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Sophie Poisonmurderer #1 Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

cervisvenator: Hi

While I feel that Geocaching.com should hold the location for the cache owner and block other cachers from placing a cache in the area around this cache for a reasonable amount of time, we can’t do so forever.

Nothing seems to happen with this cache listing, so it is now archived, so that someone else can place a cache in the area, and geocachers can once again enjoy visiting this location. Also, if it hasn’t been done already, please pick up any remaining cache bits as soon as possible.

Geocaches which have not been maintained or the owner has not responded will not be taken out of the archive

(This reviewer note is in English so non-Norwegian cache owners, geocachers and cache reviewers can understand what it says.)

Thanks for your understanding,
Cervis Venator
Geocaching.com Volunteer Cache Reviewer

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Hidden : 5/11/2011
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

EN: This is the first of four caches about Sofie Johannesdotter, Norways last woman to recieve the deathcentence.
NO: Dette er den første av fire cacher om Sofie Johannesdotter, den siste kvinnen i Norge som ble dømt til døden og henrettet.

NO:
Cache 1: Sted for ugjerningen

Her kan du se ned på huset hvor alt skjedde.

Sofie Johannesdotter (født 24. august 1839 i Ärtemark, Dalsland i Sverige, død 22. februar 1876 i Halden) var en svensk giftmorderske, bosatt og virksom i Norge.

Sofie Johannesdotters foreldre var fattige husmannsfolk og hennes teoretiske utdannelse var mangelfull selv til 1800-tallet å være. Først i sitt 15. år lærte hun å lese som forberedelse til konfirmasjonen. Denne siste begivenhet inntraff i 1854, med karakteren «mindre godt».

I 1867 emigrerte hun til Norge. Etter en tid på bomullsspinneriet i Halden fikk hun i 1868 arbeide som hushjelp hos grosserer Niels Anker Stang i Halden.Sofie Johannesdotter kom raskt på kant med sine medtjenere i grossererens hus, og en rekke av dem skal ha sluttet i tjenesten på grunn av Sofies oppførsel. Gjennom mesteparten av sin tjenestetid stjal hun fra sin arbeidsgiver.

Den 16. oktober 1869 myrdet hun en annen av tjenerne i huset, Maren Johannesdatter, med arsenikk utblandet i en kopp te. Giften hadde Sofie fått sendt fra sin søster i Sverige. Motivet skal ha vært krangel; de to var ikke venner. Maren hadde akkurat sagt opp og skulle forlate tjenesten få dager senere for å gifte seg.

Den 12. oktober 1872 ga Sofie sin arbeidsgiver Cathrine Elisabeth Foyn Wiel (fru Stang) arsenikk, men først den 16. oktober døde husfruen av forgiftningen. Motivet ser ut til å ha vært hat; fru Stang hadde gjentatte ganger forsøkt å gi Sofie sparken, men grossereren hadde hver gang intervenert til Sofies fordel. Sofie hadde flere ganger sagt til andre ansatte i huset at noen burde drepe fru Stang.

Den 10. oktober 1874 ga hun sin arbeidsgiver Niels Anker Stang arsenikk, han døde samme kveld. Grossereren hadde endelig oppdaget at Sofie stjal fra ham, og hadde besluttet å la henne gå. Dette ble nå forhindret.

Den 18. januar 1875 ga hun den 16-årige Mathilde Wiel arsenikk, men piken døde ikke av giften. Hun hadde imidlertid mén av forgiftningen resten av livet. Mathilde var fra Eidsberg, men bodde i Halden hos sin slektning, fru Stang, i forbindelse med skolegang. Motivet for dette drapsforsøket ser ut til å ha vært at Sofie var blitt satt til å pleie Mathilde under en influensa, og at hun ville kvitte seg med denne arbeidsoppgaven. Mathilde Wiel levde til 1903, og giftet seg med en svensk-amerikansk metodistprest. Hun skrev flere kristne sanger. Den mest kjente er "Si allting til Jesus".

Den 10. februar 1875 tente Sofie på huset etter først å ha flyttet sine egne eiendeler ut. Hele huset brant ned, men ingen personer kom til skade.Sofie Johannesdatters arresatsjon fulgte vesentlig på grunnlag av rykter.

Det er plass til små swag-enheter, eksempelvis klinkekuler o.l.

EN:
Cache 1: Where it all happened

From this place you can look down on the house where it all happened.

Sofie Johannesdotter (Born 24. August 1839 in Aertemark, Dalsland in Sweden.) was a Swedish poisonmurderer, living and operating in Norway.

Sofie's parents were poor and her teoretical education was lousy, even by 1800-standards. She could not read before she was 15. years, and she learnt it as preparation for her confirmation (christian rite of initation). She barely passed her test for this.

In 1867 she travelled to Norway to seek her fortune. After a while working at a cotton-weaving factory in Halden she was in 1868 employed as a housekeeper with wholesaler Niels Anker Stang in Halden. Sofie was soon disliked by the rest of the staff and several staff-members quit becouse of Sofies behavior. All through her service she stole from the household.

The 16. october 1869 she murdered one of the other servants in the house, Maren Johannesdatter, with rat poison (arsenic) mixed in a cup of tea. The poison was sent to Sofie from her sister in Sweden since she knew someone who sold it there without asking too many questions. The reason appared to be several arguments, the two of them were not friends. Maren had just quit her service and was due to leave the house a few days later to get married.

The 12. october 1872 Sofie gave her employer Cathrine Elisabeth Foyn Wiel (Mrs. Stang) arsenic, but it was not untill the 16. that Mrs. Stang died of the poison. The reason for this seems to have been hatred; Mrs. Stang had repeatedly tried to fire Sofie, but Niels Anker Stang had every time intervened to Sofies advantage. Sofie had several times spoken to the other employees in the household that somebody should kill Mrs. Stang.

The 10. october 1874 she poisoned her employer Niels Anker Stang with arsenic, and he died the very same night. He had atlast found that Sofie was stealing from him and was determined to let her go. This obviously did not happen now.

The 18. january 1875 she poisoned the 16-year old Mathilde Wiel, but the girl did not die of the poison. She would however experience the effect of this for the rest of her life. Mathilde was from Eidsberg, but lived in Halden with her relative, mrs. Stang, while attending school. The reason for this posioning seemed to be that Sofie was required to nurse Mathilde during a severe case of the flu, and she wanted to get rid of this assignment. Mathilde Wiel lived to 1903, and married a swedish-american priest. She wrote several christian songs.

The 10. february 1875 Sofie set the house on fire after first having removed her personal belongings. The house burned to the ground, but noone was hurt. Sofies subsequent arrest followed largely by circumstancial evidence.

Room for small swag items, ie marbles

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Fznyy fgbar jnyy nybatfvqr cngu.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)