The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-04
SHYLoCKS IN BERLIN
MONEY LENDERS AS MARRIAGE
AGENTS soANDALIZE THE ARMY.
Recent DisgracefuI Experience of
queen VictOrIa's Grandson Dis
closes a Queer Situation.
w York Herald.

New York Herald.
The life of young aristocrat in the Ger
man army is not all beer ard skittles. The
Day is rdiculously small, and chap must
live. you know. Then there are the card
tables, and after the card tables comes one
of two things-disgrace and ruin, or a
matrimonial agent and rich wife from the
realm of the parvenu. Recent developments
have emphasized this condition Of affairs
Emperor William has just dismissed from
the army Baron Won der Planitz, adjutant
OF the First Regiment of Guards and Lieut.
Won Goethe, son of General Won Goetze
commander Of the Seventh Army Corps
owing to a scandal growing out Of the card
table. A brother officer, no less a parsonage
than Prince Alfred. only son and heir of the
rcfeuing Duke of Saxe-Coburg- Gotha, was
also involved in what is said to have been
q disgraceful affair. He has been placed
on the hale retired list, and banished from
the crack regiment CT the Germany army to
q line regiment station at Darmstadt. Prince
Alfred is Queen Victoria's grandson.
The prince and Won Goethe, so the story
goes. lost heavily at cards. They charged
Baron Won der Planitz. who won, with un-
fair play. A hand-to-hand scuffle ensued
and challenges were given and accepted
colonel of the regiment placed all three of
the officers under arrest. The Emperor or
dcred the matter to be brought before a
court of honor, with the result already
stated.
The Emperor has likewise, forbidden any
duel, which is pretty hard on the baron,
who has been accused of cheating and to
whom satisfaction is consequently de-
MED Prince Alfred has found it convenient
10 leave Germany for a time, and is now
I'm Russia, where he will remain on a visit
10 his cousin, the Car, and as a guest like
wise of the Grand Duke Sergius, until the
end of the year.
This matter recalls the affair of the Baron
Won Nettelbladt, who committed suicide
some months ago, being unable to pay 5000
which he owed to a well-known usurer.
Ncttelbladt did not borrow the money him
self, but had become responsible for a
brother officer who failed to pay. This af-
fair led to the arrest of a certain Miss
Hartert. and now other matters have been
made public, showing how money lenders
had eXacted terrible interest from the Off
GERS. The trial of Miss Hartert will come
off in a short time, and this will help to end
the shady transactions of the money lend
ers with whom the German officers deal.
During the winter of 1896 there occurred
many engagements between the officers of
thu regiments of the "Garde'' I'm Berlin and
daughters of the money aristocracy" In
the following spring all these engagements
were broken off. The one which came first
and which led to the breaking off OF all the
others WAS that of q Lieutenant Won We'll
Ter. Of the Fourth Garde foot, and a Miss
Gilka. daughter of the world-renowned
owner of the mandatory OF Gilka Kuem-
mel Everybody was astonished over this
sensational event, for such it was for Ber-
lin and but few there were who knew the
true reason. Only the knowing ones smiled
when by chance the subject came up in
the course of conversation.
THREE MARRIAGE AGENTS.
In this connection it is necessary to state
that there are hundreds of marriage agents
in Berlin About thirty of these operate
among the upper classes and there are three
who have become famous, or infamous, just
as you please. These three go by the names
Of Won Lepel, Hartert and Gessler. The first
two have the reputation of not caring so
much about assisting the marriage candl-
Gate 10 get a rich bride as they do about
using their calling as cloak to cover other
ranipulations. In fact, there is good reason
10 doubt that they have ever succeeded in
bringing about marriage. Mrs. Gesser has
ON several occasions.
OF those in the higher society who want
to marry rich women nine out of ten are
army officers. These gentlemen are Eener-
ally the poorer contingent of the ariStoc-
lacy. The court officials and estate owners
are generally well off, but their sons; who
invariably become officers, are often obliged
TO marry for money.
In Germany officers get very small pay "a
second lieutenant hardly $780, captain
about SOW, and the younger sons of the
families generally have to depend great
deal on their pay only. The officers repre-
sent the greatest part of the male MEM
bers of the first society in Germany, ana
have heavy expenses. often greater than
their pay and income. and so they are
forced to borrow money. The next step is 10
fail into the hands of some money ienuer
who is always willing to lend money 10 oiIl-
GERS, as they are, il they do not pay pack
in a certain time, dishonorabiy dismissed
from the army.
the next thing is to think of rich mar
rage, and they fall into the hands or mar
rage agents The agents begin by proNlo-
ing them with money on very low interest,
hut when they have them in their clutches
they charge higher interest, and then comes
The proposal of arranging a rich marriage
for a certain percentage, Seneraly . pei
cent. of the entire fortune of the future
Tie acquaintance of such agents is easily
matte Some good friend introduces the
candidate to the agent, VINO Is senG ;,3 o e
woman. The start Is the DO, poIr t1 -, AZ; IL
money through the agent when tle Cdh u!
date has pressing debts, which ne mas III
creased very often through gamollhS.
7Hen the agent Droposes to him to marry,
and names directly such ana sucn d lduy'
The story of the agent is always me s9 il3,.
The oiticer is assured that this certain lduy
LaS given orders to provide her, uitutI tuy
stgicteSt discretion. with a htuhS nuSpS dl
has So many millions cash (the agent does
NOT trouble himself much about stdtluS ~. tile
lt3I sum- and the lady uenEtu'S VilS. nc
the Introduction be made in the strlctesC
secrecy.
lu this very difficult position, the canal-
date has to agree, by signing a paper, 70
pay per cent. of the fortune OF ms future
u8ncev. generally on the day after ms WEI
ding After signing this paper the Salu u.
date waits. full of hope. The pfluClpal par
Of the work of the agent Is TO get the camel Ahui-
date introduced and to PROVIDE MN VIII
money If the family of the future nance
s. living in the city where the O1icef Is
carrisored the Introduction Is very sim-
plo. especially if the family moves niue
iI society. Then the officer nas Only 20 put
his helmet on, according to German Iasaloh,
and leave his card with the certain fanny
iu order to get an invitation. lie mas ~
look out for the rest himself
But If the lady does not live In the same
town. the thing i much harder, because
there is not only the question about setlIls
Through but i'm this case the money dues-
tiou is of Importance, too. If 1t IS intehuSu,
fur instance. that the Introduction Is 10 tdhS
place at some watering place. the oincer VIII
say. ''Nfth greatest pleasure, my dear, out,
unluckHv / have not the money to go there
and 10 stayi'
GETTING IN THE CLUTCHES.
Don't trouble about that, baron is the
answer he gets. and in trice the son OF
Mars. after signing a note for 5000 marks,
receives perhaps $500 marks in cash, and