DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70303#0461
HORRID MURDER AT PETERSBURG.
425
fy of the crime. He was a carpenter,, who had worked
in tiie neighbourhood, and having heard that the people
possessed a small sum of money, went one evening to
beg a lodging, when, after having regaled them with
brandy, he took an opportunity when they were all
asleep, to treat them in the manner above related, robbed
the house of about one hundred rubles, fastened the win-
dows, having fixed a padlock on the door, and walked
off unnoticed. On the Saturday morning following,
about ten o’clock, he was conducted to the place of exe-
cution. First went the police master, then a posse of
police officers on horseback, two and two, four ranks of
foot soldiers, twelve deep, behind the last rank was the
murderer, on each side of him marched a soldier with a
drawn sabre; on his right and left twelve others with
fixed bayonets.
He was a tall handsome young man, about twenty-six
years of age, about six feet high, dressed in a blue coat,
resembling that of a blue-coat boy; he was accompanied
by two others, who were to suffer for forgery, with the
executioner carrying the knoots tied up in canvas, and
about six ranks of foot soldiers closed the rear. The phy-
siognomy of the murderer was such as would have stag-
gered even Lavater himself; his countenance was open
and honest, nor had he the least appearance of possess
ing so base a heart.
The stake prepared for him was a strong block of
wood, fixed in the ground, with three grooves at tjie top,
and two rings near the bottom : the middle groove was for
the neck, and the two others for the arm pits, the rings
below to lock round the ancles j about the stakes were
laid coarse skins, especially where the knoot-master trod,
upon which lay his whips, marking-irons, pincers, &c.
An officer then read a paper to the people, signifying that
forgery upon the Imperial bank being a capital crime,
_ Vol. II. h h H and.
425
fy of the crime. He was a carpenter,, who had worked
in tiie neighbourhood, and having heard that the people
possessed a small sum of money, went one evening to
beg a lodging, when, after having regaled them with
brandy, he took an opportunity when they were all
asleep, to treat them in the manner above related, robbed
the house of about one hundred rubles, fastened the win-
dows, having fixed a padlock on the door, and walked
off unnoticed. On the Saturday morning following,
about ten o’clock, he was conducted to the place of exe-
cution. First went the police master, then a posse of
police officers on horseback, two and two, four ranks of
foot soldiers, twelve deep, behind the last rank was the
murderer, on each side of him marched a soldier with a
drawn sabre; on his right and left twelve others with
fixed bayonets.
He was a tall handsome young man, about twenty-six
years of age, about six feet high, dressed in a blue coat,
resembling that of a blue-coat boy; he was accompanied
by two others, who were to suffer for forgery, with the
executioner carrying the knoots tied up in canvas, and
about six ranks of foot soldiers closed the rear. The phy-
siognomy of the murderer was such as would have stag-
gered even Lavater himself; his countenance was open
and honest, nor had he the least appearance of possess
ing so base a heart.
The stake prepared for him was a strong block of
wood, fixed in the ground, with three grooves at tjie top,
and two rings near the bottom : the middle groove was for
the neck, and the two others for the arm pits, the rings
below to lock round the ancles j about the stakes were
laid coarse skins, especially where the knoot-master trod,
upon which lay his whips, marking-irons, pincers, &c.
An officer then read a paper to the people, signifying that
forgery upon the Imperial bank being a capital crime,
_ Vol. II. h h H and.