Assignment no 4

The Ullfall Murder

Per Olsson was born on September 24, 1797, at a crofter’s holding
in Gustava, as the 5th child in a hard working family. He grew up
in Gustava a small place in the near of Hagfors in Northern Wermland.
The family lived in a red cottage situated in the forest, consisting of
one room and a kitchen. There was a wood stove in the kitchen, the
only heating to warm up. Water was brought out of a spring in the
garden. Five hens picking up seed in the garden supplied the house-
hold with eggs. Two cows supplied milk fulfilling the family’s request.
According to current rules, people were obliged to have four cows,
if having a horse. Per’s father was anyway keeping a horse to care
out the forestry. At that time, men living in Gustava worked as
farmers, black-smiths and craftsmen, while the women worked with
household duties.

After nine years at school Per Olsson starts to work as a farmer’s hand
at Mathew Olsson’s crofter’s holding Ullfallet in Gustafa. Mathews is
married to Lisa. Per starts to help Mathews carrying through different
duties at his small farm. Mathews has an austere look. Even his wife is
afraid of him. As Mathews and Lisa doesn’t have any children by their
own, Tom, a young shepherd boy, is living together with them. Mathews
and Per are working hard together for a long time reaching good agree-
ment. Mathews is content with their team-work and good co-operation.
However, Per keeps a secret in his mind, namely to buy a rowing-boat,
enable him to go out fishing. But, there is a problem, because he has
neither got any money nor earning much. One day, he asks Mathews:
“Please, could you lend me 30 rixdollar?” Mathew answers: “Why,
do you want me to borrow you 30 rixdollar?” Per says: “Because, I’ve
got a dream. The money makes it possible to buy a rowing-boat.”
Mathews says: “I’ll think it over. You’ll get an answer within a week”.
As Mathew is satisfied with the work Per executes at his farm, he is
afraid missing him and anxious to meet his wishes. After three days
Mathews contacts Per informing: “Yes, I’ll lend you 30 rixdollar, if
you promise to repay the money plus an interest of 2 % within a
period of three months. ”Happy to hear Mathews admitting the loan,
Per confirms: “I promise you to repay the 30 rixdollar plus 2% interest
according to due date.

Whistling happily Per goes away buying a rowing-boat. Since that day
Per goes fishing early in the mornings. As a matter of fact, Pers’ salary
doesn’t make it possible to save money for the loan. Consequently,
after three months he has almost 30 Rixdollar to repay. Matheus is
disappointed hearing Per can’t repay the loan as agreed upon. But,
he promises Per to wait for another month. When even this month is
passed Mathew becomes furious and emphasises to Per: “ It’s an
agreement and you’ve promised me to repay and settle the amount on
due date.” Per answers: “Yes, but you haven’t paid enough salary enabling
me to repay and settle the loan. I really, want to settle the loan.”

After that day, as soon as Mathews meets Per he reminds him about
the outstanding amount. Of course, Per wants to repay the money,
but he just doesn’t earn enough as Mathew is a skinflint. Per gets
tired hearing Mathew reminding him time after another. He starts
to avoid and to keep away from Mathew to be spared from hearing
his reminders. One day, when Per is scythe working out in the fields,
Mathews turns up again threatening him saying: “You’ll have to hand
in a resignation, if not settling the loan of 30 rixdollar excluding 2%
interest within soon. I’ll get you scolded in the farmers’ neighbourhood,
if you can’t keep your promise paying back your debt.”

At this time Per has been working at Mathews’ farm for a couple of
years. Still, he is a bachelor and has the intention to move out from
Mathews’ house and take over Gummen, a crofter’s holding in Gustava.
A friend of Per, Lars Olsson, has promised Per to be his farm-hand,
carrying through different duties at the crofter Gummen.

