The Washington times., 1905-04-02
PEASANT CLAIMS
COUNT AS SON
Famous Polish Case Re-
viyed in Court.
BOY Is HEIR TO ESTATES
Woman Alleges She Gave Him to Mid
wife for Childless Couple and
Wants Him Back.

BERLIN, April 1.-The Kwilecki heir
case. the legal sensation OF Berlin fif-
teen months ago. has been reopened in
Posen.
sh October. 1903, the Countess isabella
Wesierska Kwilecki. belonging to a rich
and aristoc-atic Polish family. was
charged with pretending to have borne
son over six years ago, when she
was ffty-one years old, and presenting
him as the heir to an estate at Wrob-
lewe, province of Posen. consisting of
10000 acres, and having a yearly rental
roll of S15,090
Her husband was also charged with
being an accessory to the crime One
midwife and two women servants were
also placed in the box as accessories.
Count Misiislaw Kwilecki, a member
OF the Prussian house of lords, and his
son. Count Hector Kwilecki, a member
OF the reichstag. contested, as next of
Kin, the legitimacy of the countess son
about two years previous to her arrest
in the proceedings in October, br- after
sensational trial at Posen she was ac-
Quilted.
Ine prosecuting attorney, however,
continued his investigation. He obtain
ed fresh testimony through a police ex-
at the time the son of the countess was
SAID TO have been born, and the rear
rest of the countess followed
Alleged Son of Peasant.
III was alleged that the boy was the
son of a Polish peasant, but this both
count and countess indignantly denied.
The countess pleaded mot guilty. and
s"eepinSly denied ell completely in any
CRIMINAL act; but was frequently unable
10 give satisfactory explanations of
many suspicious circumstances. and
some damaging facts were brought cut.
1T was shown that when the countess
came to Berlin to await her acceuch-
ment she said she did 20 because she
could get better medical attention here.
but she did not cali il physician and
employed ar obscure midwife. The
countess, it was also shown by the tes-
timony, intended gong abroad for the
aceouehraent, and only desisted from do
ing so upon representations made 70
her that the collateral heirs OF the es-
tate wo.iid suspect her
Another point br ,ught out was that
tho countess refused, TO see the family
physician when he came from Posen
u Berlin in order to attend her
When the girl alleged 10 be The chiid's
mother was questioned in court, she
admitted giving her child to midwife.
The witness was shown photographs of
six children, and was asked if she recog-
ni2ed her own child She selected the
right one from its resemblance to her
cider son
The midwife. Frau O5sowski, who had
testified in the Defendants favor at the
previous trial in Posen. admitted that
she had perjufed herself IL Pcsen. The
witness said her former testimony was
influenced by pity for the Countess Isa-
bella. ard especially for the little boy,
for whom she wanted TO save the estate
and titie.
Al Exciting Incident.
One of rhe exciting incidents Of the
trial II October was the production in
court OF the boy and his alleged brother,
both being dressed alike.
The jurors gathered about the boys,
but the impression made was indecisive
Some OF the experts said they saw a
great resemblance between the supposed
little count and the eldest boy of the
peasant girl, while others claimed there
was a farniIy resemblance between the
younger boy and the countess.
An Austrian captain, Won Ziegler, tes-
tilted that the peasant girl had borne
him TWO children. the second in Decem-
ber. 1886. The girl reported 10 him that
she had given this child TO childless
couple
Witnesses from Wroblewe, some of
whom saw the countess Immediately
after the reported birth of the little
count. said they Were convinced that no
fraud had been perDctrated.
The trial continued until November .,
when The countess vas acquitted Race
focling wa- notable feature of the
trial. as the 10000 Poles resident III
Berlin never forget an opportunity to
protest against Prussian justice. The
authorities, expecting rioting saouid
the result. he a conviction. filled the
court and adjacent squares with police.
The announcement of the verdict turned
the prospective -icter2 iato a cheering,
joyful crowd.
Another Suit Now.
. Frau Meyer the wife of ii railway
pointsman IT Cr2coU, who was the al
legged mother OF the disputed heir, has
nsw brought an action against the count
aad countess to claim the boy. She has
lost previous similar action, but de-
clares that she has now obtained addi-
tional rroof that the hoy is really her
own child.