San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-10-26
PRONOUNCED INSANE.
CHALLENGED EMPEROR WILLIAM
TO FIGHT,
AND WANTED TO INTERVIEW
GROVER CLEVELAND.
I am an American Citizen, and the
Equal of the Kaiser.

NEW YORK, Oct. 26.-Richard
Goerdler, the man who wanted to
interview President Cleveland, and
who attracted attention some time
ago by challenging Emperor Will
liam to fight a duel, is a native OF
Marienwerder Province, West
Prussia. He emigrated to the
United States about 90 years ago,
and became a naturalized Ameri-
can citizen in Kentucky in due
course of time. In 1882 Goerdler
was sent to Berlin by Mr.. Henry
Willard, it is claimed, to act as
agent for the Northern Pacific rail-
road. While occupying this posi-
ton Goerdler organized party Of
celebrated Germans, who were in
vited to participate in the opening
of the railroad referred to. Some
time later, Goerdler's father died
in Germany, and the heirs got into
a fight about the estate. Richard
Goerdler considered himself
wronged by his brother, but the
German courts decided against
him and he then began the fight
against the courts, accusing them
of conspiracy. When the German
secretary Of jnstice decided against
him, Goerdler accused that official
of being in the plot, and thereupon
challenged the emperor of Ger
many to fight a duel.
A special jury of medical men
was called upon to pronounce
on Goerdler's sanity. They pro-
nounced his hopelessly out Of his
mind, and he was found not guilty
of the crime of "lesse majestic" and
sent him to private asylum for
the insane where his brother paid
the expenses for time. But when
the brother stopped paying the ex-
penses in the asylum, the authori-
ties informed the officials of the
United States legation that Geor-
dler, being an American citizen,
and a charge on the community,
they would let him go and inquired
whether there would be any objec-
tions upon the part Of the United
States authorities as represented
by the emigration committee to al
low Goerdler to land in America
if he was sent back to the United
States. In some manner not en-
planned, the whole matter was
postponed, and Richard Goerd-
ler's brother resumed paying his
expenses and continued so doing
for time. But he stopped again
and the question of returning
Goerdler to the United States
again came to the front, as the
German authorities decided that
they had no right to burden the
community with him.
Eventually the state department
at Washington decided that Goer-
dler being an American citizen
could not be prevented from land
ing and he was consequently sent
back to this country last year as a
saloon passenger on board the
steamer Havel, the expenses Of his
trip being partly paid by his BROTH
er, and partly by the Prussian gov
eminent, the latter being careful
to inform the officials of the United
States embassy as to Goerdler's
movement, in order that he might
be properly taken care of on his ar.
rival here. Before leaving Germa-
ny Goderler threatened to return
to that country and continue to
wage his so.called war for justice.
Last month it was announced
that Goerdler was flooding the
public offices of Berlin with a PAM
phlet entitled "Fiat Justitia," In
which he recited his experience in
trying to obtain legacy in West
phalia. Goerdler wanted the En-
peror of Germany to fight him with
pistols, claiming that he, as an
American citizen, was also mon
arch, and the equal Of the Kaiser.