The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1891-08-29
BAD FOR THELAWMAKER
THE GERMAN BARON'S DIFFERING
POINTS OF VIEW.
HIS DISLIKE tor Money Lenders Once Got
Him Into TrOuble-He Was % Strong
Advocate of the Law, but Didn't Think
IL Applied io His Case.


IL Applied tn His Case.
Freihe4r Marschall Won Bieberstein
the state secretary for foreign affairs,
who accompanied his imperial master.
the German emperor, ON his trip to
Great Britain, while member of the
reichstag in 1878 very unexpectedly
found himself III an embarrassing situa-
ton, as result of his activity in secur-
ing the passage OF Il law relating chiefly
to the Jews. the story of which was re-
lated yesterday by Mr. Moses Open
heimer, of 50 Broadway
Il have met the baron many a time."
said Mr. Oppenheimer, ''at the Mann
helm Chess club, of which we both were
members He is an ambitious man
and was much pleased when be was, in
1878. elected to the reichstag. the first
ultra Conservative member that had Oh
tanned victory in Baden He was very
active in the German parliament, being
one of the brightest, as well as the most
aggressive, men III that rather dull con
glomerate, the a-Conservative party
His prominent participation in the enact
ment of the antiusury law resulted in a
rather funny complication
Il happened TO know personally the
other actor in the story, and have my
information directly from him His
name was Lonis Altheimer, well-to-do
Hebrew residing in Mannheim and liv-
ing on the proceeds of a snug fortune
which he had amas>e,l in his youth in
the United States
CALLED THEM BLoODSUCKERS
'AItheimers speciality was to lend
money to officers of the army, to officials
and others of that class of society on
their promissory notes. His regular
charge was 12 per cent. per annum He
wouid. of course, accommodate only
people who seemed to be good pay AS
Il rule he would extend the note from
time to time on payment OF the interest,
provided he had no fear Of suffering Il
loss
In those days Baron Marschalfs ia.
ther was yet alive and in possession OF
his moderate estate The Young prose-
cnting attorney had to get along in the
managed it pretty we'll Hmtl he had
some trouble with a youn- w"n,an 1t
would never do for Thu. II ,l5,2 yonn9
courtier and conservatiN. ~:a4t.-iuan TO
have the scandal made p,i!tr. and to
hush it up about 5000 mar,s III cash
was absolutely required The baron en-
tered into negotiations with Mr. Alt
81, /,
The interest was paid promptly. aud the
little bill was extended several times
without any difficulty,
In advocating the antiEsury bill in
the relchstas Baron MarSchail delivered
Il vehement speech against blood suck
ing usurers, especially those Of Hebrew
descent. The law as passed. largely
owing to Marschall's persistency. was
exceedingly vague in its provisions, leav-
ing 1t practically to the discretion of the
courts to say whether i'll any given case
the taking of more than 6 per cent. was
criminal usury. punishable by impris-
onment at hard labor and by fines
WOULD NOT RENEW
The session of the rechstag closed
the baron returned to Mannheim and re.
suuled the duties OF his office Mean
while his note for 5000 marks, held by
Mr. Altheimer was soon to fall due, The
baron wrote q note to his creditor ask
ing him to call and arrange for an extern
sion Of time under the usual conditions
Atheimer replied briefly IN writing that
under the new antiusury law he did not
feel safe in continuing TO tend money in
his former way. and therefore proposed
to go INTO some other business. where
his capital would yield him legitimate
profits He notified the baron that the
note would be presented for collection.
This turn Of affairs WAS embarrassing
q f0' the young statesman He wrote
again TO Mr.. Atheimer. saying that the
usury act WA never intended For cases
like his. and could not apply ~ their re-
latlon He urged renewal OF the note.
as "A perfectly safe ani sensible transac
ton
A reply soon came from The Hebrew
acknowledging the barons good ,nten-
tions as we'll as bis legal acnnien, but at
the same ti,ne pointing to the fact that
the Interpretation Of the law was left
entirely to the courts
"'Under those circumstances. Ait
heimer continued i do not feel dis
posed to put my neck into the halter /
cannot renew your note You nave been
accommodated SO far By one of the
much abused Hebrew usurers at his
own terms. Your popularity and your
position will probably induce some of
your Christian friends to lend you the
amount without security on perfectly
legal interest