The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-04
GAMBLING IN PRUSSIA.
Many of the Officers Are very High
Rollers.
Berlin Letter in London Times.

Berlin Letter IN London Times.
The proceedings against the "mnocents'
Club" an association founded by a num-
Der of smart" young men in Berlin for
the purpose of playing baccarat. have TAX
en- singular turn. The case for the pros
ecution had been got up by a police ON
cial named Won Manteunel, whose spe-
cialty as a detective appears to have been
the investigation of gambling and card
sharping cases. Won Manteuffel set up
the theory that the three prisoners-Her-
rem Won Krocher. Won Kayser and Won
Schachtmeyer, all young men of good fam
lily, and former ofhcers-not only lived by
gambling, but also made their winnings
by cheating.
Many witnesses were called to give evil
dence as to the possibility of telling a par
ticular card by the feel of the back of it.
Although one witness, a conjurer assured
the crown counsel that in one days time
he would teach him to tell cards by touch.
and to cheat at baccarat, the court mani
Tested considerable skeptcism on this
point II also apparently came to the con-
clusion that a great deal of the evidence
collected by Herr Won Manteuffel was
worthless, and in particular 1t brought
out the fact that the father of one OF the
accused, the well-known Gen. Won Krocher,
had not described his son to Won Manteuf-
fel as "a professional gambler" The ex-
element of the unhappy father on hear
ing of his sons arrest probably led him
to express apprehension regarding the
past conduct and future fate of his son,
but not to make fatal charges against
him. The court, therefore. decided that,
although the case must proceed. the ac-
Ebn16 a
liberty The prisoners had been under ar
rest for eight months past awaiting their
trial and no small indignation is excited
against the detective, Won ManteumeI and
against witnesses like Count Konigsmark,
whose inadequately supported evidence had
subjected these misguided youths to this
hard treatment.
Whatever may be the end of the case,
it has revealed a picture of sordid social
life and geuteel vulgarity which eXcites
the comment of the whole press of Ger
many. These young men. whose language
is the polyglot phraseology of the race
course and of the gambling table, inter
larded their evidence with such English
expressions as fair" unfair" gentle
man" pronounced "shentleman'O, and it's
new-fangled German negative, "nicht
shenteman." However Anglophole smart
young Germans may be in politics, they
affect to be anglomaniacs in matters of
roundings of the gambling table and too
often of the race course are sordid enough
in any country, and it would be plagiarism
to deny that In England we have had plen-
~ of humiliating disclosures in these
spheres. But the almost beardless youths
who founded the "Innocents Club" in the
Berlin Central Hotel would provoke dis
dainful smile on the faces Of those whom
they themselves would fain consider to be
their English prototypes. Young Won Kro-
cher, for example, had an allowance from
his father of 40 marks a month-that IL
in English money f55 year. He also had
his pay as a lieutenant in the artillery
which might perhaps, amount to as much
again With an income, however of little
over flOO year, this young scapegrace
proceeded with his similarly situated
friends to found baccarat club.
They succeeded in attracting to their
haunt in the Central Hotel not only over
100 young officers. ranging in social rank
from Prince Max Won Thurn and Taxis
to simple lieutenants of the active army
and OF the reserve, but also convicted card
sharpers, like certain Wolff who has op-
portunely disappeared, and a DR.. Korn~
blum of doubtful reputation, whose dlsap-
pearance has removed one of the chief
witnesses for the prosecution. A Count
Egloffstein was also one of the sponsors
Of the infant circle; he has recently been
fraud. In all 200 witnesses have been cit
ed to appear in the case. Among them are
many officers of the army, members of the
arlstocracy in its higher and highest ranks.
ladies' of the demimonde, Wallets de cham
bre, Jockeys and trainers
WHAT attracted suspicion to the Young
gamblers was the difficulty in accounting
for their expenditures on lodging. dress
wine, mistresses, and on their other ex
travagances, without assuming that their
income from the card table must have
been considerably above what the ordinarv
chances of the game could bring them in
II is true that their unhappy relatives. as
in the case Of Gen. Won Krocher were a.
ten mulched by having to pay their seamb-
ling debts. But Gen. Won Krocher for ex-
ample. could only testify that he had dis
bursed 5000 marks or f25O for this pur
pose. Frau Won Krocher also went into
the witness box, but the unhappy lady
could only pathetlcally state that she was
in the habit of giving her son small sums
from time to time, and that he repaid her
by little birthday presents, like a pair of
gloves or a case for her spectacIes. The
evidence was, in part, touching but 1t was
also reVolting,as when the rotations of a
Baron Won Rocum were described. who
frequently drank five bottles of cham
payne at a sitting, and on one occasion
lost f2,000 at cards.
length because it has features which cast
lurid light on all the splendor and
strength of the German military system.
and on certain aspects of German CONNER
cial prosperity. In vain did the Emperor
after the Hanover gambling case
in 1893, issue a stringent edict
against gambling and extraya-
giant living, and declare that an infantry
officer ought to be able to make both ends
meet with a monthly allowance of 70 IS
beyond his pay, and a cavalry officers with
q los additional at the ouside. The increase
Of wealth and luxury among the CONNER
cial classes excites the cupidity of many a
young Prussian officer, and his mind is
bent-usually to little purpose-on the &C
QUESTION Of money in one way or anoth-
err whereas he used to be satisfied with
the service and its ideal rewards The
increased display Of the court itself contr-
butes TO produce the same effect Even
theatrical military maneuvers such as
vast cavalry charges impossible in actual
warfare, have subtle effect in breaking
A. LA to- eli