The Newtown bee., 1897-05-07


 b ing it before the court. But BaroI
 von Ehrhardt, who is 8 convinced
 Spiritualist, used the words seriously the first time perhaps & German officer ] had ever done SO, and they came dowr
 upon him for using them trivially."
 Had the emperor anything to say about it?''
 "He confirmed the sentence, but of his clemency he wrote T will as favor Gin genade) allow him (Von Ehrhardt) to retain the iron cross.' For Won Ehrhardt, who was to be punished in this way, was grand soldier, who had fought in 21 engagements in TO and '66. He refused the emperor's offer, and wrote back to him these words-I have a copy Of them made by Von Kamptz:- Since justice is denied me, since l may not wear the sword which 1 bore in two campaigns for my emperor and my country, neither will I wear the iron cross which his majesty the Emperor William the Great granted me for gallantry in action. Your majesty has graciously allowed me to retain it. With the most humble thanks again place 1t at your maiesty's disposal.
 "And may I ask what was your part in this affair.""
 "Ob," said Mir Rhein with a shrug, ''the public prosecutor took action be- cause challenged the members of the courtof honor. As new president of the Spiritualist society and comrade of the two officers, 1 wanted to show up the whole thing. As rule there is dead secrecy in regard to these courts. The neighbors see an officer going without his uniform and they say to one another, Something bad has happened; he has forfeited his honor I wrote to the papers therefore when my challenge was refused, saying that I had told the court they were scoundrels and why. The civil law punishes me for chal- lenging to duel; the courts of honor and the emperor punish my two friends for refusing challenge. It is funny, is I it not?''
 asked Mir Rhein if he would give me some instances of the way the courts | work in other directions and he com piled.
 "They are only supposed to come in, you must understand, when there is a public scandal. Thus nothing was done to me after the iD cident in the. restaurant until civilian mentioned tLe affair one night to the general. How is this P said the general to my colonel. He ! should have used his sword. There must be an inquiry But is it honor to the army says that is honor, why should | the common man not be allowed to use his knife? l said in my defense before my comrades that could put up with other men being as cowardly as they liked, but that I wouldn't be a coward at other mems orders. In my regiment were two officers responsible for the af- fairs of the mess, who used the money for themselves. But, as it did not leak ! out, the court of honor did not interfere, the affair was hushed up and the officers l stayed on in the regiment. Now I say 1 that honor is not promoted in such ways. 1 know good officer who, once in a way, had had enough to drink at 8 liebesmahl. or friendly dinner, and who was convicted by well-known drunkards, men who could not do their duty for drink, but who were clever enough to avoid becoming scandal amongst the civilians. Then, gambling amongst officers is supposed to be dealt with by officer of hussars who played with his comrades till he had got through his fortune. He only had 8 horse and car riage left. He gambled them away, and the went wandering about in the regi- menT, backward and forward, and the colonel and everybody else knew it. But this officer played one night with 8 civilian. This was a public scandal, and his brother officers, who had won all his money, sent him out of the army. Then, again, no officer must make debts. Of course, no officer is out of debt, from the emperor downward, 30 it has been qualified by prohibiting dishonorable debts, What is this honor and dishonor in such connection? Is it dishonorable to owe for beer, or what? Oh, it is all 8 fine muddle, this honor. Officers must ] not speculate or make money in any doubtful way. This has now been inter- preted to mean that poor officer may not teach or help himself in any such ! Mn1tyo man, and he used to make some money by translating English books. My father-in-law, lieutenant colonel, gave private lessons in mathematics, and a gdneral, who was an uncle of mine, did the same thing. All this has now be- come public scandal, and the courts ot honor will not permit it.''
 "But does not the emperor use his influence to make it possible for poor men to serve in your army, by dis couraging luxury and the like?'
 ''Oh, certainly, certainly. There are admirable things said by the emperor about this every year, and we all have to obtain his permission before we marry with this very object. Either the means of the officer must be adequate, or his wife must have means. Failing this the emperor will not permit it. But what does it all come to? The officer is en. Ijoined by the code of honor to live up to his high standard. He must buy the best uniforms, which he doesn't pay fol because he can't. know an officer who was about to be punished by the court