The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-11-20
A PRISONER INATOMB
He TRIED TO STEAL THE JEWELS
FROM A DEAD DUCHESS.

That Adorned the Corpse Rs IL Lay
In state Were Buried With the
Body-CauEht In Trap.
Only few weeks after her return from
Brussels, where she had seen her son,
then recently crowned king Of the Bel
gianS. did the Duchess Augusta of Sach-
sen-Coburg die. in her Seventy-sixth year.
Nov. 16, 1891. The admiration and love
this admirable princess had inspired
drew crowds to visit the body as il lay
in state in the residence at Coburg prior
to the funeral. which took place on the
10Th before dayhreak by the light Of
torches. The funeral was attended by
men and women Of all classes eager TO
express their attachment to the deceased
and respect for the family.
\ great deal was said and tabled con-
rerning this funeral. 1t was told and be
HcySd that the dowagcr duchess he'd been
laid in the family vault adorned with her
diamond rings and richest necklaces. She
was the mother Of kings, and the vulgar
believed that every royal and princely
house with which she was allied had CON
tributcd some jewel toward the decora-
tion Of her body.
Among those who we're present at the
funeral OF the Duel leSs Augusta was a
Bavarian named Andrcas Subenrauch,
an artisan then at Coburg lie was the
son Of an armorer, followed his fathers
profession and had settled at Coburg.
Stubcnrauch had been one of the crowd
that had passed by the bed ON which the
duchess lay in state and had cast covet
Gus eyes at the jcwclry with which the
body was adorned
lie had also attended the funeral and
had come to the conclusion that the duch-
ess was buried with all the precious arti-
clcs he had noticed about her as exposed
to view before the burial and with great
deal more which popular gossip asserted
10 have been lair in the coffin with her.
The thought of all this waste of wealth
clung to his mind and Stubenrauch re-
solved to enter the mauSoleum and rob
the body
The position Of the vault, far removed
and concealed from the palace, suited his
plans, and he made little account Of locks
and bars. which were likely to prove
small hindranccs 10 an accomplished
locksmith.
To carry his plan into execution he re-
solved on choosing the night of Aug. 1S-
/ 10. 1852. On this evening he sat drink
/ ing in low tavern till 10 o'clock, when
/ he left. returned to his lodgings, where
! l.. II. IL. L. h,1t. ls,
would require a candle and flint and
steel. and then betook himself to the
mausoleum. The tomb was closed by an
! iron gate formed Of strong bars eight feet
high, radiating from n center in sort
of semicircle and armed with sharp
spikes.
| He found it impossible TO open the
| lock. and he was therefore obliged TO
| climb over the gate. regardless OF the
danger of tearing himself on the barbs.
Here he found double stout oaken
door in the floor that gave access to the
vault. The two valves were so closely
/ 1ovetailcd into one another and fitted SO
exactly that he found the utmost diff
Guilty in getting tool between them. He
| tried his false keys in vain on the lock.
and for 4 long time his efforts TO pry
/ the lock open with lever were equally
futile At length by means Of wedge
he succeeded in breaking a way through
the junction Of the doors into which he
could insert a bar and then he heaved at
the valve with all his might. throwing his
weight on the lever.
Ii took him fully an hour before he
could break open the door. Midnight
struck as the valve. grating on its hinges,
was thrown back. Then, leaning over
the opening, holding pole in both hands,
be endeavored to feel the depth of the
vault. In 50 doing he lost his balance,
and the weight Of the pole dragged him
down. and he fell between two cofiins
| some 12 feet below the floor OF the upper
chamber. There he lay for some little
while unconscious, stunned by his fall.
/ When he came to himself, he sat up, felt
about with his hands To ascertain where
/ he was and considered what next should
/ be done.
Stubcnrauch was not the man to feel
either respect for the dead or fear Of
aught supernatural. With both hands
he sustained the heavy lid Of the coffin as
| he peered in. and the necessity for using
both 10 support the weight prevented his
profane hand from being laid on the re-
mains Of an august and pious princess.
Stubcnrauch did indeed try more than
once to sustain the lid with one hand that
he might grope with the other for the
treasure he fancied must be concealed
there, but the moment he removed one
hand the lid crashed down.
Disappointed in his expectations, Stu
benrauch now replaced the cover and be-
gan to consider how he might escape.
But now. and only now, did he discover
that il was not possible for him to get
out Of the vault into which he had fallen.
The pole on which he had placed his
confidence was too short TO reach the
opening above. Every effort made by
Stubenrauch 10 scramble out failed. He
was caught in trap-and what trap!
Nemesis had fallen on the ruiiian at
once on the scene Of his crime and con
lemned him to betray himself.
Morning broke. II was Sunday and a
special festival al Coburg, for il was the
twenty-ffth anniversary Of the accession
Of the duke. so that the town was in
lively commotion. and park and palace
we're also in a stir. Stubenrauch sat NJ
and waited in hopes of hearing some one
draw near who would release him. About
D o'clock in the morning he heard steps
on the gravel and at ohce began TO shout
for assistance.
The person who had approached rar
away in alarm, declaring that strang,
and unearthly noises issued from the
. ducal mausoeum. The guard was ap
priscd, but would not at first believe the
report At length one Of the sentineli
! was dispatched to the spot, and he re
turned speedily with the tidings tina
there certainly was a man in the vault
He had peered through the grating at tn
entrance and had seen the door broker