The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-23
Unusual Pains Taken by Abdul Hamid
to Please Their German Majesties
While In COnstantinOple.
GULLIBLE BAVARlAN COUPLE
EXTRAORDINARY CASE of NINE
TENTH CENTURY SUPERSTITION.
Germany's Proposition to Virtually
Exclude All American Meat Prod
ucts-RetaliatiOn Suggested.

Copyright. 1898, by the Associated Press)
BERLIN, Oct. 22-Dispatches received
here from st. Petersburg show that the EN-
peror's journey to the East is viewed there
with the greatest suspicion, and it is fully
believed that Emperor William is desrous
of acquiring portion of Ottoman territory.
The Novoe Vremya, writing in this sense,
warns Turkey that even a slight cession Of
Turkish territory will be the beginning of
the partition of the Turkish empire, if not
Of its ruin.
Emperor Williams tour of the East is
followed here with the keenest interest.
One of the most significant political features
of his Majesty's stay at Constantinople was
the hoisting Of the German naval ensign,
with the cross beside the Turkish crescent.
Since the conquest of Constantinople flags
having cross upon them have never been
officially hoisted there. The Sultan himself
gave the order for hosting the colors. A
striking deviation from Mohammedan Gus
tom was also noticed in the Sultan kissing
the hand of the Empress of Germany
In spite of semi-official denial that the
Emperor is asking anything from the Sui
tan advices received here from Constants
nople report that the Mussulmans are con-
liam some great gift, the Island of Rhodes,
or the Port of Haifa, on the Bay of Acre.
at the foot of Mount Carmel. This would
seem an appropriate gift. for one mile west
of Haifa, at the Immediate foot of the
mount. is a German-American mission col
ony, having good school, sixty stone
dwellings and manufactures of soap and
olive wood wares. The colony has a popu-
latiOn of over fhroa h,,pdrod co.,IS x.,l,;Io
Haifa itself has population of over four
thousand.
The Turks seem to have displayed genu-
inc enthusiasm over the visit of the German
Emperor and Empress to Constantinople.
The molahs of the mosques at Stamboul
assembled on the eve of their Majesties' de-
parture to express by public prayer their
sympathy for the Emperor of Germany.
The German newspapers at first received
the English news of the Anarchist plot at
Alexandria against the life of Emperor Will
liam with skepticism and n section of the
German press, including the Vossische
Zeitung. and the Socialist organs even now.
from party reasons affect to believe that the
plot only existed in the imagination of the
police. This attitude, however, was inspired
by fear of special legislation in Germany
unfavorable to their party and cause.
A remarkable utterance in this connection
was made by the Cologne Gazette which
said: eve Germans have been unable to
agree with the utterances of the Kaiser re-
garding Anarchists, because we felt that
he has sometimes incorrectly diagnosed the
movement and, therefore, has not always
made a lucky choice of means to fight the
foe, for we know there are currents in the
shooting our fathers or brothers. but rather
the best means is to prevent new COM
bustibles from being added to the fames.''
The Berlin Anarchists have called a meet
ing for next Friday to protest against Gin
ternational Anarchist batting and conspir-
acy against freedom The Anarchist or
gan Armer Kondrade, contains large An
archist advertisement appealing for an over
flowing attendance at the meeting.
An almost incredible instance of nine
teenth century superstition and gullibility
comes from the town of Kempton, Bavaria.
where married couple named Wohlfahrt
have been sentenced to imprisonment after
having been convicted of an extraordinary
series of frauds on well-to-do farmer and
his wife, living near by, whose daughter
Crescence recently died. The WohIfahrts
persuaded the farmer and his wife to be-
lieve that their daughter, Agnes Wohlfahrt.
received frequent visits from the Virgin
Mary, who told her that Crescence was not
in heaven, but in purgatory. They further
impressed the parents of Crescence that
Agnes could arrange their daughters re-
lease from purgatory if the farmer paid 800
marks. The latter paid the money, and a
little later Agnes was alleged to have re-
ceived the news that Crescence had been
married to an angel, and wished to have her
dowry sent to her. together with 1000
marks. Then Crescence was supposed to
have had a baby, and the farmer gave more
money to the Wohlfahrts. In short the
farmer was bled in this manner until be
was ruined. But news of the affair reached
the authorities and the Wohlfahrts were ar
rested. During the proceedings in court
ffty-two letters which Agnes Wohlfahrt
was said to have received from the Virgin
Mary were produced, and the public prose-
cutor read receipt from the mother of
Christ for $50 marks. Another document
was letter of thanks for a sack of pota-
toes, and still another was an acknowledg-
ment of the receipt of 1850 marks. which
said that all the angels in heaven blew their
trumpets when the money arrived. 1t was
also developed during the court PROCEEDINGS
that Agnes actually gave the farmer sofa.
a milk loaf and other things, which. she
declared, she had received from heaven.
while the farmers wife personally baked a
fine tart for the Virgin Mary. Frau Wohl-
fahrt, as the guiding spirit in the frauds.
was sentenced TO two years Imprisonment.
An American diplomat who is in a position
TO know the inside facts in the case. dis
cussing the German proposition to practi-
caily exclude American meat products from
Germany, said: IT Is understood that there