Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-03
BERAIN,s Sc ANDAL.

The Theft OF the Countess schwansn-
FsId's Diamonds sands Editors ia
Jail.
BERLIN, May 2.--Countess SchwaneH-
field IS the lady limited at by Dse ic9e-
biutt in the scandalous narrative caDled
hence to the United states on March /
last. This story related that ut a ball given
in Berlin by high functionary. A
Countess, famous for her beauty and So
cial position. duzzled everybody present
by her displayof diamonds, especially OF a
large diamond dove worn in her head
dress. This was missed towards the
close Of the entertainment. The
loss WAS quite extensively advertised
aud talked about Ono day u gossip re-
ported TO the police that her mlstress,
rival countess, rossessed dove like the
one lost, aud detective secured It's re-
turn by threatening TO publish what he
had learned; namely, that the second
countess had stolen the Jewel from her
rivals head. This was the story published
with many hints, but no names.
The authorities were goHded 10 prosecute
Herr Perl, editor OF he IdGebiatt and Herr
Wolf, the reporter who wrote the story
aud during the trial whlch has just been
closed it was developed that the inspira-
ton for the prosecution came from per-
soual friends OF Countess SchWanenteld.
The public prosecutor asked that SEN
tence of three weeks Imprisonment
should be decreed against herr Perl and
six weeks against Herr Wolf, because OF
the enormity of their otfense,s considering
the slight basis they had for their story.
STRANGE STORY.
Solicitor Hentig testified that Detective
Raumer had related story similar to
thar published In Die Iddebldtt, and that
his Hentg's) colleagues, some OF whom
had heard IL, told it second or third hand,
bad discussed 1t, and he himself had be-
leved the story true. From him Herr
Wolf had heard IL.
Detective Raumer swore that he was
entirely unaware of any diamond story
like that published, until he saw IL in
print. He had never heard that the story
meant to implicate Countess Schwanen-
field in the diamond THEFT. He was
certain he had never mentioned her name
in connection with any robbery of dia-
monds.
SIMILAR TALE.
He admitted, however, that about nine
months ago he had related TO intimate
friends the details OF a crime resembling
in some respects, the story published by
Die Idgebldte. He was, however, utterly
unable 90 imagine how, from his tale, the
story could he builtup in such eXaggera ed
torn as the one Die IGqebtau published.
Besides ee himself had learned the facts
OF mis- own narrative from n third party
who had not vouched for it's truth and
the witness had no means Of ascertaining
whether it was true or false.
Al this point the defense TO show that
they simply printed an interesting
bit OF gossip which was widely
current produced copies Of American
papers Of II date contemporaneous with
their publication. and containing the same
story in an entirely independent form.
The Public Prosecutor denounced the
publication of gossip affecting character.
such use OF scandals, he con-
tended, endangered the morality
and general social interests OF
the country and even undermined
the fabric of the empire by raising doubts
abroad concerning the integrity Ofeven the
highest persons upon whose character the
quality Of the government depended. The
Judgment given decreed three days i'm.
prisOnment agaist Herr Perl and fourteen
days imprisonment against Herr Wolf.