From now on, Per has gone tired almost mad of Mathews’ nagging about
the loan as soon as meeting him. Late one evening Per brings Lars with
him to Mathews’ farm to give notice and inform Mathew, that he still
doesn’t have the money and is unable to repay the loan. Before, going
to Mathews’ farm they have some fun and drink a bottle of liquid. There-
after, being somewhat drunk, they decide to follow the way through the
wood to Mathews’ farm. Per wishes he had got the money to repay the loan,
but he hasn’t. As a matter of fact, Per likes Mathew, but he can’t stand
him claiming the debt all the time.

He has to do something thoroughgoing to get rid of all nagging about
money. In the middle of the night arriving in front of Matheus’ house,
he opens the door and steps brave inside. Per is a tall and thin guy, but
not weak. He isn’t aggressive in any way, even if always keeping a knife
in one of his long trouser pockets as a precautionary measure. Coming
inside Per gets furious, when once again hearing Matheus’s voice reminding
him about due date of the debt.

Per can’t stand hearing the claim any longer. Violently, he raises the right
hand in which he holds a knife. Suddenly, he cuts Mathew deep in the throat
and short thereafter his wife, Lisa. Mathew takes out his hands to protect
himself, while the blood gushes from the deep wound at the same time as it
red-colours his shirt. In vain, he tries to say something. The blood in his
throat just enables him to groan a little. When he tries to talk, there is a
a gurgling sound. After some minutes he collapses and falls to the floor,
where he remains lying. For some minutes his body shakes somewhat.
A few minutes thereafter, he lies pale, still and calm on the floor. The
only person, participating during the brutal murder is Tom, the shepherd
boy, who gets a shock and runs away.

When Per and Lars understand, that Mathew and his wife are brought
to death they become confused and start to shout to each other: “What’ve
we done?” “After this deed, we’ll get our throats cut off.”
Calming down they get aware of having to get rid of two human
beings’ bodies. To remove evidence they get an idea and decide
to put the Ullfallet farm on fire. Executing the idea, Per becomes
scared and starts running into the wood in order to hide the murder
weapon, his knife. Having run for two hours Per and Lars get tired
and lay down to rest in a barn, but before doing that, they pick some
eggs in the poultry-yard to appease the hunger, not having eaten
since yesterday.

Afraid, hiding in the barn they are aware of, that the police force
within soon would search for them. They didn’t want to appear in
public. When dark had fallen they were sneaking like Indians into
the food cellar of a house situated not far from there, where they had
stolen some bread and ham. In the dark they had seen how the Ullfallet
farm was on fire. Per understood, that he couldn’t go on behaving like
this much longer. After some days the people in the neighbourhood
should know all about what had happened at the Ullfallet and was on
the look out for Per and Lars. Having eaten Per and Lars decide to go
to the police to confess, what they had been up to.

Well, arriving to the police Per and his friend Lars were arrested. They
were informed by the police, that their case was planned to be handled
within a week. Spending the days in the arrest the police executed cross-
examination technique. At once, Per admitted the committed murder of
Mathew and Lisa, his wife and Lars assisting the crime. As a matter of
fact, there was a witness to the crime, Tom, the shepherd boy working
for Mathew and Lisa, who witnessed the crime. During the legal proceeding
Per admitted the murder of Mathew and his wife Lisa. Lars admitted being
his assistant. The Supreme Court made the final judicial decision sentencing
Per Olsson and Lars Olsson to death by beheading. At this time beheading
was a popular entertainment.

On December 20, 1823, Per Olsson and Lars Olsson were beheaded outside
Ullfallet, the crofter’s holding. The parish clergyman read some lines out
of the bible before the action was executed. After the beheading Pers’ and
Lars’ heads were placed with public views on poles in front of the house
Ullfallet. As actions like this was a very popular entertainment, people
round about Gustava participated the execution of the two persons, who
had committed murder.

Svea Hovrätt was handling the Ullfall murder case at the Court of Justice
Legislation: Rättegångsbalken 2nd chapter 5§ 1734 Law