Translation Help Please? Hardanger og Voss sorenskriveri, SAB/A-2501/1/1A/1Ag/L0014: Tingbok for Voss, 1842-1852, p. 64b-72a

[Even Stormoen]

12 timer siden, Roy-Petter Askim skrev:

(I think Angj. means Concerning, and  Anj. is the person/subject in question):

1 time siden, Even Stormoen skrev:

One of the many things that are great about this Forum, is the cooperation between members.

 

And in the best "spirit": Angj. and Anj, – which I believe is definitely the same abbreviation just ‹typed› [typo-ed 😉] differently, always, in my experience, refers to Angjeldende –  the ‹Person in question›; the defendant/accused.

 

 

Reg.

Endret Mars 20, 2023 av Even Stormoen

[Even Stormoen]

At last – here is the remaining text. ‹As requested› I have tried only to interpret what seems to concern Steffen. Not ‹translated› yet, but will try later.

And using a lot of forum space because ‹some› thought it a bad idea to exclude this from the public 😉 

I am definitely flattered, but rather ashamed – regardless.

Anyhow:

 

[66b]

 

01 denne Sags Gjenstand. - Konfrontation opstilledes.

02 34te Vidne David Størksen Æen, 44 Aar gl. forklarer at han kjender Tiltalte Steffen

03 da dennes Fader er Vidnets Vilkaarmand og boer saaledes paa Vidnets Gaard. Angaaende

04 Steffens Skrivekyndighed forklarer Vidnet at det ikke kjender videre dertil end forsaavidt

05 at det forinden han reiste til Nordland kunde hænde sommetider at han kom ind hvor Vid-

06 nets Børn sadde og skreve, og da kunde han %tage% undertiden tage Pennen og skrive et

07 enkelt Ord. Den Skrift som Vidnet saaledes saae af ham var ikke bedre end den

08 Prøveskrift som han nu har gjort her i Retten, og som blev Vidnet foreviist, og at

09 han under sit Ophold i Nordland erhvervede sig synderlig Færdighed i Skrivning

10 har Vidnet ingen Grund tiil at antage, i hvilken Henseende Vidnet specielt bemær-

11 ker at engang i Vinter hørte Vidnet ham yttre at han skulde %have% faa skrevet

12 et Brev etsteds hen, det var nok til Byen, og at han vilde faa en af Skoleme-

13 sterne til at skrive for sig. Hjemme hos sin Fader har ikke Vidnet erfaret at

14 han har drevet noget paa Skriveri. At han skulde have kunnet forfærdige

15 de falske Tidalersedler forekommer Vidnet idetmindste ikke troligt. –

16 35te Vidne Knud Olsen Æen, i 17de Aar og Stedsøn til 34te Vidne, forklarer sig over-

17 eensstemmende med Denne, dog saaledes at Vidnet ikke hørte Steffen tale om at skulle

18 faa skrevet noget Brev. –

19 36 Vidne Johannes Olsen Æen, 44 Aar gl. og 34te Vidnes Nabo, forklarer at

20 da Tiltalte Steffen gik i Skole, lærte han lidt at skrive, saavidt det kunde læses, sit

21 Navn og eller noget Smaat, men det var ringe med hans Færdighed og Vidnet

22 hjalp ham derfor undertiden naar det traf sig at han vilde sende en skriftlig Beskjed

23 til nogen eller deslige. Hans Skrift var ikke bedre end den irettværende Prøveskrift.

