The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02
KOEpENICK JOKER CONVICTED.
YEARS FOR ARRESTTNG MAYOR
AND LOOTING TREASURY.
Public sympathy Turned to Weight because
OF Years Of Hounding by the reuce
He showed strange dignity IN Csors
Crowd -RidicuIed Gulled Soldiers
.sp.esal Cable Despatch 70 TEE SEE.

crowd -R,dicuIed Guned Soldiers.
Special Cable Despatch 70 TIE SCI.
BERLIN. Dec. THE trial OF voight. the
shoemaker who impersonated an officer OF
the guards, arrested the Mayor OF
p~uick and looted the town safe on October
ID. was begun and ended to-day. He
was convicted and sentenced TO four years
simple Imprisonment on the charges OF
forgery and unauthorized wearing OF a
uniform.
Weights account Of the police persecution
"a which he was subjected and his oddly
dienihed demeanor in court deeply i'm
pressed the public. It is felt that he suf-
fsred a great social wrong at the most
critical period OF his life. II the verdict had
depended upon the public he would have
been acquitted.
The merriest episode OF the whole day
vas the fling into court OF the seven stall
vart Ulardsmen in full war kit whom Voight
had commandeered. They only answered
yea or NO as the story was dragged
fro n them. The non-commissioned ofncer
In charge added that when Weight called
them he spoke ss though shouting from
B~randenburger Thor. INC the order was
heard at the royal palace, half q mile away
There were ten charges against votght,
among them forgery, false Imprisonment
OF Mayor Langerhans and Cashiers Rosen-
kranz and Wiltberg, unauthorized assurnp-
ton OF public Office and illegal wearing OF
uniform.
The masses outside the court house grew
larger from hour TO hour as the day wore on
and more than a dozen photographers were
hard at work. The arrival OF the witnesses
from Koepenick was the signal for cheers
and laughter. A strong force OF police
was on Rand to preserve order. The Ger
man and foreign newspaper correspondents
appeared early in large numbers.
The court, before the calling Of the CASE,
vas full OF noise and hustle n there was Q
orowdo OF lawyers and oficias. Many ele-
giant female toilets were mingled with the
police and military uniforms.
When Weight wa led in he was yellowish
pale as TO complexion and was hollow
checked. He was clean haven and carried
himself with the greatest e~rectnees anc
scanned proud OF himself. He was guarded
by soldiers. The Judge suppressed q
tendency 20 laughter, declaring that thu
court was no place for sensationa ism, but
only for the investigation Of the truth.
The examination OF Weight had hardly
heen begun by questions as 10 his age which
he said was 81. and his condition, to which
he replied that he was unmarried, when tn
defence raised Al objection to the juris
diction OF the Court, which the Court over
ruled.
voisht, speaking with elaboration and
With almost the diction Of a member o.
Parliament, then told the story Of his life
beginning with his schooldays and bis ap
premiership TO the boot trade. He frs
vent astray, be said, IN Berlin, where b
vas Sentenced TO ten years lmprisonman
and o fns OF 1900 for the forgery OF
postal order. Next he wns ssntsnoed ..
fifteen years for robbery, . harbarou
punishment. he declared. against which b
yes unable TO appeal. a. the opportunit,