Year: 1878

Hagler. They claimed to have only
come from Mnhldorf, but the jsded
condition of their horses bespoke a
much longer journey.


Instead OF going to the inn they took
supper at an obscure tavern and then
drove away. At about the same time
the three guests at the inn went out,
apparently for a walk.
Two hours later farmer coming in
to town for medicine for his sick wife,
passed basket wagon, with two horses
tied up at the side of the road, half .
mile out of the village, and within a
few minutes walk of DIR. Hagler's
house.


Wondering what this unusual ap.
pearance meant, he turned to look at
it several times after he had passed the
spot, and in the last turn saw several
men come out of the path leading from
the road, through some shrubbery, to
the pastors house. The moon was at
its full, and, by the bright light he fan
cied that the men were carrying some
heavy object between them.


Before he could see more they and
their load were III the carriage and
drove off in the direction of Eppenheim
on the other side OF the valley.


DR.. Hagler's only companion at his
cottage was his cook or house keeper
and man of all work, who early that
evening, had asked permission to spend
the night at the village, where his wife
was employed at the inn.


This had been granted, and the pas.
tor and his house keeper were alone.


AT half past eight the woman began
to arrange the kitchen for the night.


The well was at the bottom of the
little garden, and she started for it,
bucket in hand to procure some water.


AS she opened the kitchen door, she
was confronted by masked man.


Alarmed, she scarcely knew why,
the woman dropped her bucket aud
attempted to close the door. Unfortn-
nately the stout pail became jammed
between the door and the door post,
keeping the former open and enabling
the man outside to seize her by the
shoulder.


Still bearing her entire weight
against the door she shrieked for help
and her master, who had been writing,
appeared in the kitchen, his pen still
in hand.


At sight of him the man, by a more
furious effort, bore the door open, and
springing inside, dealt her blow on
the head with the bucket which sent
her to the floor stunned, but not quite
senseless.


She then saw the scene which che
afterwards related at the Muhldorf
Assizes.


The pastor, who was a powerfully
built man, sprang upon her assailsnt
without hesitation, and she had hard
ly fallen before the pair were struggl-
ing together.


The man fought fiercely for q mo-
ment, when, finding the minister too
much for him, uttered a shrill whistle.


Another similar signal sounded
from without, and four men like HIM
self, wearing black wells bound across
their faces for masks entered.


They fell upon the minister in q
body, and for q few minutes the fight
was q deadly one.


From time to time DR.. Hagler call.
ed for help, his voice each time grow.
ing fainter.


At last, bleeding and half senseless,
the unfortunate man gathered his
strength for a last effort, and, SPRING
ing upon one of his assailants, tore the
mask from his face.


The man started back with a fierce
oath, and struck him over the head
with q heavy, knotted stick.


In the light of the kitchen lantern
the Villains face was clearly visible,
and at sight of it his victim put his
hands to his eyes with great cry.


"My God in Heavenw he said,
''have mercy upon him and me! 1t is
my son who kills mel"


Before the cry was hardly out of his
mouth, he was struck down again by
the same hand and dragged out of the
house.


The woman, scarcely knowing what
she did, struggled to her knees and
called for help, when one of them
again entered.


"D-n your tongue! Can you not
keep quiet?" he cried, kicking her in
the mouth. "I'll teach you how.if you
don't knowH and he stamped upon
her face with force that broke hel
jaw and knocke What little conscious.
ness was left quite out of her.
When she came to her senses che
was lying in pool of blood in the
garden, with the body of her master
close by her, his skull shattered to
fragments, the brains scooped out, land
one ear torn off. She could not speak
but the sharp morning air had reviv
ed her sufficiently to enable her t.
gain her feet and reel out into th,
road; where she again fell senselcss.


There her body was found, th'
a'arm given and the house searched
1t had been rifed from cellar to gar
ret, and q small iron chest, In whicl
the murdered man kept his money an,