The times., 1898-09-19
A REPORTER HOLDS COURT.
His Burlesque Trial of Cinnamon
Accused of Murder.

Accused of Murder.
During the negotiations between Ger
many and China for a cession of territory
on the part OF the latter and the appoint
ment of a commission to take testimony
in the case OF the murdered German mis-
sionaries. Mr.. Eugene Wolf. correspond
ent of the Berliner Tageblatt was trav-
cling through the Celestial Empire He
managed to get some facts in regard TO
the massacre. and proceeded south TO
the province of ChanToung When he
reached Tschu ia he called upon the
German provicar. or chief of the mission
aries. Pastor Freydanemetz, who gave
him all the details. The correspondent.
assuming an air of authority. told him
that he was charged by the German
government to clear up the affair. The
provicar said that the local authorities
had arrested thirteen Cinnamon, and
that he was not sure that among them
there was a single one really implicated
in the massacre
Thereupon Mr.. Wolf took II into mis-
head TO improvise court and TO try the
prisoners himself. He was aided by the
provicar. man of little experience, who
acted as interpreter. Through him he
compelled the mandarin TO send for the
accused in their prison. Then Mr. Wolf
accompanied by his dog, which he calls
Herr Won Schuster, and the provicac
made his solemn entree into the court
room. where the mandarin awaited him.
The journalist Immediately took the high
est chair and made his dog take the chair
on his right. To the provicar he assigned
the chair on the left, and to the mandarin
the fourth chair
According TO a letter sent to the Ger
mania by Pastor Stenz of the Congrega-
ton of the Divine Word. in the province
of Chang-Toung, the mandarin asked Mr..
Wolf for his credentials. But the Jour
nalist. knowing perfectly well the sort of
man he had TO deal with. simply exhfb-
tied folded paper, and in a tone which
tolerated no reply ordered the court to be
opened and the accused to be summoned
to the bar. The proceedings commenced
and the following is specimen of what
took place. according to Pastor Stenz:
Mr-Wolf to the mandarin-Say, old fell
low, | have come here to find out how
you are getting along with this case The
ambassador is very angry with you H
beard that you were very learned man
and consequently had great hopes of you
He gave me the names of the real assas-
sins. and now he wants you to have them
arrested as quickly as possible. | have
found out that the accused parties are
absolutely innocent.
'Mandarin-That is not possible They
have admitted their guilt. Guilty or not.
they will be executed.
Mr.. WQlf-Not by jugful, old fellow
IL they are innocent they must be dis
charged"
The prisoners when brought before the
bar presented a pitiable appearance, with
their dirty clothes, the chains that were
gnawing their limbs and the evidence OF
the tortures which had been inflicted up
on them to force a confession. Mr. Wolf.
during their examination. learned
through the interpreter that debtors o.
creditors had denounced some of them
from motives of vengeance. while the
others had been arrested merely to please
the German government. 1t did not re-
quire very long examination by Mr..
Wolf to convince him that there was no
case whatever against the prisoners Not
only were the unfortunate men innocent
But they had not even heard of the as
sassinations for which they were about to
be beheaded.
The journalist listened with paternal
solicitude to their protestations of inno-
cence and at the end of each ones story
said:
You are discharged. You may now
CO.
After having held court like a judge on
circuit. Mr.. Wolf saluted the manadrin
and the chief of the missionaries, mount
ed his horse, and trotted away, followed
by his faithful four-footed companion.
Herr Won Schuster. Then he continued /
his trip through China as a simple re-
porter. Without his intervention and the
proceedings of his court the unfortunate
Cinnamon would all have lost their
heads.
Mr.. Wolf is one of the best military
correspondents in Europe at the present
time. He is well known in Paris. where
he is highly respected by all the French
officers for the accuracy of his reports
upon the French operations in Madagas
car He wants TO deny the accuracy of
his story but the missionaries and Ber-
lin papers insist that Ii Is true.