24 Siden han kom tilbage fra Nordland har Vidnet ikke seet ham skrive. Angaaende

25 hvorvidt man kan tiltro ham den Evne, som de falske Sedler antyder, forklarer Vidnet

26 sig overeensstemmende med de to næstforegaaende Vidner. –

27 De 5 sidste Vidner hørte oplæste deres Prov, beedigede samme og afskediges. –

28 Lund bemærkede, at uagtet han var belavet paa idag at indstille Sagen til

29 Doms, saa ansaae han det dog for tilraadeligt først at erholde afhørt de tvende

30 idag opgivne Vidner, samt at anstille nærmere Undersøgelse om hvorfra det

31 Rygte, at Sjur Hylle skulde mistænkes for at have forfærdiget de falske

32 Sedler, har sin Oprindelse. Han blev saaledes nødsaget atter at begjære

33 Sagen udsat til Opnaaelsen af den nævnte Hensigt. –

34 Begge de Tiltalte overleveredes atter Arrestforvareren og Sagen udsættes

35 til ioverimorgen, Mandagen den 5te August førstl., Formiddag Kl 7 her

36 paa Stedet. – [sign.]

 

[67a]

 

26 Fortsat Justitssag mod Erik Gjelle og Steffen Æen. –

27 Aar 1844 den 5te August continuerede denne Sag paa Wangens Thingstue af samme Administra-

28 tor som i forrige Session, i Overvær af de undertegnede eedsvorne Retsvidner. –

29 [formalia]

30 [ditto]

31 . . . . Tiltalte Steffen Æen blev gjort

32 opmærksom paa hvorledes hans Strafskyld ifølge Kriminallovens Bestemmelser i Kap.

33 11 § 12 vil være afhengig af hvorvidt Fabrikanten af Sedlerne udfindes, og opfordre-

34 des Han derfor til at nævne rette Gjerningsmand, og at vende Beskyldningen fra Med-

35 tilltalte hvis denne uretteligen skulde være beskyldt. I denne Anledning erklærede

36 derpaa Steffen, at han kan ikke skylde paa nogen Anden end medtiltalte Erik

37 Gjelle, og %at% forsikrede han at alt hvad han har forklaret om Denne er sandt,

38 om det saa var det sidste Ord hans skulde sige.

 

[67b]

 

16 Tiltalte Steffen Æen erklærer at der ikke var noget Uvenskab mellem ham og

17 Medtiltalte. Confrontation anstillldes, men Enhver vedblev Sit […]

18 – 53

54 39te Vidne Wiking Wikingsen Neqvitne, 43. Aar gl. og gift med Organist Sjur Hylles

55 Søster, forklarer at efter hvad Vidnet hørte af bemeldte sin Svoger var det saa

56 langtfra at han stod paa nogen fortrolig Fod med tiltalte Steffen Æen, at der

57 tvertimod var Uvenskab imellem dem. Det hedte nemlig engang: at Steffen

58 skulde gjøre meget af Vidnets Steddatter, som ivaar rejste med Sjur Hylle til

59 Amerika, men et saadant Parti var saavel Vidnet og Dets Kone, Pigens Moder,

60 som hendes Morbroder, bemeldte Sjur Hylle imod, og da søgte af alle

61 Kræfter at modarbeide det. Herover skulde nu Steffen være bleven vred

 

[68a]

 

01 paa Sjur. At Sjur Hylle under disse Omstændigheder vilde hverken

02 ved lovlige eller ulovlige Midler hjælpe Steffen at komme med til Amerika, og

03 at Steffen, om han havde haft noget at lægge Sjur tillast, ikke havde været

04 tilbøielig til at skaane ham paa en Uskyldigs Bekostning, derom holder Vid-

05 net sig overbeviist.

