DID YOU KNOW...
Execution Fact
Franz was so reviled his execution was made torturous
Interrogation Fact
Police originally questioned Franz's brother on the murders
Sad Fact
Police were told early on about Franz, but dismissed the complaint because of the complainnanat's "low character"
THE DISPATCH
The Beginning
In late 1891, Vienna police began receiving reports of young women going missing after going to local registry offices looking for work. There were, for the time period, so many reports that authorities began a long and detailed investigation into the reports.
Police discovered that a large number of the missing girls had been employed by Franz and Rosalie Schneider. The girls would begin to work for the couple, but then would disappear and never be heard from again.
Early Crimes
On September 11, 1890, Franz started a rape and robbery pattern that would escalate into murder. He approached a maidservant, Johanna Dumsegger, at a St. Polten inn. Admiring her necklace and a cross, Franz convinced Dumsegger he could find employment for her at a different inn. Instead, Franz led her to some fields, sexually assaulted her and robbed her. “This incident was not believed at the time as the girl had a bad reputation”.
A surviving victim, Johanna Strober, was led to a church in a Neulengbach field or forest, where Franz demanded money. He strangled and assaulted her after getting no money, and left her in the early morning hours of May 25, 1891, in the woods. She later testified in court.
On June 1, 1891, Anna Gyurics was asked by a man to accompany him to the woods, and she refused. Instead, she was taken to an inn and the man attempted to rob and sexually assault her. She did not tell police at the time.
The Murders
Rosalie Kleinrath (Kleinrathe)
- June 18, 1891
- Christopen
Rosalie Kleinrath, 18, was approached by the Schneiders who pretended to be looking to hire a servant for the Barroness Falke. Kleinrath fell for the ruse and accompanied Franz and Rosalie to Neulengbach. Franz and Kleinrath went into the woods of Christopen, but only Franz returned. He had strangled the woman, stripped her and left her in the woods.
Franz later claimed his wife provided him with a bottle of drug which Kleinrath breathed in, and died. Franz went to where Kleinrath had been staying and took all of her possessions. The couple then sold everything.
Marie Hottwagner (Hottakger)
- July 3, 1891
- Neulengbach
Marie Hottwagner was registering for work as a servant in the Servants’ Office when she was approached by Rosalie. Hottwagner took Rosalie up on her offer of work, and accompanied the Schneiders to Vienna. Hottwagner’s boyfriend had been waiting for Hottwagner in a pub nearby and saw her leave with the couple.
She was found murdered and robbed on July 23, 1891 in a forest near Vienna.
The Schneiders earned enough from the sale of Hottwagner’s possessions to find a better place to live and purchase some furniture.
Vincenza Zouffar (Zoufar)
- July 8, 1891
- Neulengbach
Like the young women before her, Vincenza Zouffar was enticed with the job offer of being a servant for a couple in Neulengbach. On July 8, 1891, Zouffar was murdered. Franz strangled her, stripped her body, and hid it under branches in the woods.
Franz later claimed Rosalie poisoned her by forcing Zouffar to smell a toxic substance from a bottle. Rosalie sold Zouffar’s clothing, earning enough to quit her job and began assisting Franz in finding victims.
Several Attempts Made
- Between May and July, 1891
- Area Around Neulengbach
Franz and Rosalie were on a roll. Franz approached a number of women looking for employment over the course of 2 months. He failed to rob or attack the women because they either refused his offer of employment, or failed to being their “box”.
As was the custom at the time, each woman registering as a servant and looking for employment, would bring a box of her worldly possessions with her. This was in the hopes of finding a new place to live and work. Without the box, most women had nothing.
Gyurics Notifies Police
- About July 24, 1891
- Neulengbach
Gyurics did not tell police about the attempted robbery and sex assault until after a murder victim was found and the killer’s description publicized. She told police what he looked like. The description of the man in this assault closely matched the description of the man seen with the dead woman, and he was known at the inn. Upon investigation, police discovered the man from the inn had a brother with a bad reputation. It was Franz Schneider. Gendarmes began their hunt.
