Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-10-15
BAD FORTHELAWMAKER
THE GERMAN 6ARON'S DIFFERING
POINTS OF VIEW.

HIs Dislike for Money Lenders Once Got
Advocate of the Law but Didn't Think
Il Applied to His Case.
Freiherr Marschall Won Bieberstein
Che 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 in an embarrassing situa
ton, as result of his activity in secur
ing the passage Of a law relating chiefly
to the Jews the story of which was re,
lated yesterday by Mr. Moses Oppen
heimer, of 3S Broadway
Il have met the baron many time.
said Mr. Oppenheimer at the Mann
helm Chess club, of which we both were
members He is an mbitious man
and was much pleased when he was, in
1878, elected to the reichstag the first
ultra-C Conservative member that had OBJ
tanned victory in Baden. He was very
active in the German parliament, being
one of the brightest, as well as the most
aggressive, men in that rather dull con
glomerate, the ultra-C 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 Louis Altheimer, well-to-do
Hebrew residing in Mannheim and Iiv
ing on the proceeds of a snug fortune
which he had amassed in his youth in
the United States
CALLED THEM BLooDsUCKERs
"Altheimer's 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 l2 per cent per annum He
would, of course accommodate only
people who seemed to be good pay As
q rule he would extend the note from
time to time on payment of the interest
provided he had no fear of suffering q
loss
In those days Baron Marschall's fa
ther was yet alive and in possession ot
his moderate estate, The young prose
cutting attorney had to get along in the
main ON his rather modest salary H,
managed it pretty well until he hat
some trouble with a young woman.
: would never do for the rising youns
, courtier and conservative statesman tt
have the scandal made public, and tt
hush it up about 5000 marks in casl
was absolutely required The baron en-
tered into negotiations with Mr. Alt
heimer and secured the loan of his note
The interest was paid promptly, and tht
little bill was extended several time
without any difficulty
In advocating the antiusury bill il
the reichstag Baron Marschall delivered
vehement speech against blood suck
ing usurers, especially those of Hebrew
descent The law as passed, largel
. owing to Marschall's persistency, wa
exceedingly vague in its provisions, leav
ing it practically to the discretion of tn
courts to say whether in any given cas-
the taking of more than per cent wa
criminal usury punishable by impris
onment at hard labor and by fines
WOULD NOT RENEW
THE session of the reichstag closed
the baron returned to Mannheim and re
sumed the duties of his office Mean
while his note for 5000 marks held b
Mr. Altheimer, was soon to fall due Th
baron wrote note to his creditor, ask
ing him to call and arrange for an exter
sion of time under the usual conditions
Altheimer replied briefly in writing tina
it under the new antiusury law he did nc
- feel safe in continuing to lend money i
his former way, and therefore propose
& to go into some other business, wher
his capital would yield him legitimat
e profits. He notified the baron that tn
note would be presented for collection
u This turn of affairs was embarrassin
for the young statesman He wrot
d again to Mr. Altheimer, saying that tn
usury act was never intended for case
d like his, and could not apply to their RI
lation. He urged renewal of the not
lie as perfectly safe and sensible transat
tion.
lie "A reply soon came from the Hebrew
acknowledging the baron's good inter
d tions as well as his legal acumen, but {
the same time pointing to the fact thu
ID the Interpretation of the law was lei
entirely to the courts
le "'Under those circumstances, AL
heimer continued, i do not feel dis
lie posed to put my neck into the halter,
cannot renew your note, You have bee
.e accommodated so far by one of tt
much abused Hebrew usurers at b
Ia own terms. Your popularity and yor
position will probably induce some {
"a your Christian friends to lend you tt
amount without security on perfect
.u legal interest.
"Mr. Altheimer's note, it is needle
- to add, was promptly paid. Marscha
subsequently became the diplomatic re
resentative of the grand duke of Bade
at Berlin, and still later he was appoin
ed under secretary of state in the fo
E eign Office, filling the place formerly o
cupied by Count Herbert Bismarck :"
New York Sun,
Cruel Reason,
He-Shes a remarkable girl 81
: doesn hesitate to tell everybody tn
le she is twenty-seven Don't you admi
O le her for it?