06 –32

33 Da Steffen Olsen Æen af Wos Fredagen den 24de May d. A. havde begivet

34 sig paa reisen til Bergen for derfa at udskibe sig til Nordamerika, lod

35 Lensmand Berg sin Ombudskarl eftersætte ham, deels fordi han ikke havde

36 betalt en Kreditor der paa Stedet, og deels i Anledning af at Erik Aadsen

37 Gjelle, som forhen har været under Tiltale for falske Bankosedlers For-

38 færdigelse, havde været sammen med ham paa Wangen bemeldte Dag og

39 ladet falde Yttringer, som foranlediget en Mistanke, der blev bestyrket

40 da Skydskaren, som havde været med Steffen til første Skifte, kom til-

41 bage og fortalte, at have leilighedsviis faaet see ham have en guul Sed-

42 del gjemt i sin Hose. I Nærheden af Bolstadøren indhentede nu Lens-

43 mandskarlen ham, og i Fjæren ved Nøstene sammesteds kom det til en

44 Undersøgelse, hvorved (??) der havde kastet Steffen omkuld, fandt 3 falske Ti-

45 dalersedler liggende under ham, men som Steffen nægtede at vedkjende sig

46 idet to i Nærheden staaende Personer kaldtes tilstede. Imidlertid tog Lens-

47 mandskarlen ham med sig tilbage til Wos og indsatte ham i Arrest

48 Ved det derefter optagne Forhør gik han dog strax til Bekjendelse om Be-

49 siddelsen af de falske Sedler, som han havde foresat sig at utgive naar han

50 kom til Bergen, og opgav han derhos at han havde faaet dem af Erik Aadsen

51 Gjelle, som havde fabrikeret dem, og med hvem han var foreenet om at

52 de skulde dele Fortjenesten % – %

53 % – % og havde denne allerede faaet 1 Spdlr for-

54 skudsviis. Erik Gjelle, som paa Steffens Sigtelse af Lensmanden bleven arre-

56 steret, fragik imidlertid aldeles den ham saaledes paalagte Gjerning.–

57 Ifølge Amtets Ordre af 11 Juni d. A. tiltales nu de ommeldte Personer, Erik

58 Gjelle for Forfærdigelse og forsøkt Udgivelse af falske Pengesedler, og Steffen

59 Æen for lige Forbrydelse eller Deelagtighed deri.

60 Som overfor antydet har Erik Gjelle forhen været under en lignende

61 Forfølgelse, og da de med Hensyn til nærvæerende Sag erhvervede Oplysning-

62 er tildeels faae deres Betydning ved at henviise til hiin ældre Sag, har man

 

[68b]

 

01 erhvervet Dennes Acter og øvrige Documenter, hvoraf erfares, at der var

02 Spørgsmaal om 26 Stk falske Tidalersedler, som Erik imputeredes at have for-

03 ferdiget medens han havde holdt sig skjult paa hans Medtiltalte Ole Kindems Loft-

04 kammer. Erik blev imidllertid frifunden for videre Tiltale ved Krigsretsdom

05 af 16 Marts 1838, hvorimod Ole Kindem, som havde udgivet tvende af Sedlerne,

06 blev ved samme Dom og siden ved Høiesteret idømt 10 Aars Slaveri. -

07 Da Steffen Æen forklarer, at Erik Gjelle indledede sine Underhandlinger

08 med ham ved at hentyde til foregaaende lignende Forhold til Ole Kindem,

09 saa bør det formeentlig her ikke settes ud af Betraktning hvor stærke de Grunde

10 ere som tale mod ham med Hensyn til den ældre Begivenhed, og maa det

11 i saa Henseende bemærkes, at de under Krigsretssagen fremkomne Indicier,

12 som bleve befundne at udgiøre en høy Grad af Sandsynlighed for at han virke-

13 lig havde forfærdiget de falske Tidalersedler, ere bleven forstærkede ved flere

14 Dele i nærværende Sag. Saaledes forklarer 15de Vidne, at Tiltalte under sin

 

[the following just concerning Erik]

 

52 Steffen forklarer omstændelig om den fælleds Misgjerning. En Dag i sidstleden

53 Vaar vare de tilfældigviis sammen paa Wangens Gjestgiverstue, og Erik, der

54 havde laanet af ham 1 Ort 8 s, kaldte ham med sig op i et Snidt(?) ved Klokkerstuen

55 og spurgte om han ikke vilde at han ( : Erik : ) skulde arbeide noget til ham,

56 saa skulde de halvere*, efterat han havde yttret at han ansaae Steffen bedre

 

[69a]

 

01 istand til at komme afsted med det end «den Kinde-Hesten». Senere

02 om Aftenen blev Aftalen gjort og de satte hinaden et Stævnemøde i Præstegaards-

03 moen til Torsdagen den 25de May Kl 9 Formiddag, hvorhos Erik bad Steffen kjøbe

