Burned soldier croft
Ahontie 1 Räyrinki Veteli
In autumn 1775, Rönnberg’s soldier croft was destroyed as a result of arson. A penniless soldier named Erkki Silversmed bludgeoned the farmer and his wife to death and left their baby Maria crying in her cradle inside the burning building. Silversmed also robbed the family’s money. The day after he left for Kokkola with his fiancée Kaisa, who knew nothing about the crime, and made expensive engagement purchases for their future wedding. Rumours started to circulate in the parish and Silversmed became a prime suspect. He was finally arrested and brought to trial.
Vicar Anders Chydenius (“Birch-bark Anders”) managed to make Silversmed give up lying and finally confess his crime. He was sentenced to lose his right hand and to public execution by torturing. First he was brought to the cold and draughty Korsholma castle to wait for the execution of his sentence. In spring 1776, the offender was transported to the marketplace of Kokkola and attached with neck irons to a whipping post for the public to see. There he was also whipped. Above the post, there was a plate describing the crime in question. Chydenius was also there to give a speech. On the execution day, Silversmed was brought to the executioner.
Stories
Marjatta Pulkkinen (1997, 126) describes Silversmed’s execution in her book Tuohi-Antin mustalammas as follows: “The executioner stepped forward. The public held their breath. But if they expected screaming and swearing and resistance, they were mistaken. Meek as a lamb, Erkki let his eyes be covered, and he was lifted to the cart. The horse started to walk towards the execution site. An old nag, which had spent its best days in farm work, still served in such a task. A hairy horse, with its head down, its hooves slowly clopping on the street. The man with a hood on his head, the executioner next to him.”
Photos
Soldier croft in Alajepua
Soldier croft in Alajepua
A beheaded person on the breaking wheel in 1798
Map
