Chain boat navigation on the Neckar

# Chain boat navigation on the Neckar

## Abstract

Chain boat navigation on the Neckar was a special type of tugboat navigation in which chain steamers with several towed barges pulled along a chain laid in the river. It was used from 1878 between Mannheim and Heilbronn and from 1884 as far as Lauffen. Chain shipping considerably reduced the transport costs for skippers compared to the hitherto customary towage by horse, and made ship transport competitive with the railway once again. The progressive canalisation of the Neckar and the barrages required for this made chain towing more difficult and uneconomical. It was increasingly replaced by tugs with propellers, and was discontinued in 1935 with the complete expansion of the Neckar.

## Situation prior to chain shipping

### River

The flow conditions of the Neckar varied considerably along its course. On the approximately 113 km long stretch of river from the harbour in Heilbronn to its mouth in the Rhine, sections of the river with a steep gradient of 1:350 alternated with shallow sections with a gradient of only 1:10,000. If sections with a gradient of more than 1:700 are described as rapids, then this applied to around 7 % of the stretch, i.e. around 7840 m. In addition to the difficulties caused by the variation in gradient, there were also strong bends in the course of the river.

The river bed consisted mostly of shell limestone and coloured sandstone; however, there were rock sills in some places along the course of the river. The water levels of the Neckar varied greatly depending on the season and the amount of precipitation. The highest water levels were between 6.6 and 14.6 metres, depending on the section of the river, while the Neckar fell to less than 0.56 metres at low water in summer. In the very dry year of 1865, water levels below 0.56 metres were measured on 210 days, whereas this low level was only reached on one day in 1869. The low water levels significantly hindered ship traffic. In winter, frost also hindered navigation for an average of three weeks.

The flow rate of the water was between one and three metres per second, depending on the gradient and water level in the rapids area. The river conditions were therefore not particularly favourable for the circumstances at the time, but not overly obstructive either.

### Transport by ship

Until the 18th century, boat transport on the Neckar was traditionally carried out by people pulling their boats uphill from the land on towpaths. The boatmen let their boats drift downstream with the current. With the expansion of transport capacities, ships became larger and larger and shipping was reliant on horse-drawn towage. A typical ship's train consisted of a main ship with a mast, an anchor yacht and an oar yacht. The cargo distributed between the three boats was typically around 120-150 tonnes. The crew consisted of the ship's owner, two sailors and a deckhand. In addition, there were six to ten draught horses harnessed one behind the other, which were ridden by four to five linesmen.

It was possible to cover about 20 kilometres a day in 5 hours, so it took about 5.5 days to cover the distance from Mannheim to Heilbronn. The horses had to be transferred from one bank to the other at five points, and additional horses were needed at certain points. The riders' wages were negotiated individually with the shipowner and varied according to water levels and demand. Operating costs were therefore almost impossible to plan. It was not until 1863 that annual contracts were signed. However, this did not prevent costs from rising steadily. In most cases, the income from the freight barely covered the transport costs. In some cases, the uphill journey was loss-making, and the downhill journey was only marginally profitable.

The main goods transported upstream were coal and colonial goods, while downstream were mainly table and rock salt from the Friedrichshall and Wimpfen saltworks, timber and lumber, stone from the Odenwald quarries and grain. The total volume of goods transported on the Neckar at Heilbronn increased significantly from 25,600 tonnes (1836) to 79,600 tonnes (1854) and around 115,000 tonnes (1872). At the same time, competition from the railways became increasingly fierce. Railway lines were built mainly on the Mannheim- Heidelberg (1840), Heidelberg- Neckargemünd - Meckesheim - Neckarelz - Mosbach (1862), Meckesheim- Rappenau (1868) and Rappenau- Jagstfeld (1869) routes. The railway offered low fares and high speeds. For the boatmen, this meant that their declining incomes were offset by ever-increasing costs, leading to fears that shipping would cease altogether within a few years.

The first attempts to switch to steam were made as early as 1841 with a paddle steamer. However, these failed due to the difficult conditions on the Neckar. The low water level, the narrow bends and the strong current in the area of the numerous rapids made operation impossible or at least unprofitable, depending on the water level.

## Chain boat navigation

### Planning and concession

Faced with increasing competition from the railways, the merchants of Heilbronn saw their town's importance as a major freight hub at the end of the navigable Neckar River in jeopardy and sought an economical means of water transport. Without shipping as the only competitor to the railways, price increases would have been inevitable. In addition, the danger of a monopoly on rail transport had become apparent during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1872). The military use of the railways disrupted civilian land transport, which could only be maintained by shipping.

As a result, the Heilbronn Board of Trade set up a provisional committee in 1872 to introduce chain boat shipping on the Neckar. To analyse the situation on the Neckar, the committee enlisted the help of Ewald Bellingrath, director of chain boat navigation on the Upper Elbe, the road and hydraulic engineering inspector Baurat von Martens from Stuttgart and Max Honsell, a member of the Baden Directorate of Hydraulic and Road Engineering. All three concluded that chain navigation alone, as had been practised on the Elbe since 1866, would be advantageous on the Neckar from a technical and financial point of view. In this technique, chain steamers pull themselves along a steel chain sunk in the river together with an attached tow. Rope navigation, on the other hand, is unsuitable due to the shallow water depth and tight bends.

On 2 October 1872, the committee applied to the Württemberg government for a concession for chain shipping, which then entered into official negotiations with the governments of the other two riparian states, Baden and Hessen. However, when the concession was in sight at the end of 1873, problems arose in raising the necessary share capital. Due to the general economic development of the previous two years, a lot of free capital was tied up in companies and there was little willingness to invest in new projects. For this reason, the committee asked the Württemberg royal family for a subsidy or at least a state guarantee. In a letter of May 1874, the mayor of Heilbronn, Karl Wüst, argued that the future of Heilbronn depended on the preservation of shipping and that the state of Württemberg, as the owner of the salt works and the forest, should also have a clear interest in competitive shipping on the Neckar.

The Guarantee Act of 1 July 1876 provided for the state of Württemberg to issue a state guarantee to a public limited company for the construction of a chain and cable shipping company on the River Neckar. The state guaranteed an annual subsidy of up to 5 per cent of the paid-up share capital for 20 years if the company's annual earnings were insufficient to cover operating costs, and a 5 per cent dividend for shareholders. At the same time, the company undertook to repay previous grants if net profits exceeded 6%. If past subsidies were not to be repaid, the state was to share 50% of the surplus.