04 noget Guulspon og Gurgemeie hos Farveren ved Wosse-Broen, og, da Steffen

05 yttrede Frygt for at det ikke vilde gaa godt med Sedlernes Udgivelse, viste

06 ham hvorledes de skulde behandles for at gives et ældre Udseende samt til-

07 raadede ham naar han kom til Bergen at benytte Aftenskumringen og frem-

08 byde dem hvor der blot var en Person tilstede, samt, hvis Denne gjorde

09 nogen Ophævelse, løbe bort. Det maa her bemærkes, at efter hvad vedkommende

10 Politikammerforhører udvise iagttog Ole Kindem samme Regler ved Udgivel-

11 sen af sine falske Sedler. Videre forklarer Steffen, at da han infandt sig

12 paa betegnet Sted omtrent ved Middagstid den bestemte Dag traf han ikke

13 Erik, hvorfor han sendte et Bud, som bragte det Svar tilbage fra Erik at

14 Signetet ikke var færdigt, men han skulde komme næste Dag. Erik skulde

15 stikke et Signet, som Steffen havde i Commission at modtage, og det var af-

16 talt at deres Sammenkomster skulde siges at angaae Signetet. ( : 11te Vidne har

17 gaaet med et saadant Budskab : ). Næste Dags Morgen kom Steffen til Erik

18 i Dennes Opholdssted paa Gjelle, som de derpaa forlode og fulgtes til Wangen,

19 og under dette Følgeskab bleve de 3 falske Sedler overleverede i Skoven oven-

20 for Gjeruds(?)-Broen, hvor Erik gik noget tilside og lagde først den ene Seddel

21 fra sig og strøede noget Baas ovenpaa, som for at ikke Vinden skulde tage den,

22 og derefter de 2 andre Sedler paa samme Maade. –

23 Erik Gjelle har derimod stadigen fralagd sig alt Bekjendskab til de falske

24 Penge og sagt at hans Hensigt med at følge Steffen til Wangen blot var at

25 indkræve hos Denne tilgodehavende 6 Ort. Noget directe Beviis for at han

26 desuagtet er Fabrikanten er heller ikke tilveiebragt, ligesom de hos ham

27 foretagne Inqvisitioner ikke have givet noget Resultat. De forhaan-

28 denværende Indicier ville nu blive at gjennemgaa.

29 Af den Prøve paa sin Skrift, som Steffen Æen inden Retten har givet,

30 i Forbindelse med 34te, 35te og 36te Vidnes Prov, kan det formeentlig med

31 fuld Sikkerhed sluttes, at han ikke selv har forfærdiget de falske Sedler, især

32 naar hensees til disses Underskrifter, der vidner om en let og flydende

33 Haand. Naar derfor spørges om hvad Vægt der kan legges paa hans Sigtelse

34 mod Erik Gjelle, er det det samme som at spørge hvorvidt det er troligt

35

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/rg50002319600075

 

[71b]

 

Last 3 lines:

 

01 Tiltalte Steffen Olsen Æen, 25 Aar gl, har faaet det Skudsmaal af sin Sogne-

02 præst, at hans Forhold, skjønt ikke at rose, dog har været upaaklageligt. –

03 Han vil som Følge af Foranførte blive at ansee efter Kriminallovens Kap. 11 § 12 sidste

 

[72a]

 

01 (??) sammenholdt med Kap.3 § 1, og anderledes havde det ikke blevet

02 selv om ikke Erik Gjelle var bleven overbeviist om Forfærdigelsen, thi Betingel-

03 sen i førstnævnte Lovsted kan formeentlig blot forstaaes derhen, at det skal be-

