Omaha daily bee., 1893-04-30
WAS A FLAT FAILURE
Alhwardt's Vain Effort to Besmirch High
German officials.
EVEN HIS FRIENDS DOUBT HIS HONESTY
Exciting Scene Before the Committee Inquir-
ing Iuto Bis Charges.
ITS MEMBERS ABUSED BY THE DEMAG0GUE
Futile Attempts to Convince Ahlwardt that
He is in the Wrong.
ITS MEMBERS ABUSED BY THE DEMAGoGUE
ARMY BILL MATTERS NEARING A CLIMAX
Within n Week the Fate OF that Measure
viii Be Definitely Settled-Program
of the Socialists in Aus
tria and Germany.

public is so utterly absorbed in the Ahlwardt
inquiry that little else political has much in
terest The affair reached a climax today in
scene that was without parallel in the his
tory of the Reichstag. The committee APP
pointed to examine the documents submitted
by Ahlwardt in support of the grave charges
of corruption he has made, held a plenary
meeting today to discuss its report In addi-
tion to the members of the committee DR..
Portsch, centrist; DR.. Won Cuny, national
liberal; Herr Bebel socialist; DR. Miguel,
Prussan minister of finance, and DIR. Won
Bettischer and many of the imperial home
officers were present.
Herr Beoel described Ahlwardt's docu-
| ments as worthless. He declared they were
incorrect copies of old pamphlets with CON
cocted appellations, badly spelled and con
tanning number of erasures.
Dr. Miguel had already shown that one
letter furnished by Ahlwardt, and purport-
! ing to have been written by NJ. Kalindero,
| president of the Roumanian Senate, in rela-
| ton to the 35 per cent alleged to nave been
| paid to the Disconto Gastelschaft was a
! forgery and that no man named Kalintero
was ever the presiding officer of the Senate
! of R)umania. Notwithstanding these dis
disclosures Ahlwardt remained callous and
unaOaSheu ana declined 10 withdraw the
! charges.
Ah'wardt's Stubbornness.
The committee delegated DR. Portsch and
Hcrr Bebel to confer with Ahlwardt pri-
vately, but the conference did not result in
anything, Ahlwardt declining to wiJElraw
from the attitude he had taken. DR..
Portsch subsequently told the committee
that he and Herr Bobsl had vainly tried to
| GhONV a n WA rIt thar nj N of bia al han
were impossible; that the Disconto Gesel-
schaft could not have taken 35 per cent of
the money advanced to construct the Rou-
manian railways.
Herr Bebel added that the task OF convin-
cling Ahlwardt of the error of his charges in
connection with the Disconto Gaselschaft
| WAS impossible, because he seemed to be ig-
| nOrant of the rddiments of arithmetic and
| could neither understand accounts nor grasp
the real bearing of the documents he nai
submitted to the Reichstag
Herr Pickenbach, an anti-Semite, declared
that he had hoped for the best for Ahlwardt,
but he could no longer believe a word he said.
Dr. Leber urged the committee to close
the matter. He declared it produced in him
as in most people, the feeling of moral and
physical disgust 10 see German representa-
tive make such spectacle of himself.
Worked Himself Into IA Rage
This remark brought Ahlwardt to his feet
and he menaced DR.. Lleber with his fist. He
said that DR.. Liebcr's remark WAS an oaious
reference to the circumstance of his (Ahl-
wardt's) appearance before the committee
yesterday with rent in his clothing. DE-.
Lieber's reference to this circumstance was
infamous
The chairman of the committee called
Ahlwardt to order.
The latter repeated the expression that
DR.. Lieber's words were infamous, where
upon the whole committee arose. Ahlwarlt
hurled abusive epithots at them collectively
and finally left the committee room, shout
ing out that he would not remlA to be in
suited He then rushed into the lobby,
where he told group that the committee
would next declare him mad. The commit
tee briefly passed the report affirming that
all the charges were baseless. Despite the
exposure Ahlwarit will address n meeting
of anti-Semites tonight at the Germania
rooms Half fool and half knave, he still
commands the faith Of many thousands of
| Germans.
Dr. Miguel proposes to bring a criminal
action against him and the ReichstIg may
revive disuset law ami eyDel him. Bat as
long as he can draw enthusiastic meetings
attended Oy thousands of persons, All lward
must be counted as Il living force among the
anti-Semites, who are prepared to contest
forty-eight electoral districts at the coming
elections.
Fate of the Amy Bl Wm Sooa BE Known
On the report of the committee on the
army bill, which WAS presented TO the
Reichstag few days ago, Herr Won Levet
zow president of that Doiy, proposed that
: the debate on the report should open on
| Tuesday The leaders of the di ferent
groups coUcurreu in this opinion, 50, week
| hence, the fate of the army bill will hav,
been settled and one phlse of the crisis
ought to be over. To-Day Chan ,ellor vor
Caprivi caused 10 perlolate into the lobSiei
information To the effect that the govern
ment would cause the second reading of tn
bill to be postponed, presumably because En-
peror William desires to be present in Ber
lin on the eve of the dissolution of tn,
, Reichstag.
Even at the last hour, Chancellor Won G;
, privi has, with no apparent chance of sue
cess, made fresh overtures for support to tn
centrist leader, Count Won Ballestrou
through Major Won Hoiningen HeSne, al
other prominent member of that party ]
is reported that the latter is reinforced b.
letters from Cardinal Ledochowski, Urefec
of the propaganda, urging the center part
= TO try to come TO terms with the governmer
r on the bills. There is no doubt whateve
y that since the interview given by the POP
Q to Herr Marschll Bieborstoiu, imperia
4 minister of foreign affairs, that some Gu
l. rent of concilIation with the Vatican has Sc
o in, which has been vaguely, but perceptibl
c flung around the Catholic members of I'll
Rechstag, No one, however, who is well il
formed of the opinion held By the ceutrist
could doubt their unfinchiug adhesion 10 e!
N isting conditions.
l. OrginiLing for the CampAigI.
/. The central socialist committee now 81
daily organizing the direction of the car