St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-05
PRUssIAN ARMY SCANDAL.
Reports Adverse to the Lowe Guns
Get Into Court.

BERLIN. Dec. Prussia yesterday
found scandal in the Moabt criminal
court. when, after having been tainted
for lack of veracity, Rector Ahlwarit
produced five official documents, which
proved to be reports made by
colOnels to their generals ad-
verse to the Lowe guns. These
must have been stolen, probably
by an officer, who. If found out. is liable
TO ten years penal servitude. A greater
scandal or more sensational episode
could not have occurred. The army
officers, who were present in large num-
bers, many Of high rank, were aghast.
AT first they looked incredulOus, but
when the judge examined the docu-
mentS and pronounced them authentic,
their dismay knew no bounds. Tele-
grams were at once sent to the en-
peror, who was shooting III SaXOny,
to apprise him of the startling develop
mentS and the blow which had fallen
on the army. Ahlwardt expressed re-
gret that army officers on their Oaths
should have been mistaken in saying
no official reports adverse to the Lowe
guns had been made.
"WhO are you?" thundered the judge,
"who dare talk thus OF officers who
have taken an oath to tell the truth?"
Here are my proofs" replied Ahl-
wardt, taking the papers from his
pocket and holding them up.
The public prosecutor suggested that
they be read at once. Ahlwardt in
low, clear voice said: II have been ac-
cused OF being unpatriotic without rea.
son. The documents | hold can be read
publicly, and will be damaging to my
country, | therefore ask that the court
be cleared and the reading be private.
If the president will glance over them L
am confident he will agree with me-"
Amid dead silence the papers were
handed to the president. AS he read
them his face became very serious.
Finally he said: "The papers laid be-
fore me are very important TO the state.
They should not be read in open court"
The room was then cleared. The
documents show that ont OF $50 guns
used 900 were unserviceabe. Twenty
of the chambers burst and were broken
entirely. There were three general
officers in court representing the minis
ter of war, who at once sent the news
to the war minister-Gen. Won Kalten-
ben Slauchu. chief of staff; Count Won
SchIieffen and Chancellor Won Caprivi.
The revelations hit Herr Lowe, and
his direclor, Col. Kuhne, really seemed
quite overcome atthe unexpected blow.
Another witness, a Hamburg merchant,
said the minister of foreign affairs had
sent consignment of Lowe guns to
East Africa. The witnesses had just
received letter from leader of the
expedition saying: 'Send at once more
guns, but not Lowe-they break like
glass"
Herr Lowe protested it was not
proved they were his guns. 1t must be
remembered that there are 425. 900 Lowe
guns in the German army. This is ter
ribly awkward for the government,
which is bound by necessity to do every
thing to hush up the scandal. The Ahl-
wardt trial will raise doubts in the mind
of large section of the German nation,
not particularly as regards the Lowe
guns, but about all guns manufactured
for the army. Ahlwardt himself is no.
body, but the enormous machinery of
the law is brought to bear against him.