04 vises at Udgiveren ikke selv er Fabrikant. De skjærpende Ommstændigheder

05 for hans Vedkommende ere deels at han greb Leiligheden saasnart den

06 tilbød sig, deels det lange Overlæg hvor med han gik frem til Forbrydel-

07 sen, hvortil kommer at Nød ikke kan siges at have været tilstede, og

08 forsaavidt nogen Trang maatte have fristet ham har det været hans egen

09 Skyld da han er en løs og ledig og arbeidsfør Person. Paa den anden

10 Side maa det regnes ham tilgode at han aabenhjertig haar gaaet til Be-

11 kjendelse, og, da hans Forklaring i dette Stykke her maa tages for fyldest,

12 at han af en Anden blev ledet ind paa Forbrydelsen. Efter disse Omstæn-

13 digheder maatte han, om han havde udgivet Sedlerne, sluppet med Straffar-

14 beide i tredie Grad, og da det nu end ikke kom til Forsøg men forblev ved

15 Forsættet, er Straf i fjerde Grad formeentlig ikke anvendelig efter Kap 3 § 1

16 Naar man altsaa skal gaa ned til Femte Grad synes det at man ved at

17 bestemme Tiden til 2 1/2 Aar giver de skjærpende og formildende Omstæn-

18 digheder tilbørlig Indflydelse.

 

[and the verdict.]

 

All of the above has yet to be proofread – so far only a working copy.

 

Regards

[Jan-Thore Solem]

Hip, hip, h.....

 

[Sue Olson Winckler]

Oh my goodness... I am so happy & thrilled.  Thank you so much Even... & thanks also to the work that Roy-Petter  has put in on this topic, as well.  It's people like you, which care about others & their feellings, that make the world go around much better!!!  This is awesome!   

[Even Stormoen]

 

The ‹translation›:

[while repeating to myself: Take courage Old Chap, take courage . . . 😉 ]

 

[66b]

 

01 the object of this case. - Confrontation was set up.

02 34th Witness David Størksen Æen, 44 years old explains that he knows the Defendant Steffen

03 as his father is the witness's [Pensioner?] and thus lives on the witness's farm. Regarding

04 Steffen's Writing Expertise the Witness explains that it does not know any further than that

05 that before he traveled to Nordland it could sometimes happen that he entered where the

06 witnes's Children sat writing, and then he could %take% sometimes take the pen and write one

07 single word. The writing which the witness thus saw he did was no better than the

08 Test-writing which he has now made here in court, and which was shown to the witness, and that

09 during his stay in Nordland he might have acquired some skill in writing

10, the witness has no reason to assume, in which respect the witness specifically remarks

11 that once last winter the witness heard him say that he should %have% written

12 a letter somewhere, probably to the city, and that he wanted to get one of the schoolmasters

13 to write for him. At his father's house, the witness has not learned that

14 he had done any writing. That he should have been able to make

15 the fake Tidaler notes, the witness does not consider likely at all. –

16 35th witness Knud Olsen Æen, in the 17th year and stepson of the 34th witness, explains himself

17 consistent with this, the witness did not hear Steffen talk about having to

18 get some letter written, though. –

19 36 Witness Johannes Olsen Æen, 44 years old and 34th Witness Neighbor, explains that

20 when Defendant Steffen went to school, he learned to write a little, as far as it could be read, his

21 Name and or something small, but his skills were not particularly good and the witness

22 therefore sometimes helped him when it happened that he wanted to send a written message

23 to someone or such. His writing was no better than the existing trial writing.

24 Since he came back from Nordland, the Witness has not seen him write. Regarding

25 whether he can be trusted with the ability that the fake notes suggest, the Witness

26 agrees with the two preceding witnesses. –

27 The last 5 witnesses heard their evidence read out, swore the same and were dismissed. –

28 Lund noted that although he had been inclined to refer the matter to

29 Verdict, he considered it advisable to first hear the two

30 Witnesses arriving today, as well as to make a closer investigation into where the 

31 Rumour that Sjur Hylle was to be suspected of having made the fake

32 Banknotes, has its origin. He was thus forced to once again petition

33 the case adjourned until the attainment of the said purpose. –

34 Both defendants were again handed over to the custody officer and the case was adjourned

35 until the day after tomorrow, Monday the 5th of August first, in the morning at 7 here

36 in this place. – [sign.]