Arrest & Trial
Scheiders Arrested
- August 10, 1891
- Rudolphsheim
Franz and Rosalie Schneider were arrested on August 10, 1891 under the names Ferdinand and Rosalia Riedler. After their arrest, the media likened them to Martin and Marie-Anne Dummolard, and went as far as suggesting that the Schneiders got their ideas from books written about the Dummolard murders. Authorities found clothing belonging to 6 women in the Schneider home.
Rosalie Attempts Suicide
- September 15, 1891
- Vienna
On September 15, 1891, while in custody, Rosalie managed to jump from a third floor window. She sustained significant injuries, and it was initially thought she would not survive.
Zouffar Found
- November 15, 1891
- Neulengbach
On November 15, 1891, Rosalie told authorities where to find Zouffar’s body. After searching the location, her nude corpse was found in a thicket.
Kleinrath Found
- November 19, 1891
- Christopen
The decomposed body of Rosalie Kleinrath was found in a ditch, covered by debris, on November 19, 1891.
The Trial Begins
- January 26, 1892
- Vienna
The trial for the Schneiders began on January 26, 1892. Prosecutors said Franz confessed to the murders, stabbing and beating the girls to death after sexually assaulting them.
During the trial, Franz said it was Rosalie who was wholly responsible, and Rosalie said Franz was wholly responsible. It was found that, in some cases, Rosalie held the woman down while Franz killed her.
Franz had been scratched in the face by a would-be victim who got away from him, so Rosalie decided to help by holding the victim’s hands above her head. This prevented Franz from being scratched while he killed his victim.
Schneiders Found Guilty
- January 29, 1892
- Vienna
During the sensational trial, members of the public would wait in line for long periods, just to get a space in the courtroom.
Refusing the leave the court for fear of leaving their seats, visitors had brought food and drink with them. During one lunch break, people began passing around bottles of wine they had smuggled in. “From all parts of the Court people were heard shouting out for sandwiches and drinks, and the distribution of these provisions gave rise to great merriment…” reported the Worcestershire Chronicle.
On January 29, 1892, the trial against the Schneiders ended. The jurors found Franz guilty of all the murder charges while Rosalie was found guilty of the murder of Zouffar. Both were immediately sentenced to death, with Rosalie slated to be hanged first.
After the death sentence, another woman’s body was found. On February 2, 1892, a body was found in the woods of Neulengbach. It was believed that she had been another of the estimated six murder victims of the couple. Since they were already under a death sentence, it was not pursued.
Rosalie Schneider's Sentence Commuted
- March 11, 1892
- Vienna
On March 11, 1892, Rosalie Schneider’s death sentence was commuted to life in prison. She was also confined to a dark cell in solitary confinement once a week as extra punishment.
Franz Schneider’s Gruesome Execution
Franz Schneider Hanged
- March 16, 1892
- Vienna
On March 16, 1892, Franz Schneider was executed for his crimes. A crowd had gathered in Landesgericht Strasse outside the Law Courts, in the hopes of witnessing the execution, but the building was guarded and the Courtyards filled with military personnel planning to keep the public at bay. However, 80 other fortunate people were in attendance, including officials, barristers and reporters.
Instead of the typical gallows, a broad white stake was firmly embedded in the ground at an angle. On top of the stake was a large spike. Beside the spike were a small set of stairs.
Franz was lead to the spike and had his hands tied. Two executioner assistants – horse slaughterers by day – grabbed Franz and lifted him off the ground. Despite Franz’s screams of terror, the executioner ran up the stair and lassoed Franz’s neck and Franz was released by the assistants. He was now hanging in the air. The executioner – a man named Seyfried – grabbed Franz. His left hand cradled the killer’s jaw while his right hand covered the man’s eyes and forehead. Then the assistants grasped Franz’s legs, and pulled. After four minutes of being hanged and stretched between the executioner and his assistants, the doctor declared Franz dead. However, it took the executioner a total of five minutes to decide for himself that the man was dead, and released Franz.
