The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-01
KILLED BY JEALOUS VILLAGERS.
A Medieval Method of Murder still Practiced
In Parts OF Germany.

| rover lSap, twenty wears ago. III, lh'hcI
was gardener, and from him Casl,ar learned
u oe the same. Two years ago Caspars father
| died aud the boy succeeded TO his place. Gas
paes mother and little white-haired, blue
| eyed sister We're dependent on him Tor their
! food and shelter after his fathers death. ana
so Caspar was obliged TO leada more econoin!-
| cal life than even German country bodys usu-
ally choose in order that he might keep
tight roof over their heads md an abundance
/ OF pork and potatoes in the kitchen cupboard.
His only recompcnse for the selt-denlal tins
/ obligation cost him was the love and cOmmen-
daiiOn of Resi- Essigke. daughter OF widow
| In Itnggries. a mountain village across the
/ lsar Resi- was Il rare brunette OF the buNom
Bavarian type. but eighteen years old, and as
anxious to become Frau Grog As Caspar was
| To have her She had promised TO marry him,
aud was only waiting for him TO get Dls
mother and little sister beyond all danger OF
want. Caspar. in the meantime. went over
the lsar once every week in n little skill and
then walked five miles 10 Rests door.
lie wooed her fervently and bashtully,
rs German peasants are wont 10 WOO,
for four hours and then by starlight
made his lonely journey back 10 Gaisach.
Gu the evening of November nth. Caspar
| tramped Ia the little house at the foot OF the
way that leads mp the Cavalry Mountain and
knocked. Resi- let hun in. She and he!
mother Mt once caught him by the arms and
begged Aim n hurry back home, Tor the
young Ianggriesers had suddenly become
Jealous OF lim and plotted 20 punish him for
his attentions 10 Resi-. Punishment by young
! Ienggrieseis, especially by jealous young
Ienggriesers, who have caught young man
from a neighhOring village counting Leng-
gneS girl, meant torture and abuse even
to the death. l.euggresers have many half
barbarOus customs which show how thln
layer of civilization the long centuries since
Iacitus aud Cesar have laid over original
German savagety. but nome more barbarous
/ THAI those concerning the treatment of q
/ lover from abroad They lie in wait with
stock and stone for such a visitor; they beat
him. kick hun and throw him unconscious by
the wBysde to live or die. ~ fate may Ordain.
The usual course of maltreatment of the lover
il called scheitern. and consists in pelting him
with sticks and blocks Of wood till he passes
/ beyond tle village limits. The attack
Is begun in the heart Of the village and - car
RED on by n crowd in pursuit. constantly re-
cruted from ambu-hes along the road over
| which the fugitive fees 20 the boundary. TIE
| victims fate depends on his swittness otlimb.
/ 4 rapid runner often escapes with oniya rev
bruises Others are stricken down TO the
ground, bleeding unconscious. and crippled
/ FOR life Others fall 20 die OF tine stunning
/ blows ~ 'he great wooden blocks on the head
I and neck Resistance Of such attacks - VAN,
/ for the scheiterers are dozens 70 one. are or
| ganized 10 fight a. one man. and are prepared
| TO summon assistance from ambush an case
she victim shonld ind friend or TWO to stand
/ by hm III hr combat with them.
Resi- told Caspar all this with the tears roll
ing down her cheeks. and besOuglit him to
| hurry home at latest before 8 o'clock. He
laughed at her fears, remained with her and
\ her mother till 10. and then. Tightening his
/ peasants Jacket about him, stepped out into
the keen November air. on his way -
Gaisach. II WAS starlight and still. There
were few LIGHTS in the houses and the streets
I 1n.a tod
the outskirts Of the village. aud as he passed
the last group of cottages turned n few rods 10
/ one side % take glass OF cOgnac at the last
tavern he would zee before arriving in Gal
sach. As he laid his hand on the latch the
waitress watching him.trom window heard
/ low, sharp whistle. CaSpar heard 1t too
and looked quickly about. Dark figures swung
into his sight from dozen shadows and re-
! treating corners He pushed open the door
| clapped il shut behind him. and called for hls
cognac The door swung wide. Young Leng-
| griesers. ugly and threatening IN Their looks
and demeanor tramped into the room ana up
! TO the tables opposite 10 Caspar. The waitress,
[ white and shaking brought the cognac. The
| landlord huIred III. 10 care for this unusual
/ hight trade. Everyone drank, and Caspar
braced hmsel. for his race for life as he saw
tje last drops disappearing down the Leng-
gresers' Threats.
For Gods sake" whispered the waitress as
she made feint of removing his emptied
glass. FOR Gods sake hurry this way through
| the back door"
Caspar ro.e. and all the Lenggriesers rose
Caypar laid out his ten-pfennig piece for the
cognac.
This way" whispered the waitress.
Leave that girl, boy" shouted Lenggrie-
"She may talk with me if 1 WISH" retorted
| Caspar.
Bin! ALenggrieser who had crowded Cas-
PAR too closely lay on the floor. Another one
/ in his place, and him. too. Caspar struck to
| the ground. Then another. and another, aud
another crowded up. Caspar reached for his
knife They caught his arm. He struggled
20 free himself. Blows fell on his head. Some
one kicked him. He stumbled, fell, recovered,
| and plunged through Il shower OF blows
through the door. The Lenggrieser were about
him. whistling for help, and every while
brought from his ambush another Lenggrie-
ser. with his arms full of great blocks
of wood. The blocks fell like hail around
the head and shoulders of the painting Caspar.
He rallied again and again 10 a switter pace.
but each time only 10 find his way hanked
with new assallants and new fortunes. He
stumbled and plunged as he struggled up lit
tie hillside two miles from Lenggries. 4 score
of blocks overwhelmed him. He rolled down
from the highway into the ditch beside it.
Another shower OF blocks, but he did not feel
them. Bleeding from his head and breast.
battered beyond all resemblance TO the lover
Resi- had known, unconscious alike of love and
hate and embraces and blows, he lay there
gescheitert. A long, loud whistle. and the
dark figures that had swarmed around him
were gone.
The next morning peasant found the body
Of Caspar Grog Of Gaisach stone dead by the
waysde 1t was carried TO his mother and
buried by her in the Garsach churchyard.
The Lenggries authorities caused the arrest
Of several Young Lenggreisers supposed TO
have participated in the killing of Caspar.
None of the suspects have been convicted,
although three OF them are still in prison.
Repeatedly of late years young men have been
killed in Germany just as Caspar WAS killed,
in the name of q custom so barbarOusly con-
ceived and so savagely executed that in most
cases death seems unavoidable.
Protests have been raised against the Gus
tom from time TO time. but Lenggrles and
other similar villages are far from Berlin,
where German public opinion is made, and
little has been done toward crushing this
MEDIEVAL method of doing murder The case
OF Caspar Grog. however has become cele-
brated through the peculiar pathOs and ro-
nance around it, and peculiar cutlery is en-
couraging the people of Lenggries. as well as
other towns with similar customs. 10 show no
mercy 10 the scheterers who show no mercy
10 their victims.
One of sheridan's Spies.
EI;tor e u,i,o u;,noo.