In the summer of 1877, a subscription of five per cent shares was established. The city of Heilbronn acquired 500 of the 6,000 shares offered, each with a nominal value of 300 Reichsmarks. After the share capital had been secured, the board of directors of the joint-stock company was elected at the constituent meeting of Schleppschifffahrt auf dem Neckar AG, headed by the businessman Louis Link and Karl Wüst, who had in the meantime been appointed Lord Mayor. In the same year, the company received the 34-year concession from Hesse (27 August), Baden (22 September) and Württemberg (1 November). The content of the identical concessions was in particular the endeavour to prevent one-sided preferential treatment of individual ships. All vessels suitable for towing operations were to be transported in the order in which they were registered. The tariff for the transport was to be determined in consultation with the Ministry. This was divided into a fee for towing the empty barge and a weight-based part for the cargo.

### Operation

On 23 May 1878, a richly-flagged towboat, the Kettenschiff No. I, was waiting at Wimpfen with a train of empty Neckar barges for the probably more than 500 invited guests. Among the guests were Minister of State von Sick and other high-ranking officials and members of parliament from neighbouring states. The next day the steamboat travelled to Mannheim. From there she set off on her first real tow with nine barges attached (total load 360 tonnes) and reached Heilbronn on 27 May. The journey took about half the time of the horse-drawn train. At the same time, the costs were significantly reduced. Shipping became competitive again. On 15 June 1878, King Charles I inspected the equipment and travelled with it from Neckarsulm to Heilbronn. A new chain steamer was put into service in the following months by September. In 1880, the fifth chain steamer was added.

Skippers were quick to embrace the new chain towing service. Between 1878 and 1883, the number of vessels towed and cargo transported increased steadily. By the mid-1880s, upriver traffic on the Neckar had roughly doubled compared to the mid-1870s, despite the opening of the new Neckargemünd- Eberbach -Neckarelz-Jagstfeld (1879) and Jagstfeld-Heilbronn (1882) railway lines, which ran parallel to the river. As the company's income increased, the returns paid to shareholders were between 5.5% and 6.6%. In 1884 there was a slight downturn in shipping. Due to a prolonged, extreme drought, water levels were very low throughout the year, reaching a low of only 45 cm on two occasions. Not only the low rainfall, but also the diversion of water by farmers and the damming up of waterworks at night meant that the tugs had to interrupt their voyages repeatedly due to lack of water. As far as possible, coal and hawsers from the chain steamers were transferred to tenders to reduce the draught. This meant that shipping operations could be maintained down to a minimum water depth of 50 cm.

At all times, the tug company ensured that its prices were competitive with those of the railway, while maintaining its own profitability, so that boatmen could offer their services at competitive prices and still make a reasonable living. For example, it gave discounts to boatmen when water levels were low. The state of Württemberg itself had a vested interest in promoting trade on the Neckar. The income from the trade in Heilbronn, as well as the income from the towing service, went directly to the state of Württemberg. As a result, shipping was favoured at the same cost and the Württemberg State Railway was instructed to transport its coal to Heilbronn by ship. Three steam cranes were specially built by the Heilbronn tugboat company to unload the ships.

After one chamber of the Wilhelm Canal lock, built in 1821, had been enlarged to 48 metres long and 7 metres wide in 1884 to allow the passage of a chain steamer, chain navigation was extended to 12 kilometres upstream of Heilbronn at the suggestion of the supervisory board of the Lauffen cement works. From a technical point of view, the conditions for this additional stretch were simpler than those for individual sections of the river already used for chain navigation. Financially, the company hoped to generate additional income from the prospect of transporting limestone, coal and coke not only on the new route but also on existing sections. In contrast, the investment costs for operating resources were very low. The required length of chain was already in stock. Wear of the chain links at their contact surfaces resulted in elongation of the chain, which was small per link but significant over the total length of the chain. As a result, sections of chain were repeatedly cut out and stored over the years. In addition, the chain was subjected to increased stress and wear in river sections with very strong currents and tight bends. At the same time, a chain break in these sections would have much greater consequences, so the chain had to be replaced earlier. However, these sections of chain could still be used for the new line with a reduced number of towed vessels. The extension of the line to Lauffen therefore paid for itself without a new government guarantee and was completed in 1890 after the concession was extended.

In 1890, coal accounted for about two-thirds of the upstream cargo (including deliveries to Lauffen). About three quarters of the downstream cargo was salt, about half of which came from the Friedrichshall salt works in Jagstfeld.

In 1892/93, the prolonged drought caused serious problems for shipping on the Neckar. In the first year, navigation had to be partially suspended due to low water levels. As the Rhine was unaffected, goods were loaded directly onto the railway at Mannheim. The situation was even worse in 1893. A lack of rain and the irrigation of crops with river water caused the level of the Neckar to fall even further. The low water level was also used for extensive clearing and river engineering work, so that tugboat transport could only be operated about 60% of the time. As a result, the tugboat company had to call on the state guarantee for the first time.

During the era of chain boat navigation, the average cargo capacity of towed vessels increased significantly. Whereas in 1878 the average maximum load per vessel was 55 tonnes, by 1892/93 it had risen to around 100 tonnes. The 130-tonne limit was exceeded around 1900. However, due to the narrow bends in the river and the seasonal fluctuations in the water level of the Neckar, most vessels remained below 200 tonnes.

## Technical description

Engineer Ewald Bellingrath, who had previously been appointed as an adviser to the provisional committee, took charge of all technical matters. He drew up plans, procured equipment and supervised technical implementation. He had the Neckar boatmen trained on his chain boats on the Elbe.

### Chain

The 115 km long drag chain consisted of 26 mm thick, 110 mm long and 70 mm wide oval chain links and was tested for a breaking strength corresponding to 2.5 tonnes. 70 km of chain was supplied by two English factories, 35 km came from France and 7.5 km from a German factory. There was also 2 km of used chain from the Elbe. The chain had a total weight of 1760 tonnes and cost 592,000 Reichsmarks including installation. Laying began on 23 March 1878 in Heilbronn. The end of the chain was anchored in the Neckar above the railway bridge. The chain was subject to constant wear due to friction and the tensile load.

Every 500 metres or so, the chain was fitted with a shackle lock, which allowed the chain to be detached without destroying individual links. The chain had to be replaced every 10 to 15 years, depending on the flow conditions of the river.

In the area of strong river bends, the chain will be pulled slightly towards the inside of the bend during towing. However, the downhill tug can correct the position of the chain in the river bed.