 

[67a]

 

26 Continued legal case against Erik Gjelle and Steffen Æen. –

27 In 1844, on 5 August, this case continued at Wangen's Courtroom by the same adminis-

28 trator as in the previous session, in the presence of the undersigned sworn witnesses. –

29 [formalia]

30 [ditto]

31 . . . . Defendant Steffen Æen was made

32 aware of how his criminal liability according to the provisions of the Criminal Code in Chap.

33 11 § 12 will depend on whether the Manufacturer of the notes is found, and 

34 he is therefore urged to name the real perpetrator, and to turn the accusation from his co-

35 defendant if he wrongly should be accused. In this occasion Steffen then declared

36 that he cannot blame anyone other than co-accused Erik

37 Gjelle, and %at% he assured that everything he has explained about This one is true,

38 if these should be the last words he'd ever speak.

 

[67b]

 

16 Defendant Steffen Æen declares that there was no enmity between him and

17 Co-accused. Confrontation ensued, but both stood their ground [...]

18 – 53

54 39th Witness Wiking Wikingsen Neqwitne, 43 Years old and married to Organist Sjur Hylles

55 Sister, explains that according to what the witness heard from his brother-in-law, he was

56 far from being on any confidential terms with the defendant Steffen Æen, that there

57 on the contrary, was enmity between them. It was once said: that Steffen

58 was very fond of the witness's stepdaughter, who this spring traveled with Sjur Hylle to 

59 America, but such a party was both the witness and his wife, the girl's mother,

60 as well as her maternal uncle, Sjur Hylle reportedly against, and everyone tried

61 their utmost to counteract it. Steffen should have been angry with Sjur because of this

 

[68a]

 

01 That Sjur Hylle under these circumstances would neither

02 by legal or illegal means help Steffen to come to America, and

03 that Steffen, if he had had something to accuse Sjur of, had not been

04 inclined to spare him at the expense of an innocent person,

05 the witness himself was convinced.

06 – 32

33 When Steffen Olsen Æen of Wos on Friday the 24th of May had begun

34 his journey to Bergen in order to then set sail for North America,

35 Sheriff Berg had his deputy go after him, partly because he had not

36 paid a creditor there on the spot, and partly on the occasion of Erik Aadsen

37 Gjelle, who has previously been under indictment for making counterfeit banknotes,

38 had been with him on Wangen the reported day and

39 uttered statements that caused a suspicion that was reinforced

40 when the Driver, who had been with Steffen for the first shift, came

41 back and said that he had accidentally seen him having a yellow Bill

42 hidden in his Stocking. In the vicinity of Bolstadøren the deputy caught up with

43 him, and on the beach by the boathouses there, it came to a

44 Investigation, by which (??) who had thrown Steffen over, found 3 false Ten-

45 daler bills lying under him, but which Steffen refused to acknowledge

46 as two persons standing nearby were called to attend. However, the deputy

47 took him back to Wos and put him in Jail.

48 At the subsequent interrogation, however, he immediately confessed having

49 been in posession of the counterfeit notes which he had intended to publish when he

50 came to Bergen, and he said he had got them from Erik Aadsen

51 Gjelle, who had manufactured them, and with whom he had agreed

52 to share the profit % – %

53% – % and he had already received 1 Spdlr in

54 advance. Erik Gjelle, who was arrested on Steffen's accusation by the sheriff,

56 however, completely renounced the deed thus assigned to him.–

57 According to the county's order of 11 June, the persons in question are accused, Erik

58 Gjelle for Forgery and attempted publication of counterfeit banknotes, and Steffen

59 Æen for equal crime or complicity therein.

60 As indicated above, Erik Gjelle has previously been under a similar

61 Persecution, and when, with regard to the present case, the acquired information

62 partly gets its importance by referring to this older case, one has

 

[68b]

 

01 acquired this case's documents, from which it is learned that there were

02 Question about 26 fake Tendaler notes that Erik was imputed to have

03 finished while he remained hidden in his co-defendant Ole Kindem's attic.

