnisy aud R lead % the death warrant % and the
imperial rsscriLt declininR to commute tho !
sentence. Then he invited the executloner |
he he Kaiser % to the documcnt. This formally |
vaa gone through with the most scru3ulous |
:risd out in q I firm Voice: Exseutioner Rein
ie!: ] deliver up the culprit to you-now do
The sturdy sons Of tho headsmen grasped
o from behind and bore him to tho |
block. There his coat and shirt were roughly |
o the ground. two OF the men holding his arms
md legs. while the third CRASHED him firmly
Y the head; Not word % wa, ,ap spoken ao during ing
ieath-like stiffness save the heavy breathing
u the murderer. whose massive frame seemed
i The heads headsman. nj mo- At the tabIe Where we sat sat
he same awful , stiffness prevailed. The
asa o tie
iothit < evidently escaping their observation: |
but their beardless. impassive faces betrayed
Finally came the most extraordinary part OF
he wnolo >proceedinRs-nstonish for the
lThHlbtlC. hlmObt luulcTOHb uSp0tL RlNeu ~ hu
otherwise dignilled and impressive scene Re-
ndeI. who had in tho interval lifted ono OF tho
blades from the table and raised 1t up
n the air before him. suddenly exclaimed: II
yish you to Observe that We work without any |
apparatus aud do not bind the prisoner."
Hardly wars the words ont OF his mouth than |
Ms cleaning sword whizzed through, the air
Ike lightning Hash and Ihe prisoners head
~ the first stroke OF the sweeping blade.
From the time tho eSecutloners sons seiZad |
,chniettcke TO the moment the headsman |
ifted his dripping blade and cried, II 10
lone." exactly one minute had elapsed by my |
watch. which lay before me on the table. The
Vhole OF The legal tragedy WAS conducted In a
most met hodca. bllrine So -like fashion. but the
emHrk OF lteindel rs I" the absence OF appar-
Itus sounded to me- 90 much like the sharp
!. snrance 81 n coniurOr at music hall who |
To- Tres 10 prepare his audience for some spe-
inl ient Of leger,leGiain.
This was tho sixteenth execution cnrried out |
" the ilim Of Reindel Il Sons sin e the begin |
ling OF tn: year. Their avoca'ion extends TO all
,hrts "f the German Empire, with the excep-
ion Of I'avnrn which country considers itself |
liz enough to hayo u headsman OF Its own.
THE TUNNEL SEE.uED LONG.