page_title: Historical murders and executions in Stockholm
section_title: 17th century
hierarchical_section_title: Historical murders and executions in Stockholm / 17th century
caption_attribution_description: Svenska: Fjällgatan 6, 8 och 10, österut. Nuvarande Mäster Mikaels Gata 6-10
context_page_description: Murders and executions in Stockholm, Sweden have been documented since the 1280s, when King Magnus Ladulås ordered the execution of three magnates of the Privy Council, who had been accused of several "traitorous acts against the throne". The city's murders between the middle of the 15th century and the middle of the 17th century have been documented fairly well in the logs of the Stockholm City Court. Violence with a deadly outcome was most common during the Middle Ages, a trend which had more than halved by the beginning of the 1700s. The most common cases of manslaughter and murder usually involved fights between men where alcohol was involved.
  During the reign of Gustav III, the use of capital punishment decreased and was abolished for certain crimes. The last hanging took place in 1818 at Hammarbyhöjden, and the last public execution occurred in 1862. The last execution in Sweden and Stockholm took place on 23 November 1910, when robber and murderer Alfred Ander was executed by decapitation in a guillotine.
context_section_description: Murder and manslaughter was still the most common reason for the use of capital punishment. Sometimes, an executioner would have to execute another executioner:
  Executioner Mikael Reissuer (also known as Mäster Mikael) was executed on 20 March 1650 by his successor. Mäster Mikael exercised his practice at a designated execution spot in Södermalm from 1635 until his death in 1650. Mikael killed his friend, Påwel Andersson in 1650 following an argument about a debt. Mikael plead not guilty and stated that Påwel had "accidentally run into the edge of Mikael's sword". The court did not believe him and he was sentenced to death and executed by his successor.
  The well-known poet Lasse Lucidor (his real name was Lars Johansson) also known as "the unlucky one" was just 36 years old when he got caught in a melee battle on the night of 12 August 1674 and was pierced by Lieutenant Arvid Kristian Storm's sword. The murder took place in the basement of today's Kindstugatan 14 in Gamla stan. These armed conflicts, or so called "duels" were usually the result of trifles combined with alcohol. Lucidor had gotten into a fight with the bartender who had refused to continue serving him wine unless he paid for it. In an attempt to disrupt the commotion, army Lieutenant Storm approached Lucidor, at which point Lucidor drew his sword and scratched Storm's hand. Storm drew his own sword and stabbed Lucidor. Lucidor was buried in an unmarked poor man's grave in the north end of Maria Magdalena graveyard. Storm was charged with manslaughter on 22 August 1674, but managed to escape custody with the help of his mother, presumably to flee the country.
  Vercits from the 1400s may seem odd today. But in the 1600s, authorities started operating in a similar way as police investigations and trials look like today. Crimes were reconstructed and witnesses were interviewed. The following example is a court case from April 1626 which can help illustrate the Swedish legal system at the time.
  A man had been found brutally murdered on a location known as 'Häägersteen'. The authorities quickly asked the public for help, and called for the murderer to turn himself in, which he did not. A citizen claimed that the victim was a Hans Putestad, an unemployed tailor who had travelled to a farm in Ekerö to meet with shoemaker Hans Schechtelfocht. Putestad was known for bringing his entire life savings with him, by sewing them directly into his clothes. Upon further inspection, no money could be found in his clothing. Scechtelhocht was apparently the farmowners gardener and was taken in for interrogation. Schechtelfocht stated in front of the court that he had offered the tailor employment, and had not heard from him since.
  Schechtelfocht had apparently not had enough time to change clothes, he had blood on his shirt. Schechtelfocht stated that he had a nosebleed, even though the blood was only visible on the back of his shirt. The court deemed him suspicious and looked into his story. The persons who had discovered the body could confirm that Putestads pants had been replaced, this made the court believe that Schechtelfocht must be in possession of the victims real clothes, and in turn, his money. Schechtelfocht constantly changed details of his story and the court eventually told him to give up the truth, or his soul would be taken by the devil. He was found guilty of the murder of Hans Putestad and was executed.
caption: Mäster Mikaels gata (Fjällgatan) around the turn of the 19th-20th century, as viewed from the west.
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