The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1896-07-18

swore at Kissingsn that his sou was
under sixteen years OF age, in order
to save the 'cure-ta1' imposed on all
but minors. A few days siterward,
he and his son went to ball where
all minors under sixteen we're for
hidden. Baron Thungen, the cham
berlsiu in charge OF the ball, ordered
the youth to retire, whereupon
Stern, the father, insulted the cham
berlsin. Stern was arrested, and
put under bail bonds OF $4,000.
He skipped forfeited his bail, aud
was fined and sentenced to imprison-
ment in contumacium. Mr.. Oluey,
Mr.. Clsvelsnd's jingo secretary,
wrote a note full of bluster and
braggadocio to the German Ambas-
sador, in which he said:
The proceedings against Mr..
Stern appear to have been arbitrary
and conducted with unmerited
vigor. The sentence includes, be-
sides fine, degrading term of i'm
prison ment. Mr.. Stern must not be
submitted to this crowning indig-
nifty
"Thereupon Secretary Marschall
telegraphed to the German Embas-
sador as follows:
Answer Immediately that you
must reject, as entirely unjusti6ablo,
any criticism on the verdict in the
Stern case, and that you must re.
fuse 10 make the administration OF
justice in any state OF the German
Union, or the right of pardon of its
prince, the subject OF diplomatic re-
clamation.'
"The following answer sent was by
Secretary Olney:
The view that an absurd sentence
may not be criticised by the govern
ment of the state whose citizen is
made TO suffer, can not be upheld as
in accordance with dictates of COM
mon sense in any state. Mr.. Stern,
however, does not stand upon his
legal rights; he begs that charita-
BILE view of his case be taken, and
that you will use your great influence
on his behalf
Secretary Marschall telegraphed
the following instructions to EN-
bassador von Thielmann:
Inform the Secretary OF State
once more that the Imperial Gov
ernment can not receive complaints
from foreign Governments except in
the customary way-through their
representatives here. 1t is said that
in the United States Stern is high
ly respected and influential person,
and his sentence has made a very
bad impression; that he offered to
apologize to Baron Thungen; and
that he offered to give 81 ,25O to the
poor. l replied that we must reject,
on principle, every attempt to dis
cu5s the right of pardon held by
German sovereign, as we'll as any
kind OF criticism on sentences pro-
nounced by German courts. With
US, bail is fixed according to the
wealth OF the prisoner; judiciary
proceedings resulting from unlawful
acts can not be warded off here by
giving money to the poor. In Ger
many the law is equal, for all the
courts are entirely independent;
Americans and Germans are treated
alike. Where German law rules,
German views alone can be consider
ed. At present the Sunday closing
law is administered with iron rigor
in New York, and several Germans
have been punished with fine and
imprisonment for selling beer on
Sunday. Such rigor is unknown in
Germany, yet We do not even think
of intervening, and must expect the
Government of the United States to
act in an analogous manner
"Very little sympathy is felt for
the economical Mr.. Stern by the
German press. The Kolnische lei
tung says that the fact that Stern
could afford to forfeit his bail of
twenty thousand dollars proves that
a much higher sum ought to have
been asked. The other European
papers think that Mr.. Olney comes
out at the the little end OF tho horn
in his discussion with Secretary Won
Marschsll. We are very much in
clinsd to think so too"