The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-19
DUELs IN GERMANY DOOMED.
The KOtEe-schrader Affair the Last
straw.

Berlin. April 1s.-The party of the center
in the Reichstag have decided to put some
questions TO Chancellor Won Hohenlohe in
regard TO the recent German duels, AMI
ask TO be informed what measures the
government proposes to take to prevent
similar encounters in the future. The
question will also be raised in the PrUs-
sian landtag. This movement Of the CEN
trists finds support in the highest social
quarters and is also championed by all OF
the leading Berlin and provincial news
papers. and it is significant that a journal
OF the character Of the Cologne Gazette
in a series of articles on the subject, de-
plores the injury to its prestige which the
court continues to suffer from its sup
posed sympathy with duelling and ap>
peals to the emperor to intervene and
vigorously put a stop to the practice.
In the meantime, the increasing public
agitation against duelling has prevented
a series of duels which were expected to
arise out of the Kotze-Schrader affair
The meeting which was arranged between
Barons Lancken and Hahn has been stop
ped, and several other impending encoun-
ters are of. Lieberecht Won Kotze and
his family have left Berlin for the south
Of Europe. Their exact destination is
kept secret.
A majority of those who are fully in
formed as to the inner side of the quarrel
between Baron Won Kotze and Baron Won
Schrader, consider the death of the latter
as KIND of gottesgericht Judgment of
tfod). When the scandal was first bruited
IN the summer of 1894, Baron Won Schrader
was designated in the United Press dis
patches as the originator of the trouble
Whlcn resulted in Baron VOu KotZe's long
string OF misfOrtunes. his unjust impris-
Onment under the order of the emperor
ana his subsequent private trial and re-
a fpd ras1rr q efr.s- -
social and official death. Baron Won
Dcnrader was Baron Won KotZe's accuser
ana remained his bitter enemy even when
Ine latter innocence had been proved.
The newspapers alege that Baron Won
Schrader addressed letter to the emperor
prior to the duel, endea vOring to clear
himself of any share in the scandal. but
1t cannot be learned that any such letter
exists.
There has also been a complete change
in the attitude of the emperor. For a
long time his majesty placed the greatest
reuance upon Baron Won Schrader. but
latterly he turned against him, and his
studied contempt for him was shown by
his omission TO send wreath to his flu
neral and his refusal to permit the use
oI me FTledriehskirehe or the Garrison
klrche at Potsdam for the deceased master
of ceremonies. In spite Of the stand W hich
the emperor had taken, however, a large
contingent of the court attaches testified
their respect to the dead duelst. The
dOwager Empress Frederick although
very strong in her condemnation of the
ptdtllCt VI uutAlllBt sent 10 the family OF
Baron Won Schrader a message of SYM
pathy and coincidence and also sent a
wreath of roses to be placed upon the
coffin. The body of Baron Won Schrader
was taken on Thursday to the Ratzen-
burg, the family seat.
The Paris clergyman refused to give the
body a Christian burial, and Court Chap
lain Wendlandt officiated in his place
The Ratzenburg veterans fired a Volley
over his grave.
The delay in taking any action against
Baron Won Kotze for the killing of Baron
Won Schrader has created a. widespread
suspicion that the authorities are desirous
that the popular feeling against dueling
shall abate before any application is made
to the law, not wishing to brand the
custom as an absolute offense. In sun
port of this idea 1t is observed that the
Hamburger Nachrichten, Prince Bis
marck's organ, in an article on the sub
ject, indicates a certain reaction in IA
vor of the practice, contending that the
higher classes cannot wholly abandon the
usage, which has a distinctive social val
ue.