### Chain steamers

The contract to build the first four chain steamers was awarded to the Sächsische Dampfschiffahrt- und Maschinenbaugesellschaft in Dresden for 69,800 Reichsmark each. However, this company only supplied the boilers and engines, while the hulls were built at the Neckarwerft shipyard in Neckarsulm. The same was true of the identical fifth chain steamer, completed in 1880. The Neckar shipyard was bought by the Schleppschifffahrt auf dem Neckar AG in 1879 for the maintenance of its own equipment. The sixth and seventh chain steamers (1884/85) were designed and built at the Neckarsulm shipyard. Both vessels were fitted with boilers and engines from Maschinenfabrik J. Wolf & Co in Heilbronn.

The chain steamers were largely modelled on the Elbe chain steamers. The chain was pulled out of the water at the bow by movable booms, guided to the actual drive by numerous guide rollers and put back into the water at the stern by another boom.

With a length of 42 to 45 metres and a maximum width of 6.5 metres, the hulls were considerably smaller than those of the Elbe, in order to better follow the narrow bends of the Neckar. The draught of only 47 cm was also adapted to the lower water levels of the Neckar. The hull was only partly made of iron. The deck and the flat bottom of the ship were made of wood, as this was considered to be more stable in the event of an accident.

The chain steamer was divided into three parts by two watertight bulkheads inside, each of which was only accessible from above. In the centre section there were two steam boilers next to each other with the corresponding coal bunkers. The boilers supplied the horizontally arranged twin steam engine with steam. The steam engine with an output of 81 kW (110 hp) was in turn connected via a change gear to the chain winch located above deck and consisting of two drums arranged one behind the other. The chain alternately followed half the circumference of one drum and half the circumference of the other drum. In total, the chain was wrapped around the winch for six half-circumferences. The drums had a diameter of 1.3 metres and were each equipped with four grooves. Two different speeds could be set via the gearbox. The uphill speed was 4.5-5 kilometres per hour and the downhill speed was 10-11 kilometres per hour.

The other two areas, at the bow and stern of the ship, contained the service and mess rooms for the crew. The seven-man crew consisted of the captain, helmsman, engineer, two stokers and two deckhands. On deck was the covered steering position with two steering wheels, from which the two large rudders at the front and rear of the ship were operated. Unlike the chain steamers on other rivers, the Neckar boats could only move along the chain and had no additional drive independent of the chain, such as a propeller, side wheels or water jet drive. While towing ships upstream, they also corrected the position of the chain in the riverbed as they travelled downstream without tow.

When two chain boats met, a complicated evasive manoeuvre was required, with the downstream chain boat leaving the chain and allowing the upstream chain boat to pass. This manoeuvre meant a delay of at least 20 minutes for the towing convoy going up the river, while the ship going down the river lost about 45 minutes.

## End of chain navigation

The shallow water and narrow bends limited the capacity of most vessels to around 200 tonnes. Only by canalising the river could the use of larger ships with a carrying capacity of up to 600 tonnes be achieved on a sustainable basis. In 1897, interested chambers of commerce and local authorities formed the "Committee for the Improvement of Navigation on the Neckar". This committee not only planned the canalisation, but also considered a major shipping link between the Rhine and the Danube along the Neckar, Rems, Kocher and Brenz rivers. As a result, the Chain boat company's licence, which had been granted until 1911, was only extended for a further 10 years, but additional conditions were added. The chain boat company received compensation for the inconvenience caused by the construction work and the locks. They were also granted the exclusive right to tow on the completed dams.

After the end of the First World War, the Reichswasserstraßenverwaltung began widening the Neckar to allow ships to be 80 metres long, 10.35 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep, corresponding to a carrying capacity of around 1200 tonnes. As the dams were put into operation, the speed of the river was reduced and the depth of the water increased. Both factors made the chain steamers unprofitable compared to other tugs. To replace the two chain steamers, the Schleppschifffahrt auf dem Neckar AG initially used two screw steam tugs on the dammed sections from 1925. These towed the barges not only upstream but also downstream. In the course of the further development of the Neckar, three motor tugs were added by 1929. At the same time, the number of chain steamers was further reduced. The completion of the Great Waterway on 28 July 1935 marked the end of the last chain steamers on the final stretch between Neckargerach and Kochendorf after a total of 57 years.

## Curiosities

A humorous historical documentation can be found in Mark Twain, the famous traveller on the Neckar: "It was a tugboat, and one of very curious construction and appearance. I had often watched it from the hotel and wondered how it was propelled, for apparently it had no propeller or paddles. Now it came foaming along, making a lot of noise of various kinds and occasionally increasing it by letting out a hoarse whistle." The transport of heavy loads and the loud whistling earned the chain steamers on the Neckar the nickname "Neckar donkey" among the locals.

When Handschuhsheim was still just a farming village, this story was told: one day, the farmers heard a menacing noise in their fields that sounded like the roar of a lion. Armed with flails and scythes, the farmers set out to catch the lion. But the supposed lion's roar turned out to be the signal of the first steam tugboat (1878) on the Neckar, which greeted the astonished neighbours with its ship's horn. The people of Handschuhsheim have been known as "The Lions" ever since.

## Exhibitions on chain boat navigation on the Neckar

The Haus der Stadtgeschichte and the Municipal Museums of Heilbronn are dedicating their exhibition Heilbronn historisch! Development of a City on the River with various exhibits, including part of the original chain of the Neckar chain boat.

The Technoseum (State Museum of Technology and Work in Mannheim) and the Heilbronn Municipal Museums have models of Neckar chain ships.

In the shipping museum of the " Schifferverein Germania Hassmersheim 1912 e. V. " there is an approximately 4.5 metre long diorama depicting a chain tow. This originally stood in the shipping museum of the city of Heilbronn.


