The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-26
SOLD THEM PARDONS
A SCANDAL THAT INVOLVES EMpER-
OR WILLIAMS SECRETARY.

How This High Court Omcial Msde Use
Of His Notwithstanding Details OF
His Career-Only Man In tho Ksiser's
Suit Who Wears q Civilians Coat.
After having welded for several
years a power superior to that OF any
fabinet minister, Herr Won Lucanus, the
principal private secretary Of Emperor
William, finds his position at court 30
seriously shaken by new and sensa-
tional scandal that has just cropped up
at Berlin that his withdrawal into pri-
vate life Is regarded as inevitable. The
scandal in question is In connection
with the sale of imperial pardons, In
which there seems to have been very
considerable traffic, and the affair has
been brought to light by the trial Of q
man named Pfahl at Hanover ON q
charge of obtaining money by unlawful
means.
During the course Of the proceedings
it was shown that no made q regular
business Of selling his services to pris-
oners undergoing sentence who were
ready to pay for their release. At first
it was thought that the man was mere
ly boasting of his being able to do
things that were beyond his power, but
with the object Of proving that he was
no common swindler he produced testi-
mony of the most convincing character
to show that he had obtained numerous
imperial pardons for convicts, notably
in the case of three men Of some wealth
and position who were undergoing
term of three years imprisonment with
hard labor for most brutal assaults.
Cross examined as to how and through
what source he secured the pardons,
he declared that he got them through
Herr Won Lucanus, who, in addition to
being private secretary and chief Of the
civil chancellerie Of the emperor, is
likewise the head Of tho bureau Of i'm
perial pardons He even went 30 far as
to produce documentary evidence in
support Of his assertions, with the re-
suit that the jury unhesitatingly return
ed verdict of acquittal, in which the
court concured, for, inasmuch as Pfahl
showed that he was able to fulfill what
he had undertaken to accomplish, it was
evident that he could not be held for
swindling or convicted of obtaining
money from people under false pre-
lenses.
Herr Won Lucanus goes at Berlin by
the name of Emperor Williams Blackie
Man. This sobriquet is attributable to
his somewhat swarthy complexion, to
the fact that almost alone among the
kaiser's suite he wears the black frock
coat of civilian, all the others being
officers of the army and navy, and also
to his invariable selection by his impe-
rial master to convey to statesmen who
have ceased to please either demands for
their resignation or notifications of their
dismissal
1t was he who conveyed To Prince
Bismarck the emperor's request and
subsequently peremptory command for
the surrender of the chancellorship in
March, 1890 1t was be, too, who was
sent to ask Count Capriyi for his resig-
nation, and not single ministerial
head has fallen during the last four
years where Herr Won Lucanus has not
been the imperial emissary Of evil It'd
ings.
The Be1liners declare that Emperor
William pitched upon Won Lucanus for
these particular jobs in consequence OF
his being the son of Halberstadt, a drug
gist. and as such more likely to be pro-
ficient in the art Of sugar coating bitter
pills than any mere military officer. He
owes his patent Of nobility to the late
Emperor Frederick, who had a high
opinion Of his intelligence, and it il
worthy of note that he first came to the
fore as an influential member of the
imperial household when Prince Bis
marck's power as chancellor commenced
to wane.
He is man about 90 years old and
served for q quarter Of century in the
ministry of public worship. 1t was,
however, as an expert in art matters and
as an intelligent assistant in the organ
ization Of the Imperial Museum Of Sci
ence and Art at Berlin that he first at
tracted the attention and good will Of
the late emperor and particularly Of
Empress Frederick. He has been in the
, habit Of accompanying the emperor ev-
erywhere. is credited with preparing
most Of the sensible speeches which the
emperor frequently makes by way Of di-
version from his customary utterances
and holds the rank Of privy councillor,
which entities him to be addressed as
your exoellency. ''-Marquise de Fon-
tenoy in Chicago Record.
Rics In High Lstitudes.
The mast supposition has been that