Without the typical black hood, “the face of the dying man could be seen between the fingers of the executioner, and every change in the color of the flesh was discernable. It was a horrid sight…” and garnered many calls for the end of such brutal execution tactics.
THE STATS
Statistical table for Franz Schneider
| Killer Name | SCHNEIDER, Franz |
| Killer AKA | Ferdinand Niedler |
| Partnership | Yes |
| Gender | M |
| Arrest Date | August 10, 1891 |
| Conviction Date | January 29, 1892 |
| Sentence | Death sentence |
| Birth Location | Murstetten, Austria |
| Birth Date | 1857 |
| Death Date | March 16, 1892 |
| Deceased | Yes |
| Executed | Yes |
| Cause of Death | Hanged |
| Poor | Yes |
| School Other | attended irregularly and could scarcely write his name |
| Job Types | butcher |
| Labour Type | Blue |
| Employment Status | rarely worked |
| Sexual Preference | straight |
| Marital Status | married |
| Number of Children | no |
| Killer Type | Criminal Enterprise (drugs/robbery), Sexual/Sadistic, Territorial |
| Partner Name | SCHNEIDER, Rosalie |
| Partner Gender | F |
| Partner Relation | Wife |
| comment1 | About 600 gendarmes and forest guards and their dogs searched for bodies, finding 3 in the woods near their home |
| Total Dead Victims | 6 |
| Victims (Suspected) | 3 |
| Victims (Convicted) | 3 |
| Victim Gender | F |
| Victim Race | White |
| Victim Type | Servants |
| Method of Killing | Suffocation, possibly some kind of inhaled poison |
| Abduction | Yes |
| Robbery | Yes |
| Sex Assault | Yes |
| Body - Left, Hidden | Yes |
| Previous Crimes | theft, robbery, fraud, sexual assault |
Killer Rating
Statistical table for Rosalie Schneider
| Killer Name | SCHNEIDER, Rosalie |
| Killer AKA | Rosalie Capellari |
| Partnership | Yes |
| Gender | F |
| Arrest Date | August 10, 1891 |
| Conviction Date | January 29, 1892 |
| Sentence | Death sentence, commuted to life on March 11, 1892 |
| Birth Date | , 1851 |
| Status | Dead |
| Deceased | Yes |
| Poor | Yes |
| Job Types | cook, maidservant, sex worker |
| Labour Type | Blue |
| Sexual Preference | straight |
| Marital Status | remarried |
| Number of Children | one child by another man |
| Killer Type | Criminal Enterprise (drugs/robbery), Territorial |
| Partner Name | SCHNEIDER, Franz |
| Partner Gender | M |
| Partner Relation | Husband |
| comment1 | Tried to commit suicide before trial |
| Total Dead Victims | 1 |
| Victims (Convicted) | 1 |
| Victims (Misc) | Helped husband kill 6 |
| Victim Gender | F |
| Victim Race | White |
| Victim Type | Servants |
| Method of Killing | Suffocation, possibly some kind of inhaled poison |
| Abduction | Yes |
| Robbery | Yes |
| Body - Left, Hidden | Yes |
| Previous Crimes | fraud |
Killer Rating
RESOURCES
- The Express and Telegraph (Sep 19, 1891)
- Evening Journal (Jan 7, 1892)
- Pall Mall Gazette (Jan 26, 1892)
- Evening News (Jan 26, 1892)
- The Advertiser (Feb 1 1892)
- Penny Illustrated Paper (Feb 6, 1892)
- Worcestershire Chronicle (Feb 6, 1892)
- Sporting Times, serialized part 1 (Feb 6, 1891)
- Sporting Times, serialized part 3 (pt 2 unavailable) (Feb 13, 1891)
- The Telegraph (Mar 11, 1892)
- Darling Downs Gazette (Mar 19, 1892)
- Paywalled Articles (zip file)