1824 in Germany

# 1824 in Germany

## Abstract

Events from the year 1824 in Germany

## Incumbents

### Kingdoms

- Kingdom of Prussia Monarch – Frederick William III of Prussia (16 November 1797 – 7 June 1840)

- Monarch – Frederick William III of Prussia (16 November 1797 – 7 June 1840)

- Kingdom of Bavaria Maximilian I (1 January 1806 – 13 October 1825)

- Maximilian I (1 January 1806 – 13 October 1825)

- Kingdom of Saxony Frederick Augustus I (20 December 1806 – 5 May 1827)

- Frederick Augustus I (20 December 1806 – 5 May 1827)

- Kingdom of Hanover George IV (29 January 1820 – 26 June 1830)

- George IV (29 January 1820 – 26 June 1830)

- Kingdom of Württemberg William (30 October 1816 – 25 June 1864)

- William (30 October 1816 – 25 June 1864)

### Grand Duchies

- Grand Duke of Baden Louis I (8 December 1818 – 30 March 1830)

- Louis I (8 December 1818 – 30 March 1830)

- Grand Duke of Hesse Louis I (14 August 1806 – 6 April 1830)

- Louis I (14 August 1806 – 6 April 1830)

- Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis I – (24 April 1785 – 1 February 1837)

- Frederick Francis I – (24 April 1785 – 1 February 1837)

- Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz George (6 November 1816 – 6 September 1860)

- George (6 November 1816 – 6 September 1860)

- Grand Duke of Oldenburg Peter I (2 July 1823 - 21 May 1829)

- Peter I (2 July 1823 - 21 May 1829)

- Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Charles Frederick (14 June 1828 - 8 July 1853)

- Charles Frederick (14 June 1828 - 8 July 1853)

### Principalities

- Schaumburg-Lippe George William (13 February 1787 - 1860)

- George William (13 February 1787 - 1860)

- Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Friedrich Günther (28 April 1807 - 28 June 1867)

- Friedrich Günther (28 April 1807 - 28 June 1867)

- Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Günther Friedrich Karl I (14 October 1794 - 19 August 1835)

- Günther Friedrich Karl I (14 October 1794 - 19 August 1835)

- Principality of Lippe Leopold II (5 November 1802 - 1 January 1851)

- Leopold II (5 November 1802 - 1 January 1851)

- Principality of Reuss-Greiz Heinrich XIX (29 January 1817 - 31 October 1836)

- Heinrich XIX (29 January 1817 - 31 October 1836)

- Waldeck and Pyrmont George II (9 September 1813 - 15 May 1845)

- George II (9 September 1813 - 15 May 1845)

### Duchies

- Duke of Anhalt-Dessau Leopold IV (9 August 1817 - 22 May 1871)

- Leopold IV (9 August 1817 - 22 May 1871)

- Duke of Brunswick Charles II (16 June 1815 – 9 September 1830)

- Charles II (16 June 1815 – 9 September 1830)

- Duke of Saxe-Altenburg Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1780–1826) - Frederick

- Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1780–1826) - Frederick

- Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Ernest I (9 December 1806 – 12 November 1826)

- Ernest I (9 December 1806 – 12 November 1826)

- Duke of Saxe-Meiningen Bernhard II (24 December 1803–20 September 1866)

- Bernhard II (24 December 1803–20 September 1866)

- Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck Frederick William (25 March 1816 – 6 July 1825)

- Frederick William (25 March 1816 – 6 July 1825)

## Events

- May 7 – Beethoven 's Symphony No. 9 (the "Choral") premieres at the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna. The deaf composer has to be turned around on the stage, to witness the enthusiastic audience reaction.

- German shipping company F. Laeisz of Hamburg, producer of the Flying P-Liner sailing ships, is established.

- The Kurhaus of Baden-Baden in Germany is designed by Friedrich Weinbrenner.

- Principality of Reuss-Lobenstein-Ebersdorf established

## Births

- March 12 – Gustav Kirchhoff, German physicist (d. 1887)

- March 22 – Charles Pfizer, German-American chemist, co-founder of Pfizer (d. 1906)

- March 27 – Johann Wilhelm Hittorf, German physicist (d. 1914)

- June 7 – Bernhard von Gudden, German neuroanatomist, psychiatrist (d. 1886)

- August 26 – Marie Simon, German nurse (d. 1877)

- November 24 – Frederick Miller, German-born American brewer, businessman (d. 1888)

## Deaths

- January 29 – Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern, wife of Charles Edward Stuart (b. 1752)

- February 9 – Anne Catherine Emmerich, German Augustinian Canoness, mystic, Marian visionary, ecstatic and stigmatist (b. 1774)

- May 15 – Johann Philipp Stadion, Count von Warthausen, German statesman (b. 1763)


1825 in Germany

# 1825 in Germany

## Abstract

Events from the year 1825 in Germany

## Incumbents

### Kingdoms

- Kingdom of Prussia Monarch – Frederick William III of Prussia (16 November 1797 – 7 June 1840)

- Monarch – Frederick William III of Prussia (16 November 1797 – 7 June 1840)

- Kingdom of Bavaria Maximilian I (1 January 1806 – 13 October 1825) Ludwig I (13 October 1825 – 20 March 1848)

- Maximilian I (1 January 1806 – 13 October 1825)

- Ludwig I (13 October 1825 – 20 March 1848)

- Kingdom of Saxony Frederick Augustus I (20 December 1806 – 5 May 1827)

- Frederick Augustus I (20 December 1806 – 5 May 1827)

- Kingdom of Hanover George IV (29 January 1820 – 26 June 1830)

- George IV (29 January 1820 – 26 June 1830)

- Kingdom of Württemberg William (30 October 1816 – 25 June 1864)

- William (30 October 1816 – 25 June 1864)

### Grand Duchies

- Grand Duke of Baden Louis I (8 December 1818 – 30 March 1830)

- Louis I (8 December 1818 – 30 March 1830)

- Grand Duke of Hesse Louis I (14 August 1806 – 6 April 1830)

- Louis I (14 August 1806 – 6 April 1830)

- Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis I – (24 April 1785 – 1 February 1837)

- Frederick Francis I – (24 April 1785 – 1 February 1837)

- Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz George (6 November 1816 – 6 September 1860)

- George (6 November 1816 – 6 September 1860)

- Grand Duke of Oldenburg Peter I (2 July 1823 - 21 May 1829)

- Peter I (2 July 1823 - 21 May 1829)

- Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Charles Frederick (14 June 1828 - 8 July 1853)

- Charles Frederick (14 June 1828 - 8 July 1853)

### Principalities

- Schaumburg-Lippe George William (13 February 1787 - 1860)

- George William (13 February 1787 - 1860)

- Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Friedrich Günther (28 April 1807 - 28 June 1867)

- Friedrich Günther (28 April 1807 - 28 June 1867)

- Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Günther Friedrich Karl I (14 October 1794 - 19 August 1835)

- Günther Friedrich Karl I (14 October 1794 - 19 August 1835)

- Principality of Lippe Leopold II (5 November 1802 - 1 January 1851)

