The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-09
COU Nj A r N I M.
Closing Scenes Of the Great
Trial.
The Diplomatic and Liter
arv Revelations.
BISMARCK'S RANCHES,
How the Herald Obtained the
Sentence in Advance.


BERLIN, Dec. 20, 1874.
Yesterday evening, precisely at six O'Clock, the
trial OF Count Harry Won Arnlm, the ex-Ambassa-
dor Of the German Empire, noble and peer OF
Prussia, was brought to close by the College OF
Judges who have for the last ten days been trying
the case in the Criminal Court OF Berlin and
sentence Of three months Imprisonment. deduct
ing the four weeks already spent in confinement,
was passed upon the venerable Count. 1t was
scene IN court and outside, on the Molkenmarkt,
and in the streets OF Berlin, such as had not been
witnessed since the year 1S49, when, In the very
same court room, Waldeck was tried for high
treason and acquitted. The present case was,
however, Of greater and far-reacning interest," and
the excitement produced extended much higher
into the aristocratic circles OF the country. "No
trial." said President Keich in delivering tn SEN
tence, has for q long time past created such
vast sensation as this. In no case has the waves
of passion run higher; they swept up into posi-
lions which werc always thought to he proof
against them The reasons for this vast excite
ment and the arousinR or the passions OF men and
parties, lie In the high position occupied by the
accused In the extraordinary circumstances
under which the trial was called into life and in
the matter ITSELF On the one side. personal In.
teresrs Of the most varied kind we're engaged in
under the one word, EnTe (honor); on the other,
were public interests-nteresrs connected with
she foreign and home politics Of Germany"
And the Judge might have added, no case IN
which so many and important revelations have
been made connected with the inner workings OF
State government 80 many revelations OF
character to make German patriot blush for the
reputation Of his country. The verdict passed by
the judges upon Count Arnim is indeed con-
sidered here tantamounr to an acquittal 1t Is
nominal punishment for offences scarcely asserted
in the indictment, and not for any crime of en-
bezzement OF state papers for which the State At
torney had demanded a sentence of two years and
six months Imprisonment Count Arnim comes
forth from the trial with his honor untarnshed.
This the Judge asserted In other words; but the
world will ask, Does
THE STATE ATTORNEY, ALIAS PRINCE BISMARCK,
come forth from the conflict IN so very brilliant
hight Once upon time 1t was inslnuated that
the Count had been guilty Of crimes which might
be brought under the head Of treason. These in
situations have not been proved We are at q
loss the reasons that have instigated Prince
Bismarck to institute the trial at least the reasons
have not been made apparent in the evidence
adouced at the trial, and we can accept in this
respect but superstition that IT was instituted
from motives Of personal spite, from the endeavor
to crush powerful rival whose chances OF sue
ceedlng to the ChancellOrship OF the Empire were
very great And as evidence upon evidence
was adduced In the court, and the charges
made by the State Attorney in the ndct
ment were quashed one after the other,
all Impartial sjurisss in Berlin thought that
the Count would be declared not guilty;
but verdict Of guilty was necessary to
enable Prince Bismarck to MAINTAIN his position
and his influence. There are people in Berlin who
uhicnor prtn Riam IA cd reetOna
ton, which was Withdrawn three days before the
close Of this trial. was simply q hint to the Criml
nal Court. ''The Chancellor's position 10 untena-
be," said Berlin Deputy to me, III the Court
acquit Count Arnim. There was not the least oc-
CASTOR for his threatened demission after the ad-
verse vote on the Majunke question" And yet,
with the sentence OF guilty pronounced on Count
Arnm, the trial has undoubtedly left the Chan
cellor's position terribly shaken; his policy ana
his method of conducting the business or the EN-
pire do not stand in such halo OF light as here
toiore And then, az you are aware. and as Count
Arnlm expressed to me in the brief interview l
had with him few days ago, we have only one
side OF the evidence to judge by. The ecclesiasti-
Cal dispatches Of Prince Bismarck were read in
secret session; they were brought into the court
scaled, and they were returned therefrom sealed.
but we know that II these documents were to be
made public they would stir up the
RELIGIOUS PASSIONS OF TEN MILLIONS OF CATHOLIC
GERMANS
to an extent that might prove frightlul in their
consequences. There are we know, documents
Still missing. Public rumor In Berlin saws they are
in the possession OF the Empress OF Ger
many; but they are not-they are weapons
which may yet nave to be used by
Count Arnim in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which
Count Arnim would be FOOLISH to give up 80 long
as he stands in his present position. The case Is
not yet ended, and unless the Emperor steps in
with pardon then 1t viii be brought before the
higher courts and we shall anticipate revelations
compared with which those that have been made
are as the burning OF peasants hut to prairie
ire.
THE REPTILE FUNDS.
Among the many revelations made during the
course OF the trial those connected with the press
are perhaps the most interesting to us and the
most degrading. For Prince Bismarck they must
be especially unwelCome. Count Arnim's con-
nection with the press, with the Echo du Pdrld-
Dent, the Vienna Presse, and the various literary
people whose names have become prominent dur
ing the trial, Is simply chids play when compared
with the part which the Chancellor carries on with
the "Reptile Funds" lew words on tins pecu-
liar fund. When blind King George OF Hanover
was driven nom his throne, in the year 1860, the
Prussan government In taking possession OF Han.
over offered the dethroned monarch the sum OF
1fteen millions OF thaers as slight recompen Sc
for the loss OF his crown anu dignities. But King
George made one day speech In which ne vowed
TO fight for his lost cause, and the Prussian gov
eminent resolved not to pay out the millions
already granted but 70 keep them until the King
should give up his opposition. This immense sum
OF money was placed at interest and returns a sum
or some seven hundred thousand thalers annu-
ally This sum then has been styled the Reptile
Funds" 1t was placed at the free and privy dts
position OF Prince Bismarck, chiefly for the pur-
pose OF Influencing the press-about which
the Prince Chancellor has such very curious
views How this sum IL spent is not
known, of course but 1t Is distributed with very
bounteous hand in Germany, Austria and Eng
land. Large sums have been spent during this
trial. Advocate Dockhorn mentioned In his speech