The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-11
EXECUTIONERS,
The Sword. Wielder of Germany
and the Spanish Stranger.

The German executioner, Reindel. Is the
leader of headsmen on the Continent. He
Is not a mere engineer of the guillotine, but
strikes off with his own hand and trusty
sword the head of the victim, after the
fashion of hundreds of years ago. Behead-
Ing Is the highest penalty for crime In Ger
many, and the headsman Is kept fairly
busy, going from one State to another on
his hideous round.
ReindepS most exciting experience was at
Buckeburg. the capital of Schaumberg-
Lippe, when he decapitated the notorious
murderer, Heerwart. The case aroused
great sensation at the time. Heerwart was
refined ruftan, belonging to good fam
lily. and in the habit of running in debt.
People to whom lie owed large amounts
developed different habit-that of dying
suddenly; whereupon their administrators
would find Heerwart in possession of re-
ctlpt, recently signed, for the sum supposed
to be due. At last detection came, and
HeerwaTt was convicted and sentenced to
death.
Rendel, who Is six-foOter and veteran
soldier, arrived at the prison, accompanied
by his three sons, who always act as his
assistants. The courtyard of the prison
was htted up in the usual style, everything
but the block draped in black, the block
heing covered with a bright scarlet cloth.
Reindel never binds his victims. He de-
ponds upon his stalwart sons to hold them,
aud he had no reason to anticipate any re-
sstance on the part of Heerwart, a middle
sized man, not apparently strong, and
whose conduct IN prison had been excellent.
At the stroke of s the prisoner was led
out, locked arm in arm with prison officer.
Heerwart's eyes appeared to light on the
block and wandered from that to table
few feet away, OH which lay three broad
swords sharp and unsheathed, for the use
OF the headSman. With a leap Heerwart
was at the table, and selling one of the
swords, he backed resolutely against the
wall in an attitude Of defiance. Two Of the
sons OF Rendel rushed upon him, and be-
lore he could use the weapon he was help
less in their grasp. 1t is hardly necessary
TO say that the Formally of reading the
death warrant was much abbreviated, and
that the rest of the ceremony was brief
Inc three. sons bore the prisoner to the
block, two held him Ey tile body, the other
grasped his head. ReindePs sword was for
an instant poised in the air, then down it
came, and the head rolled away, severed at
one stroke. While crime, of course, varies,
Reindel performs about thirty executions a
year.
Caleia, the Spanish executioner, who at
tends 10 the gaTrote in every part of the
kingdom where its use is necessary, has
held office only three years. His predeces-
SCR, Robledo, was much better known.
X siedO was such an expert with the gar
rote that the Sultan of Morocco sent him a
special Invitation to go to that country and
give evidence of his skill. Robledo went,
out OF humanity as he claimed, and sug-
gested to the despOt Of the MOorS several
novel, because civilized, ideas as to the in
Fiction OF capitaS punishment. 1t was the
custom Of the MoUrs to hack off heads with
knife. 1t was TEDIOUS process, aud cal