The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-09-09
A GERMAN TEACHERS
TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER
Wagner Stays His Family and
TerrifieS Town.
TAKEN BY A POLICEMAN.
Heavily Armed Maniac Finally Sub
dued by Gendarme With
Sabre.

Muehlhausen, Germany, Sept. g.
Fifteen persons were killed here
when a school teacher named Wag-
ner ran amuck last night with sew
eral revolvers and a plentiful supply
OF ammunition. Eight persons died
shortly after Wagner opened UP his
fustllade and seven others OF 90
wounded succumbed today. Four
more persons are in a precarious
condition.
Wagner previously had killed his
wife and four children in the nearby
town of Degerloch, and then came
to Muchlhausen to continue his
deadly work.
When Wagner finally was over
powered by infuriated townspeople
with clubs and pitchfolks it was be-
lieved he was insane. A commission
of examining judges after a hearing
when Wawner nationally answered
their questions, declared the muir
derer normal, mentally.
Although Wagner's arm had to be
amputated because of wounds, his
condition is said not to be dangerous
He had 800 cartridges when he open
ed fire upon the townspeople and of
these he fired 80.
The maniac took refuge In a stable,
where he killed all the cattle. He
was finally overpowered, after he
had exhausted all the $50 cartridges
with which he had provided himself.
The enraged villagers wreaked their
vengeance upon him by clubbing him
and stabbing him with pitchforks.
He will probably die.
When he entered Muchlhausen 1t
was not known that he was a fugitive
murderer. 1t was only after the
wild scenes which had been enacted
here that the police went to his
apartment In Degeloch, where he has
been teaching, and found the bodies
OF his wife and children.
FIRED THE VILLAGE.
After he had set fire to the first
building in the village Wagner open
ed fire with his revolvers on every
one he met or who appeared at the
windows OF the houses.
The villagers believed the place
had been attacked by band of rob-
bers. Some of them rushed to the
church and furiously rang the bells,
while others dashed off to the near
est barracks and asked for assistance
from the troops.
In the meantime a village police
man, backed up by some of the more
courageous citizens, rushed on Wag
ner, who stood in the middle of the
main street with a mask over his
face and an army revolver in each
hand and another pair in reserve in
his belt.
The policeman was twice wounded
by bullets, but continued to run to-
ward Wagner, although armed only
with a sabre. He finally reached
and felled the maniac while he was
reloading his revolver. Wagner con-
tinued the fight while on the ground
and wounded the policeman a third
time.
USED HIM ROUGHLY.
Some peasants armed with rustic
weapons then reached the scene and
fractured his skull, as we'll as sever
ing one of his hands.
Wagner was known to be a heavy
drinker, but his acquaintances In the
neighborhood had no suspicion of his
madness. He appeared to have con-
templated his deed for a long time.
Before leaving Degerloch. where
he had killed his wife and four chill
dren, he forwarded a rambling letter
to Stuttgart newspaper in which he
wrote:
II believe there is no God. l am
the DEVILS ally. 1 wish l could tor
ture every one within reach of my
pistol, but / know 1 can't get all. /
have slept for years with a dagger
and a revolver beneath my pillow"