04 Nonetheless, Erik was acquitted of further charges by court-martial

05 of 16 March 1838, whereas Ole Kindem, who had issued two of the Banknotes,

06 was sentenced to 10 years of slavery by the same judgment and then by the Supreme Court. -

07 When Steffen Æen explains that Erik Gjelle initiated his negotiations

08 with him by alluding to previous similar relationships with Ole Kindem,

09 then it should probably not be put out of consideration here, considering how strong the reasons are

10 that speaks against him with regard to the older event, and may it be

11 in this regard, noted that the evidence that emerged during the court-martial,

12 which were found to constitute a high degree of probability that he real-

13 ly had made the fake Tidaler notes, were reinforced in several

14 ways in the present case. Thus the 15th Witness explains that the Defendant during his

 

[the following just concerning Erik]

 

52 Steffen elaborately explains theire crime. One day last

53 Spring they happened to be together at Wangen's guesthouse [Inn], and Erik there

54 had borrowed from him 1 Ort 8 s, told him to follow him into an ally(?) by Klokkerstuen

55 and asked if he didn't want him ( : Erik : ) to do some work for him,

56 then they would [halve* - split the profit?], after he had expressed that he considered Steffen better

 

[69a]

 

01 suited to get away with it than "that Cheek-Horse". [this is an untranslatable pun. Kinde-Hæsten, – the farm name Kinde and Hest –horse. A Kinnhest is an old word for a slap on the cheek.] Later

02 that evening, the agreement was made and they arranged to meet in Præstegaards-

03 moen Thursday, May 25 at 9 a.m., where Erik asked Steffen to buy

04 some Yellow-shavings [silly word, sorry, but…] and Turmeric from The Dyer by the Wosse-Bridge, and when Steffen

05 expressed his fear that things would not go well with the publication of the notes, showed

06 him how they should be treated to give them an older appearance as well as

07 advised him when he came to Bergen to take advantage of the evening twilight and

08 offer them where only one person was present, and if this person proved

09 suspicious, run away. It must be noted here that according to what the relevant

10 Police interrogations shows, Ole Kindem observed the same rules when publishing

11 his fake notes. Furthermore, Steffen explains that when he showed up

12 at the appointed place around noon on the appointed day he did not meet

13 Eric, wherefore he sent a messenger, which brought back the Answer from Eric that

14 The Signet was not finished, but he was to come the next day. Erik should

15 carve a Signet that Steffen was to receive by Commission, and it was

16 agreed that their gatherings should be said to concern the signet. ( :  11th Witness did

17 bring such a message :). The following morning, Steffen came to Erik

18 in his residence at Gjelle, which they then left an walked together to Wangen,

19 and during this entourage the 3 counterfeit notes were handed over in the forest above

20 the Gjeruds(?)-Bridge, where Erik stepped aside and put down one bill first

21 and sprinkled some garbage on top, as if to prevent the wind from taking it away,

22 and then the other 2 bills in the same way. –

23 Erik Gjelle, on the other hand, has always renounced all acquaintance with the fake

24 money and said that his intention in following Steffen to Wangen was simply to

25 collect from him the6 Ort he owed him. Any direct evidence that he

26 notwithstanding, is the Manufacturer is also not provided, just like the

27 inquisitions carried out have not yielded any results. The pre-

28 sent evidence [indications?] would now be reviewed.

29 From the proof of his writing that Steffen Æen has given before the court,

30 in connection with the 34th, 35th and 36th Witness Testimony, it can probably with

31 full certainty be concluded that he himself did not make the fake notes, especially

32 when looking at their signatures, which testify to a light and fluent

33 Hand. When therefore asked what weight can be placed on his charge

34 against Erik Gjelle, it is the same as asking whether it is likely

35

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/rg50002319600075

 

[71b]

 

Last 3 lines:

 

01 Defendant Steffen Olsen Æen, 25 years old, got the recommendation from his parish

02 priest, that his attitude, although not to be praised, has nevertheless been beyond reproach. –

