The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-11
Result Of the Anonymous Letters That
Charged German Court omcfsir and
Royalty with Immornlities.
THIRD MEETING OF THE KIND
NINE MORE DUELs TO BE FoUGHT
If WOW K0TzE HOLDS OUT.
Effort to Suppress Dr. Friedma-'s "a
Revelation from Above,-Which Con-
tains Many Startling Disclosures.

in court and military circles here this morn
Ing when IL was announced that another duel
growing out the OF the great court anony-
nous letter scandals had taken place In the
woods near Potsdam and that Baron Won
Schrader. master OF the ceremonies CT the
Prussian court. had been shot and seriously
wounded by Count Won Kotze. The latter
was formerly court chamberlain and was
tried and acquitted on the charge OF being
the author OF the anonymous communica-
tons. Count Won Kotze and Baron Won
schrader fought with pistols and the latter
was severely wounded in the abdomen. He
was taken to hospital, where hts wound
was pronounced to be OF most serious ma
ture. His relatives were telegraphed for and
promptly gathered at his bedside. Count Won
Kotze's arrest has been ordered and >his
friends say he will surrender TO the authorl-
ties whenever and wherever called on to do
So
This is the third duel of the series OF about
dozen for which challenges were sent cut
last April by Count Won Kotze. and he has
repeated to-day his announcement Of his &C.
termination to keep on fighting his enemies.
one by one. until ne has settled accounts
with all on his list Those who know Count
Won Kotze feel confident that he viii keep
his word.
The scandals which gave rise to this series
of duels began nearly five years ago.
when high court personages, male ana
female, old and young. began recsiv-
ing anonymous letters or postal cards
calling their attention to this or that
escapade on their own part or on the part
Of relatives or friends. AS a result wives
became separated from their husbands ana
fathers and mothers discarded their children.
Nearly every one OF Importance being
rt~1~ ~ -
anonymous writer. who was evidently a per-
son thoroughly familiar with all the details
of court life. People began to look askant
at their best friends. Every effort was made
by the police to discover the guilty party.
but in spite of this. the anonymous tormentor
was able 10 continue the cruel work for
ABOUT four years. The general o2ilioi E6-
that the vile communications were the work
of woman, but gradually this opinion
changed, and for some unexplained reason
suspicion fastened itself on Count Won Kosse-
man, well liked by the Emperor and trusted
ty all his friends. Finally a volunteer spy
denounced him to tie court authorities on the
ground that on the blotting paper Of a letter
pad used by the Count he had found clear
reproduction of one @ the anonymous com-
kotze was arrested and confined In the forf-
rcss. On trial he was. acquitted OF the
charges brought against him.
THE FINGER OF SUSPICION
Of sympathy turned decidedly in his direc-
tion Ugly whispering was heard on all
sides. his arrest was openly denounced as
an outrage and the names " a number of
very hign court personages, Including Duke
Ernest Gunther. of Schleswig- Holstein. the
brother-n-law of Emperor william. In
fact, some persons even had the audaclty
to cast the sideliglas of suspicion on q
higher person than Duke Gunther. though.
II would seem. without any just ground for
doing so.
When Count Won Kotz. was released
from prison he promptly sent out cnal-
beI'syed to Saxs been eeaeh n,sd o mnom me
to ruin him in order to save the repufaiioD
OF the high parsonage, whoever he may bo,
of the anonymous communicafions Among
the principal persons challenged by Count
court marshal to the ex-Empress Frederick
OF Germany: Baron Won Schrader. master
Of ceremonies OF the PrussIan court; pr1ace
halt, and Prince Albert "s Of saxe-AltenonrR. |
A run1or, never snbstantiated. also had it
nest nest Gunther Of schreswis Il Holstein' but
this has been denied and is not believed TO
The. first OF the proposed series Of duels
early during the. morning OF April Il last.
Re.chshach. TIE latter had insisted on
severe conditions, namely, tnat shots should
be EXCHANGED s,.l until one OF the contestants
continue firing. Seven shots were ex-
changed. with the result that botii the
we're wounds But at the eighth shot Won
Kotze fell with bullet In the loin. He was
TAX taken to hospital and for some time ais ais
would live they coupled this statement with
life This is practically the case. although
the Count walks with greater ease than.
sending Count Won Kotze and his opponent
to prison for fighting the duel, but there
was SO much popular ~ symp@atny @ ior Won
matter on the Counts reported promises
TO give up his plans of fighting the rest Of
However. in June last. Won Kotze met
Baron Won schrader on the field OF honor,
wounded ,,,, him sllgatly & tS,. ana Tn vas % again
sentenced to three months imprisohnent In
the fortress OF Glutz, and on July le he
gSce and served his ssnenee snt he ~ss
treated with the greatest consideration.
and i was again reported on his reiesse
duel. BY this time Won Kotze had become
quite a popular hero, and his enemies felt
very uncomfortaDie-
Fritz FRIEDMAN's FLIGHT
1t is possible that this would have been
the last OF the series OF duets had Il not
been for an unlocked for event Counsel for
famous lawyers In Berlin. DIR. Fritz Fried
man. and to the latter the court chamberlain
intrusted a bundle OF Important documents
10 be used in drawing up the case for tho
defense Besides. in preparing this work IL
was necessary TO employ detectives and
make many secret inquiries. All this data
remained in DIR. Friedman's possession ana
almost thunderciaD ecnoed over Berlin
when. In December last, II was announced
that the popular lawyer had fed from Ber-
lin, leaving debts TO the amount OF about
2.00o. 900 marks. and taking with him a rising
young actress. Nellie Won Wildenfels He
was last seen at Masonic dinner with HE
wife, and. hearing that a warrant for HE
arrest had been Issued the charge q
bribing a police efIicer 10 allow a lady client
whom the policeman was escorting TO prison
to escape. ne suddenly disappeared and took
with him. besides the actress all the docu-
ments IA the Won kotze case and other
secret papers which had been sntrusted 10
mis- care by high personages. leaving hia
wife and Eve children In poverty. alfhoueh
his yearly income was estimated 10 be about
800, 900 marks. He received $1,000 marks FOR
defending Poke. the banker. last year. The
actress he took with him In his f1iRht II alro
appears. was the daughter OF a professional
burglar. and he had been leading double
life Wt