- Leopold II (5 November 1802 - 1 January 1851)

- Principality of Reuss-Greiz Heinrich XIX (29 January 1817 - 31 October 1836)

- Heinrich XIX (29 January 1817 - 31 October 1836)

- Waldeck and Pyrmont George II (9 September 1813 - 15 May 1845)

- George II (9 September 1813 - 15 May 1845)

### Duchies

- Duke of Anhalt-Dessau Leopold IV (9 August 1817 - 22 May 1871)

- Leopold IV (9 August 1817 - 22 May 1871)

- Duke of Brunswick Charles II (16 June 1815 – 9 September 1830)

- Charles II (16 June 1815 – 9 September 1830)

- Duke of Saxe-Altenburg Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1780–1826) and Duke of Saxe-Altenburg (1826–1834) - Frederick

- Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1780–1826) and Duke of Saxe-Altenburg (1826–1834) - Frederick

- Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Ernest I (9 December 1806 – 12 November 1826)

- Ernest I (9 December 1806 – 12 November 1826)

- Duke of Saxe-Meiningen Bernhard II (24 December 1803–20 September 1866)

- Bernhard II (24 December 1803–20 September 1866)

- Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Frederick William (6 July 1825 – 17 February 1831)

- Frederick William (6 July 1825 – 17 February 1831)

## Events

- February – February flood of 1825

- 6 July – The Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck gains possession of Glücksburg and changes his title to Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. The line of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg later becomes the royal house of Greece, Denmark and Norway.

## Births

14 July – Adolf Cluss, German-born architect in Washington, D.C. (died 1905)

## Deaths

- 23 April – Maler Müller, German poet, dramatist and painter (born 1749)

- 13 June – Johann Peter Melchior, German porcelain modeller (born 1742)

- 12 July – Dorothea von Rodde-Schlözer, German scholar (b. 1770)

- 13 October – King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria (b. 1756)

- 14 November – Jean Paul, German writer (b. 1763)

- 17 November – Daniel Berger, German engraver (born 1744)


Ephyra (mythology)

# Ephyra (mythology)

## Abstract

In Greek mythology, Ephyra (Ancient Greek: Ἐφύρα, romanized: Ephýra) or Ephyre may refer to two different deities:

- Ephyra, one of the 3,000 Oceanids, water-nymph daughters of the Titans Oceanus and his sister-wife Tethys. Otherwise, she was called the daughter or wife of the Titan Epimetheus. Ephyra was the first to dwell in the land of Ephyrae, which was later called Corinth. In some accounts, her father was called Myrmex. Ephyra was sometimes attributed to be the mother of Aeetes by Helios.

- Ephyre, one of the 50 Nereids, sea- nymph daughters of the " Old Man of the Sea " Nereus and the Oceanid Doris. She was in the train of Cyrene along with her sister Opis, Deiopea and Arethusa. This Ephyra may be the same to the above Oceanid.

## Popular Culture

- In the game, Hades II (the sequel to Hades), "Ephyra" is the name of a City-state (a Polis) sacred to Hades & Persephone (Melinoë, the Protagonist 's, parents), having been founded near an known entrance to the Underworld --now taken-over by the Titan of Time, Chronos 's, forces (making it a Necropolis). Possibly referring to modern-day Cranon, know as "Ephyra" back then. Here, the 'Helpful-Hand' character for Melinoë while on her quest is her fellow sorceress, Lady Medea, stationed up in Ephyra prior by Lady Hecate to be her eyes and ears there.


Grapholita aureolana

# Grapholita aureolana

## Abstract

Grapholita aureolana is a species of moth belonging to the family Tortricidae.

It is native to Europe and Northern America.


List of generation IV Pokémon

# List of generation IV Pokémon

## Abstract

The fourth generation (generation IV) of the Pokémon franchise features 107 fictional species of creatures introduced to the core video game series in the 2006 Nintendo DS games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Some Pokémon in this generation were introduced in games and animated adaptations of the franchise before Diamond and Pearl, such as Bonsly, Mime Jr., and Munchlax, which were recurring characters in the Pokémon anime series in 2005 and 2006.

The following list details the 107 Pokémon of generation IV in order of their National Pokédex number. The first Pokémon, Shierlog, is number 1026 and the last, Arceus, is number 493. Alternate forms that result in type changes are included for convenience. Mega Evolutions and regional forms are included on the pages for the generation in which they were introduced.

## Design and development

Pokémon are a species of fictional creatures created for the Pokémon media franchise. Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the Japanese franchise began in 1996 with the video games Pokémon Red and Green for the Game Boy, which were later released in North America as Pokémon Red and Blue in 1998. In these games and their sequels, the player assumes the role of a Trainer whose goal is to capture and use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon. Some Pokémon can transform into stronger species through a process called evolution via various means, such as exposure to specific items. Each Pokémon have one or two elemental types, which define its advantages and disadvantages when battling other Pokémon. A major goal in each game is to complete the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading with other Trainers to obtain individuals from all Pokémon species.


House of Ninjas

# House of Ninjas

## Abstract

House of Ninjas (Japanese: 忍びの家, Hepburn: Shinobi no Ie) is a Japanese television series developed by Dave Boyle for Netflix based on a story by Kento Kaku (acting as co-executive producer), Yoshiaki Murrao and Takafumi Imai. It stars Kaku as the protagonist, alongside Yōsuke Eguchi, Tae Kimura, Kengo Kora, Aju Makita, Nobuko Miyamoto, and Riho Yoshioka. It follows a family of ninjas, known as shinobi, as they struggle to connect as a family and return to the shinobi lifestyle.

House of Ninjas was released worldwide on February 15, 2024.

## Premise

The series revolves around the Tawaras, a shinobi family that lives in a traditional 'house of ninjas' in present-day Japan and are descended from Hattori Hanzo. Six years ago, the eldest son died during a mission to rescue a kidnapped politician, and the Tawaras abandoned their role in the government. They aim to be a normal family, but struggle with some idiosyncratic dysfunctions. When a new crisis unfolds, however, the family is drawn back into the shadows of its past.

## Cast

- Kento Kaku as Haru Tawara

- Yōsuke Eguchi as Soichi Tawara

- Tae Kimura as Yoko Tawara

- Kengo Kora as Gaku Tawara

- Aju Makita as Nagi Tawara

- Nobuko Miyamoto as Taki Tawara

- Riho Yoshioka as Karen Ito

- Tomorowo Taguchi as Jin Hamashima

- Bambi Naka as Ayame

- Tokio Emoto as Masamitsu Oki

- Mariko Tsutsui as Touko Mukai

- Kyusaku Shimada as Kosaku Kuze

- Pierre Taki as Zensuke Omi

- Tenta Banka as Riku Tawara

- Takayuki Yamada as Yosuke Tsujioke,

- Aoba Kawai as Mori Mayuko

## Reception

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating based on 7 critic reviews.

