The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23

the court called upon the states attorney
TO continue.
Dr. Braun arose and asked that Rudiger
be made an example of as an Anarchist
and verbal assassin of kings. at is quite
evident he said, that this article was
written with vitriol-it fairly teens with
lese majesty. with libel of our own glorious
monarch and all the kings in Christendom.
If we allowed this criminal TO escape there
might be grave international complications,
for every crowned head could rightfully
demand explanations for such unusual leni-
ency. Indeed. for this article. threatening
throne and altar the world over. the pun
ishment imposed cannot be severe enough,
the more so the essay involves many
other crimes besides that mentioned. | am
ready to prove TO the satisfaction of the
court that the incIiminated article is a
heinous glorification OF the revolution mas
much as il encourages the people TO rise
and demand alleged rights-those rights
which some Jacobin styled the rights OF
man.
Again. the article is calculated to under
mine peoples faith In our government and
in monarchy particularly. 1t libels the
crown prince well as the Kaiser and a
long line of unborn Prussian princes To
read such a libel is TO have ones hottest
feelings outraged.
81 claim that the accused is doubly guilty
because he committed the crime with full
knowledge of what he was doing, in malice
and bad faith II such were not the case
DR.. Rudiger would consent TO name the au-
thor. IL the author were innocent he would
not be liable to punishment"
The states attorney continued in this
strain for some time. and wound up his
speech by demanding that Rudiger be sent
to the penitentiary for four years.
CONSERVATION AROUSED.
Rudiger's attorney then addressed the
court, trying to persuade the judges that
the article was theoretical on the face of
it, having nothing whatever TO do with pol
itics or living persons of the day. Its whole
purpose, he declared, was "historic-criti-
CAL" And for these reasons he asked that
his client be acquitted and the state bur-
dened with the cost.
The judges remained motionless in their
chairs while Rudiger's attorney was talk
ing To judge by their set faces they had
made up their mind that the editor was
guilty and should be sent to jail for a num-
ished the presiding Judge arose TO announce
that the case was closed unless the accused
was ready to plead guilty of writing the
article himself and throwing himself upon
the mercy of the court.
Rudiger replied that, to his dismay, he
was unable to acknowledge the authorship
of the brilliant essay-words that caused
the states attorney to groan and the judges
to exchange looks bespeaking outraged 10y
alty-"but,' he continued, after thinking
it over L have concluded to name the writer
Of the article
At this the court and states attorney
seemed highly pleased-there was another
victim for them.
Name the pernicious individual who
wrote these words.' cried the presiding
judge, impressively, adding in an undertone.
land the court will see what it can do for
you
"The man who wrote this said Rudiger.
| weighing each word, twas his Majesty. the
late King Frederick the Second of Prussia.
| surnamed the Great.
If a bomb had dropped into the midst of
| the periwigs they could not have been
more surprised and perplexed.
Its an outrage" fumed the states at
| torney. II beg leave to ask the court to
| with. AT the same time l will have him
| indicted for this new case Of lese majeste."
HE HAD PROOFS.
While the states attorney was talking
Rudiger took from his satchel a number of
small books bound in pink paper, which
everybody at once recognized volumes
| belonging to the popular Reclam's Univer-
| sal Bibliothek Qibrary.)
| "If it please the court, he said, ito look
| over the marked passages in these books,
| constituting the complete works of Fred
| erick the Great, you will find the article,
as printed in the BurgerZeitung word for
| word | have not added a comma nor an
| explanation mark, not an If, but or and.
| 1t is all there" pointing to the books, "and
| as these volumes are printed by royal war
, rant I thought il would do no harm to re-
| produce the words of the last of kings,
| as Carlisle calls him..
The court then adjourned for a short time
| ito examine into the new phases of the
| case" and their honors withdrew to the
| attorney they pondered over these small
| pink volumes for fully two hours, and when
| they did return each was a picture of dis
| gust and rage.
Case dismissed" snapped the presiding
| judge, looking daggers at Rudiger's attor-
ney.
land who pays the costs. your honor?''
Queried the lawyer.
1.-The state is burdened with the cost OF
| the proceedings"
|