The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-02
CASPAR GROC'S SAD FATE.
Pursued and Killed by Jealous
Villagers for Visiting a
Young Girl.
A Medieval Method of Murder
Still in Vogue in
Germany.
Beaten Out of All Semblsnce of Humanity
with Great Wooden B~locks-Fight.
ing Against Odds.

He was born in Gaisach, near
the river Isar, twenty-one years ago. His
father was a gardener, and from him Cas-
mar learned to be the same. Two years ago
Caspar's father died and the boy succeeded
to his place. Caspar's mother and little
w~hite.haired, blue-eyed sister were depend
ent on him for their food and shelter after
his fathers death, and 30 Caspar WAS
Obliged to lead a more economical life than
even German country boys usually choose.
in order that he might keep a tight roof
over their heads and an abundance OF polk
and potatoes in the kitchen cupboard. His
only recompense for the se~lf-denial this
obligation cost him was the love
and commentator Of Resi- Esslcke,
daughter of a widow in Lsnegries,
a mountain village across the lsar.
Resi- was a rare brunette of the buxom
Bavarian type, but Is years old, and as anx-
ious to become Frau Grog as Caspar was to
have her. She had promised to marry him.
and was only waiting for him to get his
mother md little sister beyond all danger
Of want. Caspar in the mean time went
over the lsar once every wee, week IN IN = R ns;s
door. He wooed her fervently ana oasn
fulIy. az German peasants are won't 70 WOO,
for four hours. and then by starlight made
his lonely journey back to Gaisach.
On the evening Of Nov. II. Caspar tramped
60 the little house at the foot OF the way
that leads up the Cavalry mountain. and
knocked. Resi- let bin in. She and her
mother at once caught him by the arms
and begged him to hurry back home, for the
young Lenggriesers had suddenly become
Jealous of him, and plotted to punish
him for his attention to Resi-. punishment
BY young Lenggriesers, especially by zeal
Gus Young Lenggriesers, who have caught a
Young man from a ~neighboring village
counting a Lenggrles girl, meant torture
and abuse. even to the death. Lenggriesers
have many half barbarous customs which
show how thin a layer of civilization the
long centuries since Tacitus and Cesar
have laid over original German savagery,
but none more barbarous than those con-
corning the treatment Of q lover stnoL is ron
stone for such a visitor: they beat him,
lick him. and throw lin unconscious by
the vayside. toaive or die, as fate may Or
dsin. The usual course of maltreatment
Of the lover is called scheitern and con,
biocks Of wood till he passes
beyond the village limits. The attacks be,
oun in the heart of the village and Is carried
on by a crowd in pursuit, constantly re-
cruited from ambushes along the road over
which the fugitive fees to the boundary.
line VlCtlM b lhkc ACRSAAo
Of limb. A rapid runner often escapes with
only a few bruises. Others are stricken
down to the ground, bleeding, unconscious
and crippled for life. Others fall to DE OF
the stunning blows OF the great wooden
blocks on the head and neck. Resistance oil
such attacks is vain. for the scheiterers are
dozens to one, are organized to fight as one
man, and are prepared to summon assist
ance from ambush in case the victim should
find a friend or two to stand cy him III his
combat with them. :,
Resi- told Caspar all this, with tears roll
ing down her cheeks, and besought him to
hurry home at latest before nine O'Clock.
HI laughed at her fears. remained with mel
and her mother till 10. and then, Tightening
his peasants jacket about him, stepped out
into the keen November air on his way to
Gaisach. 1t was starlight and still. There
were few lights in the houses and the streets
were deserted. Cagpar pushed on toward
the outskirts of the village. and as ne
passed the last group of cottages turned a
few rods to one side to take a glass OF cog
mac at the last tavern he would see before
arriving in Gaisach. As he laid his hand
on the latch the waitress watching him
from the window heard a low sharp whistle.
Caspar heard it too, and looked quickly
sbout. Dark figures swung INTO ms sight
from a dozen shadows and re-
the door, clapped it shut behind
him, and called for his cognac. The
door swung wide. Young Lenggriesers
ugly and threatening in their looks and de-
neanor. tramped into the room and up to
the tables opposite to Caspar. The wait
resa, white and shaking, brought the
cognac. The landlord hurried in to care
for this unusual night trade. Everyone
drank, and Caspar braced himself for his
race for life as he saw the last drops disap-
pearing down the Lenggriesers' throsts.
: 'sFor Gods sake whispered the waitress
as. she made a feint of removing his emptiec
glass, "for Gods sake hurry this way
through the back door,"
Caspar rose. and all the Lenggrieseri
rose. Caspar laid out his ten-pfennl3
piece for the cognac.
"This way,' whispered the waitress.
Leave that girl, boy" shouted a Leng
grieser.
"she may talk with me if l wish,'' re
tOrted Caspar.
Bif. A Lenggrieser who had crowded
Caspar too closely lay on the floor. Anoth
or was in his place. and him, too. Caspa
struck to the ground. Then another an
another and another rOwde up. Caspa
reached for a knife. They caught his arm
on his head. Some one kicked him. ID
stumbled, fell, recovered. and plunge
through a shower of blow through th
door. The Lenggriesers were after hin
whistling for help, and every whist
brought from his ambush another Lenggrit
BtI. "lthu lo ill III VI -" D'oSN' =
wood. The blocks fell like nail around til
head and shoulders of the painting Caspa
He rallied again and again to Il swlttt
pace. but each time only to find b
way Ranked with new assailants an
new tortures. He stumbled and plunge
as he struggled up a little hillside tv
miles from Lenggries. A score of blocl
overwhelmed him. He rolled dow
from the highway into the ditch beside
Another Shove of blocks, but he di
not feel them. Bleeding from his head ar
breast, battered beyond all resemblance
the lover Resi- had known, unconscio
alike of love and hate and embraces III
blows. he lay there gescheitert. A Ion
loud whistle and the dark figures that b;
swarmed around him were gone.
The next morning a peasan. found t
body of Caspar Grog. of Gaisach. sto
mother and buried by her in the Gaisa
c~hurchyard. The Lenggries authorit
caused the arrest of several you
Lenggriesers supposed to have participant
in the killing OF Caspar. None of tine 81
poets hays been convicted, although TIN
OF. them are still in prison. Repeatedly
late wears young men have been killed
Germany Just as Caspar was killed, in
name of a custom 30 barbeEousiy concei,
and SO savagely executed that in IN
cases death seems unavoidable.
Protests have been raised against the C
tom from time to time, but LenPgries a
other similar villages are far from Berl
where German public opinion is made, 6
littia has heen done toward crughinU I