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From: Lorna Newcomb <>
Subject: Re: Portraits- Maria Mouton
Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 15:57:46 -0700


Sonia van Heerden wrote:

> Maria Mouton married Frans Jooste/Joosten in 1706 in the Cape. He had
> arrived in SA 1693 from Germany as a soldier, possibly one of those
> Germans in the employ of the VOC. They had 2 sons. On January 31, 1714
> Maria Mouton murdered her husband Frans Joost with the help of her lover,
> the slave Titus Van Bengale and someone called Fortuin.
>
> Maria died in Cape Town, executed on September 1, 1714, as were Titus
> van Bengale and Fortuin.

Sonia,

You will be interested in the following information extracted from an
afrikaans article by Dr H F Heese entitled Criminal Cases. Court
Proceedings at the Cape 1700-1750 which was published in Kronos Vol. 12
(Univ. of W. Cape, Bellville). The following is a free translation from
afrikaans.

Frans Jooste, Maria Mouton's husband, was a hard and cruel man who did
not give her clothes or material for frocks during the 9 years of their
marriage. As their marriage deteriorated, Maria's relationship with
Titus van Bengale, a slave of Frans, became more intimate. She made an
arrangement with Titus and Foruin van Angola to murder Frans and, as
mentioned in your letter, this deed was accomplished in 1714. The body
was buried in a porcupine hole but unfortunately wild animals unearthed
it and the murder became known.

Maria was the first european woman to be sentenced to death at the
Cape. (The following makes grim reading and can be upsetting). During
the execution she was first choked until she lost consciousness and
then suspended with a rope around her neck from a pole until she died.
Titus was placed on a stake and beheaded. Fortuin was tied to a cross
and dismembered. The three bodies were then removed beyond the
boundaries of the settlement and left to decay. Dr Heese's reference is
VOC 783 No 3 dated 30.8.1714.

Maria was 16 years old when she married Frans Jooste in 1706. She was
only three when he arrived at the Cape in 1693 so he was her senior by
several years. She was 24 years old when she was executed and left sons
Jacob aged 4 and Francois aged 2. Yes, I agree... this woman had a
very tragic life!

Lorna.

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