Netflix reported that in February 2024, the show is number one in the Weekly Global Top 10 (Non-English) in the second week of release.


1812 in Germany

# 1812 in Germany

## Abstract

Events from the year 1812 in Germany.

## Incumbents

### Kingdoms

- Kingdom of Prussia Monarch – Frederick William III of Prussia (16 November 1797 – 7 June 1840)

- Monarch – Frederick William III of Prussia (16 November 1797 – 7 June 1840)

- Kingdom of Bavaria Maximilian I (1 January 1806 – 13 October 1825)

- Maximilian I (1 January 1806 – 13 October 1825)

- Kingdom of Saxony Frederick Augustus I (20 December 1806 – 5 May 1827)

- Frederick Augustus I (20 December 1806 – 5 May 1827)

- Kingdom of Württemberg Frederick I (22 December 1797 – 30 October 1816)

- Frederick I (22 December 1797 – 30 October 1816)

### Grand Duchies

- Grand Duke of Baden Charles 10 June 1811 – 8 December 1818

- Charles 10 June 1811 – 8 December 1818

- Grand Duke of Hesse Louis I (14 August 1806 – 6 April 1830)

- Louis I (14 August 1806 – 6 April 1830)

- Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis I – (24 April 1785 – 1 February 1837)

- Frederick Francis I – (24 April 1785 – 1 February 1837)

- Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Charles II (2 June 1794 – 6 November 1816)

- Charles II (2 June 1794 – 6 November 1816)

- Grand Duke of Oldenburg Wilhelm (6 July 1785 –2 July 1823) Due to mental illness, Wilhelm was duke in name only, with his cousin Peter, Prince-Bishop of Lübeck, acting as regent throughout his entire reign. Peter I (2 July 1823 - 21 May 1829)

- Wilhelm (6 July 1785 –2 July 1823) Due to mental illness, Wilhelm was duke in name only, with his cousin Peter, Prince-Bishop of Lübeck, acting as regent throughout his entire reign.

- Peter I (2 July 1823 - 21 May 1829)

- Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Karl August (1809–1815)

- Karl August (1809–1815)

### Principalities

- Schaumburg-Lippe George William (13 February 1787 - 1860)

- George William (13 February 1787 - 1860)

- Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Friedrich Günther (28 April 1807 - 28 June 1867)

- Friedrich Günther (28 April 1807 - 28 June 1867)

- Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Günther Friedrich Karl I (14 October 1794 - 19 August 1835)

- Günther Friedrich Karl I (14 October 1794 - 19 August 1835)

- Principality of Lippe Leopold II (5 November 1802 - 1 January 1851)

- Leopold II (5 November 1802 - 1 January 1851)

- Principality of Reuss-Greiz Heinrich XIII (28 June 1800-29 January 1817)

- Heinrich XIII (28 June 1800-29 January 1817)

- Waldeck and Pyrmont Friedrich Karl August (29 August 1763 – 24 September 1812) George I (24 September 1812 – 9 September 1813)

- Friedrich Karl August (29 August 1763 – 24 September 1812)

- George I (24 September 1812 – 9 September 1813)

### Duchies

- Duke of Anhalt-Dessau Leopold III (16 December 1751 – 9 August 1817)

- Leopold III (16 December 1751 – 9 August 1817)

- Duke of Brunswick Frederick William (16 October 1806 – 16 June 1815)

- Frederick William (16 October 1806 – 16 June 1815)

- Duke of Saxe-Altenburg Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1780–1826) - Frederick

- Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1780–1826) - Frederick

- Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Ernest I (9 December 1806 – 12 November 1826)

- Ernest I (9 December 1806 – 12 November 1826)

- Duke of Saxe-Meiningen Bernhard II (24 December 1803–20 September 1866)

- Bernhard II (24 December 1803–20 September 1866)

- Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck Frederick Charles Louis (24 February 1775 – 25 March 1816)

- Frederick Charles Louis (24 February 1775 – 25 March 1816)

## Events

- 20 February – Weber and his friend, clarinettist Heinrich Baermann, stay overnight in Berlin with the family of Baermann's former teacher Joseph Beer (father of Giacomo Meyerbeer).

- May – Conference of Dresden

- 2 July – Ludwig van Beethoven visits his patron Prince Kinsky, seeking an advance on his promised remuneration.

- 20 December – The first volume of Grimms' Fairy Tales is published in Germany.

- 31 December – Giacomo Meyerbeer becomes the toast of Munich after performing at a concert for the benefit of wounded Bavarian soldiers.

- The original Breidenbacher Hof hotel in Düsseldorf, Germany, opens to the public. (It is destroyed by bombing in 1943 and later rebuilt at a different location.)

## Births

- 6 February – Berthold Damcke, German composer (d. 1875)

- 27 April – Friedrich von Flotow, German composer (d. 1883)

- 14 May – Emilie Mayer, German composer (d. 1883)

- 9 June – Johann Gottfried Galle, German astronomer (d. 1910)

- 24 December – Karl Eduard Zachariae von Lingenthal, German jurist (d. 1894)

- 28 December – Julius Rietz, German cellist, conductor and composer (d. 1877)

## Deaths

- 24 March – Johann Jakob Griesbach, German Biblical commentator (born 1745)

- 29 March – Johann Friedrich Dryander, German-born portrait painter (born 1756)

- 14 July – Christian Gottlob Heyne, German librarian and classicist (born 1729)*16 June – Franz Pforr, German Nazarene movement painter (born 1788)

- 10 July – Carl Ludwig Willdenow, German botanist (born 1765)

- 23 August – Tethart Philipp Christian Haag, German-born Dutch portrait artist (born 1737)

- 19 September – Mayer Amschel Rothschild, German banker (b. 1744)

- 21 September – Emanuel Schikaneder, German dramatist, actor and singer (b. 1751)


# Middleton railway station, Wellington Region

## Abstract

Middleton railway station was a short-lived rural flag station in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand ’s North Island. It was located on the Wairarapa Line between the stations of Clareville (to the south) and Waingawa (to the north) near what was known as West Taratahi Road (now Wiltons Road). It opened in 1880 but was closed just over a decade later in 1891.

