Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-23
AHLwARDT HowLED DOWN.
After an Insufficient Examination His
Charges Are Dismissed.

Charges Are Dismissed.
Upon the reassembling Of the German
| reichstag yesterday Count Won Ballestrem,
chairman Of the committee to which Ahlwardt's
! charges against Bismarck had been referred,
stated that the committee had carefully ex-
amined the documents submitted to them, but
had found nothing to sustain the assertions Of
Herr Ahlwardt Ahlwardt again rose and re-
iterated his promise to produce after Easter the
other documents in his possession, among
which, he said, was a letter from the president
Of the senate to . foreign court expressing
thanks for money sent to the German govern
ment
reichstag. here forbade Ahlwardt to refer to
documents that he had not produced for the
inspection Of the house.
Speeches on the question were made by a
number Of members, all Of whom, without re-
gard to party, condemned Ahlwardt.
Ahlwardt said the other documents were in
the possession Of friends in the country. One
of these friends had telegraphed to him that he
handed the papers that had been intrusted to
him to others because he was threatened with
search warrants.
This statement was greeted with uproarious
laughter.
Herr Ahlwardt protested that the documents
inspected by the committee would be meaning
less until the arrival Of others from Leipzig
This presentation caused further laughter and
many OF the members received it with derisive
cries.
When Count Won Ballestrem had finished
reading the resolution Ahlwardt protested that
the action Of the committee deprived him Of
the chance of proving his case.
Again the house laughed at him.
Herr Richter stated that he greatly reioiced
that the parliamentary system enabled such
short work to be made of Ahlwardt and his
charges, which proved his want of moral stabil-
ity. Herr Richter's remarks were several times
interrupted by applause.
Baron Won Manteuffel said that the members
OF the conservative party agreed that Ahlwardts
conduct in this matter was unprecedented in
the annals of the reichstag.
This remark was received with applause.
DIR. Lieber. on behalf of the centrists, de-
clared that that party concurred in the opinion
in the matter entertained by the conserve
tives.
Ahlwardt attempted to make defense Of his
action, saying:
II have struggled only for the truth" but
his voice was drowned by laughter, derisive
cries and yells. He remained standing, how
ever, and when o semblance of order was
restored said: 81 cannot Withstand the violence
Of the reichstag."
President Won Levetzkow censured him for
making such remark.
DR.. Stocker (conser.), who was formerly
court chaplain, said that blame for the whole
affair really rested upon the electors who con-
sidered Ahlwardt fit to sit in the reichstag. His
presence in the house was one of the conse-
quences Of the infamous secret ballot
Throughout the whole scene the greatest ex-
element prevailed. At times the uproar was
deafening as the members resented the imputa-
tons cast upon high officials by one who. not
withstanding his promises to do so, failed to
produce a scintilla Of evidence to support his
charges. Altogether the scene was one Of the
most exciting that has ever been witnessed in
the reichstag.
The intense interest Of the people in the pro-
ceedings Of the reichstag suggested the popular
excitement in Paris during the first exposures
before the building this morning and clamored
for information as to the progress of the de-
bate. Dozens Of policemen were occupied con-
stantly in pushing the crowd back from the en-
frances.