Evening star., 1946-10-16
Ribbentrop Is First
In Muchina-Like
March to GuIIows
By Thomas A. Reedy
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent

NOIIINDEIC, OCU. 10.-HeT- -
mann Goering, who ended his
life mysteriously in the agony of
poison, and 10 other top Nazis
who died on a hangman's rope
were taken to nameless graves
on tf is bleak, cold morning in
final expiation for the colossal
crimes of Germany.
Grim and manacled because in
some unexplained fashion Goering
had been able to escape the ignominy
OF the galloWs, Joachim Won Ribben-
trop started the death marches and
plunged to eternity at 1:14 am.
GAIA pm, Tuesday, EST.
Arthur Seyss-Inquart was dead at
2:57 am, just an hour and 43 min
utes after the once dapper German
Foreign Minister had pulled taught
the 13 coils Of the moose placed by
M/Sergt. John C. Wood of the
United States Army.
Two Scaffolds Used.
The eight others climbed the 10
black steps one by one, dying alter
nately on twin gallows set up to-
speed the grisly task ordered by the
International Military Tribunal of
the United States, Russia, Great
Britain and France.
Goering, even by his death less
than two hours before the execution,
did not escape the shadow of the
galloWS.
While Seyss-Inquart and Col. Gen.
Jodl still were twitching with the
last faint sparks of life, the body
OF Goering was brought in on a
stretcher and placed between the
gallowses in symbolic execution.
In death, he had robbed his 10
fellows of another 10 minutes of life,
for it took about that time for each
to expire and Goering was to have
been the first.
No Statement by Rosenberg.
The 10 others died stoically, plung-
ing into an inclosed trap that hid
their death pangs from the eight |
newspaper correspondents and 80
other witnesses. None collapsed. All |
but Alfred Rosenberg made brief |
statements, the main theme of which |
were Long live Germany" Most !
endeavored to show bravery.
Julius Streicher, the bald tormen-
ter of the Jews, screamed a SPINE |
tingling Hell Hitler" as he started |
up the 13 stairs to doom His groan |
as he fell at the end of the rope was |
heard in the execution chamber, |
where American troops played bas-
ket ball week before. He was per-
haps the most defiant of all and the
only one to mention the name of the /
German chancellor believed to have
died with his capital, Berlin.
Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel was
the Prussian soldier to the last. |
He said: Il follow my sons" who
died in the German Army. Rib
bentrop, arrogant but slightly dazed
cried out for IAN understanding"
between the East and West and a
desire for peace to the world"
Frank Asks Mercy.
Ernst Kaltenbrunner's dueling
scars shone red on his face Hans |
Frank asked God to accept me in
mercy" Wilhelm Frick stumbled !
up the steps. Ape-like Fritz Sauckel
died bravely. Jodl said, Il salute you,
my Germany" Seyss-Inquart said
he hoped peace and understanding
will be realized among the nations"
Correspondents who witnessed the
executions said they did not see any
coffinS but could hear them being
carried out Several large vans
dashed out of the prison yard shortly
before daylight, guard reported,
and drove toward Furth. suburb
north of Nuremberg where the Army
has two large airf1elds.
When the last body had been cut
down, Col. B. c. Andrus, prison
commandant, emerged with the first
news to the world that Goering had
taken his own life.
Found by Sentinel.
"Goering was not hanged" Col
Andrus announced, 'he committed
suicide at 10:45 pm. (4:45 pm. EST
yesterday last night by taking
cyanide of potassium.
HE was discovered at once by
the sentinel who watched and
heard him make an odd noise and
twitch. The sentinel called the doc
tor and chaplain who were in the
corridor and who found him dying.
There were pieces of glass in his
mouth and an odor of cyanide of
potassium on his breath.
"Goering's, hands did not go be-
meath the blankets and were not
observed to go to his mouth. An
investigation is now going on to
learn how he could conceal the
poison when he was subject to daily
and rigorous searches, both of his
clothes and his person. The cyanide
was contained in a small cartridge
case similar to those found before
on other NaziS and like the one
found on him year ago last May
at Mondorf Prison. At that time
1t was hidden in a can of Nescafe."
French Correspondent Louis de
Roche said in his account that an