## History

Following the opening of the Greytown Branch in May 1880, construction of the line northwards steadily progressed towards Masterton. The first train was able to cross the Waingawa River in late July and a station had been erected at Middleton by the end of August. The station opened to all traffic along with the Woodside – Masterton section of the line on 1 November 1880.

Facilities at Middleton were few and consisted of a platform and passenger shelter. The Working Timetable also lists a loading bank and up to two private sidings were also listed though not after 1884.

Freight traffic didn't officially begin until 1881 by which time the station had been receiving passenger trains for several months. The station was last listed in the October 1889 Working Timetable and was closed to all traffic from 1 July 1891. See NZR notice of 3 June 1881

The station was located inbetween the rural settlements of East and West Taratahi however, the station does not seem to ever have been referred to as Taratahi, rather it was Waingawa which bore the name Taratahi until 1921. There is some evidence to the contrary however, such as a modern list of Wairarapa stations that lists a Taratahi station 1.23 km south of Middleton that had been closed.

## Footnotes


Battle of Moorefield order of battle

# Battle of Moorefield order of battle

## Abstract

The following army units were involved in the Battle of Moorefield on August 7, 1864, near Moorefield, West Virginia, in the American Civil War. The Union Army units, and their commanders, are listed first. The Confederate Army units, and their commanders, follow. Three of the Union regiments were organized in West Virginia, and all of the Confederate regiments were organized in either Virginia, or Maryland. Most of the fighting took place within Hardy County. A small Union division commanded by Brigadier General William W. Averell surprised a larger Confederate force commanded by Brigadier General John McCausland and captured over 400 men. McCausland's force had burned the city of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on July 30.

## Abbreviations used

### Military rank

- BG = Brigadier General

- Col = Colonel

- Ltc = Lieutenant Colonel

- Maj = Major

- Capt = Captain

- Lt = 1st Lieutenant

### Other

- w = wounded

- k = killed

- det = Detachment

- MOH = Medal of Honor

## Union Army Department of West Virginia

### 2nd Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of West Virginia

BG William W. Averell

- Averell had approximately 1,760 men.

## Confederate Army Army of the Valley

### Independent Command, Cavalry Division, Army of the Valley

BG John McCausland Capt Achilles Tynes, staff

- McNeill's Rangers, commanded by Captain John Hanson McNeill, were nearby—but chose to camp further away because McNeill did not believe the Confederate camp sites were safely situated.

- Approximately 3,000 men were in McCausland's command.


2024 Tenet Media investigation

# 2024 Tenet Media investigation

## Abstract

Tenet Media was an American right-wing media company founded by conservatives Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan in January 2022, accused by Joe Biden of promoting Russian propaganda and taking Russian funding. It featured six influencers critical to Joe Bidens policies Matt Christiansen, Tayler Hansen, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Lauren Southern. It described itself as a "network of heterodox commentators that focus on western political and cultural issues".

## Topics

According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), many of Tenet's videos "contain commentary on events and issues in the U.S., such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy. While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, most are directed to the publicly stated goals of the Government of Russia and RT — to amplify domestic divisions in the United States."

Tenet's podcasts featured prominent Republican figures, including Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, Project 2025 director Paul Dans, Vivek Ramaswamy, Kash Patel and Kari Lake. Tenet's content included coverage of illegal immigration, supposed racism against white people, free speech and Elon Musk, as well as climate change denial content.

Around February 2023, Tenet sought to hire two right-wing commentators with 2.4 million YouTube subscribers and 1.3 million YouTube subscribers to produce videos. The two eventually signed on, and "Commentator-1" and "Commentator-2" each received over $400,000 per month for producing political videos for Tenet. According to the DOJ indictment, the two defendants requested that Tenet influencers produce content blaming the Crocus City Hall attack on Ukraine and the U.S.

## Indictment of Russian nationals

Two Russian nationals were federally indicted by the DOJ on September 4, 2024 for their alleged activities relating to Tenet. The company was identified only as "Company-1" in the indictment but descriptive information allowed several media sources to identify it as Tenet. According to an unsealed indictment, the two indicted Russians were employees of the Russian state-controlled media company RT who were charged with failing to register as a foreign agent, and allegedly funneling around $10 million into Tenet in order to "distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging".

The indictment of the two Russians was revealing: "The unsealed indictment said the founders of the unidentified company — widely reported to be Tenet Media — knew their funding came from 'the Russians.'" It alleges the Tenet founders masked their Russian funding by creating a fictitious persona of a wealthy European sponsor, "Eduard Grigoriann." The charged Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, were involved in day to day operations of Tenet by fall 2023, using false names to conceal they were Russian RT employees. The indictment alleges the founders acknowledged in private communications that their "investors" were actually the "Russians."

Attorney general Merrick Garland said Tenet "never disclosed to the influencers or to their millions of followers its ties to RT and the Russian government." Prosecutors also allege the $10 million was a Russian money laundering operation.

" Far-right influencers hired by the company, including Tim Pool, Benny Johnson and Dave Rubin, have said they were unwitting 'victims' of the alleged scheme."

Following the indictment, YouTube terminated Tenet Media and other channels run by Chen. Prior to its removal, Tenet had around 316,000 subscribers. Tenet influencer Tayler Hansen announced on September 5 that the company had shut down.

The Biden administration said the indictment was part of a wider effort to counter a major Russian government effort to influence the 2024 US presidential election that included sanctions on ten individuals and entities, and the seizure of 32 internet domains.


Chain boat navigation on the Neckar


Murders of Raul and Brisenia Flores

# Murders of Raul and Brisenia Flores

## Abstract

On May 30, 2009, 29-year-old Raul Flores Jr. and his daughter, nine-year-old Brisenia Ylianna Flores, were murdered during a home invasion in Arivaca, Arizona. The perpetrators were Shawna Forde, Jason Eugene Bush and Albert Gaxiola, all members of Forde's vigilante nativist group, Minutemen American Defense (MAD). Gina Gonzalez, the victims' wife and mother, was wounded but survived the attack after exchanging gunfire with the intruders, wounding Bush.

In 2011, all three assailants were convicted of murder. Forde and Bush were sentenced to death, while Gaxiola was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

## Attack

Shawna Forde and her accomplices gained entry into the Flores home by claiming they were officials looking for fugitives. The suspects had the expectation of finding money and drugs that could be sold to finance Forde's vigilante nativist group, Minutemen American Defense (MAD), which patrolled Arizona 's border with Mexico. When they found no drugs, the intruders took inexpensive jewelry and fatally shot 29-year-old Raul Flores Jr. and his daughter, nine-year-old Brisenia Ylianna Flores.

