Biner_Leseprobe

Interrogating Peter Taugwalder Senior
In both interrogations conducted by judge Josef Anton Clemenz on July
21 and 23 of 1865 in the Hotel Mont Cervin, Peter Taugwalder described
the events leading up to the accident on the first ascent. These records
were kept under seal for 55 years. It was only in 1920 that the authorities
released the report after the Swiss Alpine Club Geneva had requested it
following the advice of Jean-Ch. Courten, district judge of Sion.
The questions regarding the planning and execution of the ascent are of
special interest in this interrogation. Said questions are listed here below;
the figures indicate the numbers of the questions in the original transcript.
Excerpt from the first interrogation:
23. Were you informed about the people participating in the ascent
beforehand, and did you speak up regarding who should
or should not take part? Also, did you mention the discrepancy
between the number of tourists and the number of guides?
They informed me on the number of participants, and I did not object.
However, I did mention that, considering the number of tourists, there
were not enough guides on the team. Whymper and Hudson replied
that they were just as capable as the guides; I did not further comment
on the issue.
24. Who roped up the participants before the descent?
The first four, namely lead guide Croz, Hadow, Hudson and Lord
Douglas, were roped up by Croz. I tied myself to Lord Douglas with
a special rope.
25. Who was the first to be roped up?
I do not remember exactly who was roped up first to Croz’ rope.
26. Of what quality was said rope?
It was a new, solid rope.
The conquest of the Zermatt Mountains
45