03 As a consequence of the above, he will be considered according to the Criminal Code, Chap. 11 § 12 last

 

[72a]

 

01 (??) combined with Chap. 3 § 1, and it would not have been any different

02 even if it had been proved that Erik Gjelle had done the manufacturing, because the Condi-

03 tion in the first-mentioned legal text can probably be understood simply to mean that it must be

04 proved that the Publisher is not himself the Manufacturer. The aggravating circumstances

05 as far as he is concerned is partly that he seized the opportunity as soon as it

06 was offered, partly the long deliberation with which he proceeded to the Crime,

07 additionally Need cannot be said to have been present, and

08 to what degree any Desire may have tempted him, it has been his own

09 Fault as he is a loose and idle and able-bodied person. On the other

10 hand, it must be credited to him that he has openly confes-

11 sed, and since his explanation in this matter must be taken into consideration,

12 that he was led into the crime by someone else. Under these Circum-

13 stances he would, if he had published the notes, only been sentenced to Hard Labour

14 of the third degree, and as it did not even come to an attempt, but remained

15 intended, Punishment of the fourth Degree is probably not applicable according to Chapter 3 § 1

16 Thus, going down to the Fifth Degree, it seems that by

17 determining the Time to 2 1/2 years gives the aggravating and mitigating Circum-

18 stances due Influence.

 

[and the verdict, which is as the proposed.]

 

All of the above whith the dubious ‹help› from Google Translate. [Can't stop blushing 😉 ] but hopefully it can help you understanding at least some outlines of the content.  

 

All the best

 

 

Endret Mars 25, 2023 av Even Stormoen

[Even Stormoen]

A minor ‹Manual›: In ‹the good old days› norwegian/danish nouns were written the first letter a Capital. My ‹bad friend› GT, does not always acknowledge this. No wonder as the definite article «the» in english, is – in norwegian – always behind and part of the word itself. E.g. «A boy» – en gutt. So far so good. But «The boy» – is gutten. So regrettably there is a very confusing ‹mixture› of upper- and lower case letters in the ‹Stew›.

I figured out too late, and I can’t bear to fix it right now. Sorry. 🙂 

 

Reg.

Endret Mars 25, 2023 av Even Stormoen

[Sue Olson Winckler]

You have nothing, nothing, nothing, to apologize for, at all.  Look what you have provided to me!!! A colorful, although, black-sheepish, chapter in my famiy's history!  Yeah!!   Yes, since you have it available to email to me, your PDF transcript would be great!  Not only as a family record, but as a momento of your, and Roy-Petter's, kindness.  I think I messaged you my email, but just to be sure, I'll message it again.

 

So, in reading through everything, it's my understanding that, even though Steffen didn't create the fake bills, since he was involved in the scheme, he was sentenced to 2 1/2 years... reduced to 2 years incarceration.  Perhaps I missed it, or just misunderstood the legal back and forth text, but did it say where Steffen was to serve his time in a prison, or if he had to sit in the Voss/Vangen county jail?  Did it say anywhere, what type of incarceration (hard labor, maximum or minimum security type), etc?

 

In the records, I was getting mixed up between the current trial, and Erik's previous (1838) trial, where he could have received 10 years, but instead was  acquitted.

Did Erik receive 10 years prison time in the trial in which Steffen was involved (1844-45)?  Was Erik acquitted in that trial too?

 

I haven't re-read yours and Roy-Petter's earlier documents lately, so maybe I'll be reminded of the answers to the questions I just asked.  I really do have a terrible memory!

 

Do you think Steffen's release from prison/jail would be recorded anywhere?

 

You can message me, or give me your opinions here... or you can email me.  However you wish is great!!  I don't think I can explain really how grateful I am for your help!   

 

 

 

[Sue Olson Winckler]

I have to apologize to Ray-Petter Askim... with my poor memory, the links Roy-Petter provided to me that indicates both Erik & Steffen were incarcerated at the "bridewell" in Bergen escaped me.  So please disregard the question of where they were incarcerated I posed in my comment yesterday.   🥰