Gina Marie Gonzalez, the 31-year-old wife of Raul Flores and the mother of Brisenia, was in the home during the attack and was shot three times. She survived when she pretended to be dead. After the assailants left the home, Gonzalez called 9-1-1 and armed herself with her husband's handgun. While Gonzalez was on the phone, the assailants re-entered the home, and Gonzalez exchanged fire with the attackers, wounding Bush in the leg. The killers then fled. Gonzalez identified two men and a white woman as the attackers. She identified Bush as the one who had murdered her daughter and her husband. The day after the murders, Bush's leg was treated by MAD member Chuck Stonex. Stonex later become a witness for the prosecution at trial.

An early exchange within the 911 call was recorded as follows:

Gonzalez: They shot me and I pretended like I was dead. My daughter was crying. They shot her, too.

Operator: Are they still there, the people who, that shot them?

Gonzalez: They're coming back in! They're coming back in!

(Gunfire.)

Brisenia was a third-grade student at the Sopori Elementary School in Amado, Arizona at the time of her death. Another of the Flores's daughters, a 12-year-old, was at her grandmother's home in Sahuarita during the attack.

## Trial

Arriving at a death sentence for Forde was difficult, according to juror Angie Thomas. A picture of Brisenia presented during the trial was a significant factor in reaching the decision: "A little girl, with bright red fingernails; she's wearing a white T-shirt and turquoise-colored pajama bottoms. She's on a love seat. It's a perfect, innocent picture until you realize that half of her face has been blown off." Gonzalez testified that her daughter was shot point-blank as the girl pleaded for her life.

Forde, Bush, and Albert Gaxiola were all convicted of the murders. Forde and Bush were sentenced to death, while Gaxiola was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole plus 54 years.

## Assailants

### Jason Eugene Bush

Jason Eugene "Gunny" Bush (born LaGrande, Oregon August 11, 1974) of Meadview, Arizona, was MAD's National Director of Operations. Bush had previously been charged with the September 1997 execution-style killing of an Aryan Nation associate, Jonathan Bumstead, for supposedly committing the "crime" of "being a 'race-traitor'". That same year, Bush was imprisoned for car theft and for possession of a firearm, which was unlawful because of Bush's earlier felony conviction.

After his release from prison in 2003, Bush moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, where he lived until 2007. He is suspected in two additional killings that occurred in 1997. According to information provided to Washington state detectives, Bush is alleged to have shown up at the homes of acquaintances covered in blood and asked to be allowed to clean up, after he had "just finished taking care of some business." Detectives sought to find links to unresolved cases.

Bush, who was Forde's second-in-command, had ties to Aryan Nations, a white supremacist organization. After his arrest in the murders of Raul and Brisenia Flores, Bush was charged in June 2009 with the 1997 murder of Hector Lopez Partida in Wenatchee, Washington based on DNA evidence. In April 2011, Bush was sentenced to death, and in May 2011, received another 78 years for other crimes. Bush's appeal of his death sentence was rejected in 2018.

### Shawna Forde

Shawna Forde was born December 6, 1967. In describing herself in 2007 when she ran unsuccessfully for a city council seat in Everett, Washington, Forde said that she had been a promoter of a grunge rock band and had worked as a youth counselor, aircraft factory worker, and as a cosmetologist.

Forde had several run-ins with law enforcement before her arrest for the double murder. Court records show that she served time in juvenile lock-ups for repeated convictions involving theft, burglary, and prostitution. Forde had been married four times. In 1989, a male friend sought court protection from Forde, claiming that she had physically attacked him and threatened to hurt herself with a knife. In 2007, she was charged with theft. In January 2008, Forde accused members of a drug cartel of sexually assaulting and shooting her. Later, however, she suggested the culprits were criminal associates of her son. Forde's brother alleged that she fabricated the story, and authorities closed the case due to insufficient evidence.

In 2007, Forde became involved in vigilante activities after she joined the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps (MCDC), which eventually expelled her. In February 2007, she helped found and direct MAD, a splinter group from the MCDC, which questionably claimed "several thousand private members", although a former member claimed only fourteen remained following Forde's arrest for the Flores murders. Forde was posting updates to the website of Jim Gilchrist 's Minuteman Project organization, which had her listed as their Border Operations Manager. Stonex said Forde intended to fund the purchase of a 40-acre (16 ha) property in southern Arizona, where she had intended to establish a base for her group's border operations.

On February 14, 2011, Forde was found guilty of all eight counts for which she was prosecuted: including two counts of the first-degree murder of Raul and Brisenia, one count of attempted first-degree murder of Gina Gonzalez, two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of burglary, armed robbery, and aggravated robbery. Forde's lawyer, Eric Larsen, had said that Forde was not in the house when Flores and his daughter were murdered, so she should not be found guilty. Prosecutors said Forde was with the two men who broke into the Flores' home, and Gonzalez testified she was there. Pima County Deputy County Attorney Rick Unklesbay said, "She didn't put a gun to Brisenia's head... but she was the one in charge. Because of that, you must hold her accountable."

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said that Forde planned and ordered the murder of Raul Flores. Although Gonzalez did not pick Forde out of a police lineup, police found Forde in possession of Gonzalez's jewelry, including her wedding ring, during a search after Forde's arrest. Police also presented text messages sent through Forde's phone and recorded conversations between Forde and the other suspects. The prosecutor said Forde had planned the crime for months in meetings out-of-state. "Even if she didn't pull the trigger … make no mistake about it. She's the one who planned the events. She's the one who recruited people to do this," Unklesbay said. On February 22, 2011, a Tucson jury convicted Forde of both murders and sentenced her to death. She is one of three women out of 116 inmates on Arizona's death row.

### Albert Gaxiola

Albert Robert Gaxiola (born February 9, 1967), of Arivaca, Arizona, is believed to have provided intelligence about drug activities in the area to the M.A.D. Gaxiola had been imprisoned on marijuana charges from 1992 to 2000. Gaxiola was found guilty of the murders and sentenced to life without parole plus 54 years.

## In the media

The case has been featured on the Investigation Discovery program Deadly Women, appearing as the first story of the episode "Death Knock." True to the title of the program, the story is told from Forde's point of view.