THE YOUNG WIDOW OF BREMEN. 155 



spot, found something hidden amongst nettles and dock-weeds. It was 

 a man's hat, crushed and broken, which, by a broad lace he wore, was 

 remembered in a moment to have belonged to Adolphe Brauer ! 



Business called me to Lubec whilst these strange events were pass- 

 ing; and on my return some months after, I was aghast to learn that Her- 

 mann Von Korper was in prison, charged with the murder of Adolphe 

 Brauer, and the concealment of the body. The proof rested principally 

 on their known disagreement the sudden disappearance of Brauer the 

 undenied story of Peter Snick, and the discovery of this hat on the very 

 spot where their last quarrel was supposed to have taken place. The 

 grand difficulty, which no inquiry threw any light upon, was to find 

 how the body had been disposed of. To complete the chain of testi- 

 mony, an expedient was resorted to which cannot be contemplated 

 without horror. They examined the prisoner by torture ! Young 

 Hermann was laid upon a low iron bedstead, and his wrists and ancles 

 passed through tight iron rings secured to the four posts. A heavy 

 weight was placed upon his breast. Then the bed was drawn out of 

 the frame by machinery, leaving his body supported by the wrists and 

 ancles alone, and bearing this ponderous load. At first the great mus- 

 cular force and symmetry of his frame endured this severe tension, and 

 he suffered apparently but little. Soon, however, his limbs quivered 

 violently; and huge drops started upon his forehead, and ran down in a 

 stream to the floor. 



Then the judge called aloud, asking him "Whether he would confess 

 where he had hidden the body of Adolphe Brauer, whom he had mur- 

 dered?" " You may kill me," cried Hermann, in a weak voice broken 

 by agony, " but I die innocent, and have told you all the truth." From 

 the strength displayed by the wretched young man, it was thought he 

 had not suffered pain enough to break his obstinacy. Strong levers 

 were applied to the four sides of the bed, by which his limbs were 

 further strained. Hitherto he had suffered silently; now he scarcely 

 stifled a shriek, and groaned heavily and incessantly. The executioner 

 then brought a second heavy stone, and laid it over the other upon his 

 breast. Human nature gave way: their barbarity had done its worst. 

 He uttered a loud and piercing shriek, and trembled all over so vio- 

 lently, that the joints of his wrists broke. He became quite senseless. 

 His mouth was wetted with a feather, to recal sensation, and the question 

 repeated, but no sign of consciousness was returned. They were forced 

 to end their horrid cruelty and by many strong stimulants, with diffi- 

 culty recalled him to life. 



He was taken back to his prison, and left all night alone, barely fur- 

 nished with some liquid to allay his fever, and keep his poor racked 

 frame alive till morning. On the following day he was again brought 

 up for examination. I was present ; for I hoped to be able to bring 

 some evidence in his favour; but I was little prepared for the cruel 

 scene which followed. He was brought in, supported by two officers, 

 looking so pale, so anguish-worn, that I could hardly recognize him. 

 When he was brought near the terrible " bed of judgment," and com- 

 pelled to touch it whilst he answered the questions put to him, his whole 

 frame trembled like a leaf. He returned the same answer as before, and 

 passionately called Heaven to witness that he was guiltless of the blood 

 of Adolphe. The judges began to pity him, and obviously believed 

 him innocent, in spite of all appearances to the contrary, when the counsel 



