New-York tribune., 1874-12-10
FOREIGN WS:

EOHEltN Nh WS.
THE TRIAL OF COUNT Won ARNIM.
OPENING NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE INDIcr-
MENr-ExTRACTs FROM THE OFFICIAL CoRRE-
sPONDENCE-OPPosIrrON OF COUNT Won ARNrM
TO THE THEIRS GovERNMENT-Hs WANT OF
PIIADuITY.
LONDON Wednesday, Dec. o. 1874
The Timers special dispatch from Berlin says that
the court before which Count Won Arnim will be
tried will consist of Judges Reich. Giersch, and
Ovsovski. Judge Reich will be President.
BERLIN Wednesday, Dec. Q, ls7A
The trial Of Count Won Arnm began to-day. The
courtroom was densely crowded. Fifty reporters
Of various nationaties were present. Judge Reich
announced that the Court had decided that the pro-
cecdings should be public except the reading OF
documents relative to the ecclesiastical policy OF
the Government which includes papers OF the first
class mentioned in tho indictment.
Herr Munkel of counsel for the defense informed
the Court that helhad entered protest denying the
competency of this tribunal to try the case. The
prosecution then read the indictment.
1t accuses the Count OF derecton In his official duty
describes his age, occupation. &C., until his recall from
Paris, and says that Prince Hohenohe succeeded
to the embassy at Paris he found after strict search
that many documents missing from Its archives.
These documents the Indictment divides into three
categories First those which Count Won Arnim con-
fesses having abstracted and aftcrward restored;
second, those which the Count acknowledged having
takeD but which, regarding them his private prop
erty, he refuses to restore third those which be pro-
fesses to have no knowledge OF. The indict-
nent proceeds to provo the Official char
acter OF oil the documents, states that
they ! were partly communications from the
German Foreign Office to Its representatives abroad
and partly reports Of the to the Foreign
Nm II l.off ffnf1 fnh fa
In possession Of the Foreign Office, Is numbered and
entered In the official register. II of the docu-
ments contain additions Of personal. social or conn
Dental nature their Official character Is In nowise
thereby altered Tho autograph letters OF Prince -
marck are not In question.
Count Won Arnm kept three journals OF correspond
ence sent and received in accordance with the regua
ons of the service, but during the last month OF MS
stay at Paris secretly kept journal with Few entry
numbers The indictment asserts that the documents
which entered reached tho archives ana
that tho greater part Of the missing documents were not
entered. Then follows an enumeration OF the docu-
ments the first class and copies Of the correspondence
OF the Foreign Office with Count Won Arnim, whlch re-
suited In their restoration. The Indictment refutes the
idea that the Count tOOK these documents merely ior
the purpose Of restoring them to the Foreign once.
The indictment also enumerates the documents OF the
second class among which Is dispatch dated NOV. y,
1872 asking the Count to explain conversation IN
which, according private reportof Gen. Mantennei'
the Count informed II. Saint Waller at Nancy that nc
regarded NJ Thierss Government as untenaoe because
Gamoetta then the Commune, then q military regime
would follow IL France did not shortly adopt monarch
ca form Of government
Another dispatch, dated Jan. 8, 1874, admonishes
Aruim for neglecting to send to his Government re-
port the pastoral letters OF the ffencu WsooPS VA
rected against Germany.
A diana atchd da a. 1872 In which Prluce DlS-
marck points out that report OF Arnim upon the
political situation IN France Is partly based on erro
peous premises This dispatch thoroughly discusses the
question as to what form of government Tor France
would be most profitable for Germany.
Other copies Of dispatches follow in tho enumeration
of the Indictment all relating to various official reports
from Count Arnm and one dated March 4, 1874 Is
IN reference to the direct application made by the ac
cused TO the Emperor 1t complains that the Count Ior
warded to the Emperor incorrect copy OF dspatch
addressed to him (Arnm), dated JAN 2 1874 ana de-
nanding that the Count show more piiabllity' ana
greater regard for the instructions OF Bismarck ana
adopt less independent Initiative.
The documents Of the third class appended to the
indictment, comprise memorandum of q converSa-
ton with Gen. Fleury; dispatch respecting the
position of Count Oroff, the Russian ambassador at
Paris, toward Germany, and memorandum OF o
conversation between OrlOtf and Theirs.
motives It says that on his arrest, he alleged that
the documents OF the first and second class
were abroad and offered to produce them
if he were liberated. In consequence OF
tho diplomatic revelations of the Vienna
press, Won Arnim was summoned by imperial CON-
maud to make o written declaration whether he
was in any way connected with the publication OF
those revelations; also, whether he wrote and
caused to be published the letter to DIR. Won Dol
lngcr which appeared in the Aagsbrgr AHgemdne
Zeituna. Arnim's reply of May z, 1874, merely ad-
mitted he wrote the letter. In answer to further
INQUIRY he declared that he was not from any point
of view responsible for the disclosures OF the press,
and was not aware who were their authors
The prosecution oppose to these statements the
letters Of Hauser, the drafts of published papers
found among the documents seized III the
Counts residence, also the original draft OF
an article upon the evacuation OF france
in the K5ln;sche Zitwng of March 20. 1872. aludlng
TO matters of which Won Arnim alone was officially
cognizant. These documents were especially use
full to the accused, not for his defense, Dut tor
attacks upon the policy of the Government.
The Indictment concludes by charging Won
Arnim with purposely making away with docu'
ments officially intrusted to him and with illegally
appropriating the same. ofcnses defined by Articles
S4s, $50, and 73 Of the Penal Code.
The prosecution announced that it would call as
witnesses Gen. Manteuffe. several dplomatists,
officials of the Berlin Foreign Office, and members
of the German Legation at Paris.
No modification Of the indictment in favor of the
accused was affected by the surrender Of the docu'
wents which Herr Mpnfel handed to tho Court pre-
yious to the second arrest of the accused.
When the reading Of the indictment was con-
cluded, the defense offered protest against the
Jurisdiction of the Court. which was overruled.
The Public Prosecutor stated that the indictment
prepared by the Foreign Office declared that the
accused had his domcile in Berlin, and. consider.
ing the necessity of secresy and the Importance OF