The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-30


every day and not necessarily within the
boundaries of the grounds surrounding the
fortress for with permission of the COM
manding officer excursions may be extended
To the neighboring villages. They may re-
ceive as many visits as they like. and they
also pay visits to residents of the surround
ing district
Inside the fortress their liberty is abso-
iutely unrestricted. They can play games
of all kinds i'm and out of doors. they can
read whatever they choose. and the Off
cial regulations concerning their treatment
specially provide that they shall have the
privilege of pursuing their own particular
hobbies. If the period of detention becomes
tedious an officer undergoing confinement
in a fortress may apply to the commanding
officer for leave of absence and go right
away for week or two to enjoy life and
then return to complete his term of deten-
ton.
This form of punishment is i'm fact no
punishment at all. but rather a pleasant
holiday for the culprits sentenced thereto.
And it is the intention of the government
that this should be the case. This treat
ment of officers who have shed blood in up
holding their military honor is part of
the system of maintaining a favored mill
tary caste exempt from the ordinary laws
of justice and morality
. 1t is hardly surprising that the attitude
of the military authorities in Germany,
Austria and Russia leads to many outrage
Gus abuses of the officers right to cut
down anyone who Sights his dignity These
outrages are less frequent in Germany
than in Austria, where they occur on an
average once in every two or three weeks
or so. Here are several cases which have
COME under the writer's personal notice:
CUT OFF THREE FINGERS.
Lieutenant Ruehling Won Ruedingen was
standing in the middle of the Mariahilfer
strasse, one of the busiest thoroughfares in
Vienna, talking to two women. when pass
ing omnibus nearly ran over them. Lieuten-
ant Won Ruedingen swore vigorously at the
driver, who replied:
II called out to you loudly to get out of
the way. You should not stand talking in
the middle of busy street"
Lieutenant Won Ruedingen regarded this
| reply as an insult to his military honor"
and, drawing his sword, he made a dash at
the driver and dealt him blow on his right
hand which cut off three fingers. The
the doctors found that he was disabled for
| life. Under the influence Of the storm OF
public indignation caused by this assault
| court-martial expelled Lieutenant Won
| Ruedingen from the army and ordered him
| TO pay his victim pension for life.
A few weeks later, however, when the
| general public had forgotten the affair, the
guilty officer was pardoned and reinstated
/
wealthy man, he announced his intention of
ceasing paying the pension to the disabled
driver, who was thus reduced to restitution
and beggary. He sued Lieutenant Won
Ruedingen I'm the civil courts for compensa-
ton, but the tribunal ruled that the officer
had merely obeyed the regulations regard
ing the protection of his military honor,
and could not be held responsible for the
| consequences of his blow.
Not long ago, as the express train from
Vienna to Trieste was standing in Marburg
station, a young cavalry officer entered a
| second-class compartment to find a seat
He was about to sit down in an unoccupied
| place when a gentleman said, quite politely
Excuse me, Herr Lieutenant, that seat is
| engaged
''Well, 1 will sit here anyway" retorted
| the officer.
The rightful occupant of the seat was in
the act of summoning the guard when the
| officer sprang up drew his long cavalry
sword and dealt the civilian a fearful blow
| on the head, exclaiming:
take that for your insolence, you dirty
| tradesman."
| The victim of this outrage, highly re-
| spected architect of Trieste, fell uncon-
scious to the ground and was removed to
Marburg Infirnary, where he lay for many
weeks in a precarious condition. Ultimately
he died from the effects of the injuries in
flicted on him by the officer. The officer
was permitted to continue his journey I'M
molested, and to this day he is doing duty
in the army and enjoys great reputation
| as smart, dashing military man.
APOLOGY OF NO AVAIL.
Another case occurred at wimberger's
establishment, a noted winter pleasure re-
sort in Vienna. 4 gentleman, an electrical
engineer by profession, was walking up and
down the dancing hall with woman when
he accidentally brushed an officers face
with the handkerchief with which he was
tanning himself. For this he apologized,
but the irate warrior was not appeased.
| Drawing his sword he began to slash wild
| ly at the civilian, who fell bleeding to the
ground. AS he lay there helpless and un-
conscious the officer continued to slash at
him, although Fortunately most of the blows
| fell on the intervening pieces of furniture,
| which were hacked to bits. The engineer
| subsequently died of his wounds, but the
officer was not arrested, nor were any steps
ever taken to punish him for the crime.
An officer boarded an omnibus on the
| Opera Ring In Vienna when 1t was marked
| full, whereupon the conductor very politely
requested him to get off again, saying:
Herr Major, cannot take more than the
number allowed by the police, otherwise L
shall be dismissed for negligence"
The major. regarding this as a slight to
his military honor, drew his sword and
killed the conductor, exclaiming:
THAT for your insolence, you rhinoceros"
Having killed the man. the major quietly
| got off the bus and walked away unmo-
Tested. Nothing ever happened to him, and
he is to-day a highly respected colonel in
| the Austrian army.
| An officer entered a cafe at TRENT at mid
| night and demanded cigarettes. The waiter
informed him that he had none left.
''Then go and fetch some for me-" shouted
the officer impatiently
There are no more shops open at the
| hour Herr Lieutenant was the waiter,S