The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-13
ARRESTEDIN BERLIN.
An American Citizen is Held on
a False Charge
OF LIBELING EMPEROR WILLIAM.
The Accusation was Made by Two Drunken
Students-The Harsh Treatment TO Which
the Police Subjected Him.
Especial to THE HnRAnD-Examiner Dispatch

| Especial to THE HERALD-Examiner Dispatch.
BERLIN June 49, By cable to the NY World. !
| "A tremendous sensation has been caused here
this week by the arrest OF Joseph Jonasson, of
the firm of Meyer, Jonasson s. Co., Broadway.
| New York on charge of libeling Emperor
William 1t appears that Mr. Jonasson met a
couple Of students one evening whom he had
seen before and went with them to several
places, when suddenly both of them turned upon
| him and accused him of making Objectionable
observations about the Emperor. also as mat
! ter OF 1act the latter'S name never has been
mentioned Jonasson then noticed that both
| students were drunk and tried TO smooth the
matter over as joke, but they refused to listen
! TO him and called for the police, who were only
| loo glad to have chance of arresting an
American. They took Mr.. Jonasson to a dirty,
| little Stat1on-house, where he was rudely
Searched and all Of his Valuables, papers ETC.,
| taken from him. Mr.. JonasSon protested
against this treatment and called the officers
attention to the drunken condition of both stu
dents and demanded to be released, but all his
into the Black Maria and then
roughly driven to police headquarters.
The officers at this station declined to entertain
Jonasson'S protests and ordered his instant re.
| moval to jail. He was then taken to q dirty
cell and compelled to give up his own clothes
ana wear prison garb. For three days and
nights ne was Kept In solitary and close con-
nnement and given food in filthy condition.
| Meanwhile Mr.. Jonasson's brother, who was
staying ut the same hotel, became uneasy at
his disappearance and made frantic endeavors
to obtain information as to the whereabouts of
his brother. He searched the morgue and
hospitals in vain. He then went to police head
quarters and was told that nothing was known
OF such a person. He gave up the search
IN despair. All this time the unfortunate
victim was lying PROSTATE in his cell.
at length, after suffering great privations, Mr..
Zonasson succeeded in getting one of the best
lawyers in Berlin who made grand speech in
behalf OF the prisoner and secured his release
on bail, which was placed at high figure in
the hope that his American frienus would be
unable TO furnish it, but they were able to de-
feat the hope, and Mr. Zonasson was set free.
The two drunken students, his accusers. now
say they made the charge while drunk and
therefore remember nothing about the affair
But is hardly likely that they will be allowed
TO go OFF with such an infamous excuse. On
the morning following the arrest they said all
was perfectly true and that The American had
libeled the Emperor.
Efforts have been made to hush up the case,
but Americans refuse to listen to such q pro-
poSal. The case is still before the court. There
is no doubt as to Mr. Jonasson's ultimate &C
quittal When he is really free he will prob
ably move an inquiry as to the conduct of the
police officers who refused assistance to him.
Mr.. Jonasson has received Il great number of
letters from all classes regretting the occur
renee. Commercial men in Berlin deplore the
unnecessary harshness of the police. which,
they say, is liable to scare away American buy
ers with whom they do large business. Mr.
JonaSson, when he RECEIVERS his usual health,
Will fight the case out to the end