The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-02
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q Captain
q Arrest of
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There is still opportunity for ability
and courage in Germany. By one bold
stroke a battered old cobbler has
achieved military fame, brought an
. obscure village into prominence before
, the eyes of the world, and added a
new word to universal language. And
all this after half a lifetime spent be-
hind prison bars. In the story of his
exploit there is rare humor:
Voight began his preparations for the
grand coup by purchasing The complete
uniform of a captain of the First
Guards Regiment from a secondhand
dealer in Berlin. The rest was easy
in spite of the fact that his figure has
no sembIance to a correct military
bearing. His ears protrude, his Shout
ders are stopped, one leg is slightly
when attired in the white coat of the
First Guards Regiment he was de-
scribed as "dashing."
His first step was to secure accom-
plices.'' He appeared in one of the
streets of Berlin just as a squad of
four soldiers and a corporal from a
Fusilier Guards, and a similar squad
from the Fourth Guards Regiment
were passing on their way to their
barracks. The soldiers were halted
and told they were to place themselves
at his disposal for special service.
While they might have argued with
the man, they dared not dispute the
authority of the uniform, even though,
as is improbable, they had any suspi-
cions.
Koepenick, little municipality which
lies in the valley of the Spree, an hours
ride east of Berlin, was selected as the
scene of the pseudo-officer's important
operations:
The bogus captain placed his soldiers
on the train and took them to koepen-
lex. Upon their arrival in the town
the cobbler first visited the postoffice,
where he gave orders that all commu-
nications, Geographic or telephone, with
the town hall were to be cut off for
two hours. The captain produced no
orders. The uniform was sufficient to
have his wishes carried out in a thor
ough manner.
Proceeding to the rathhaus or town
hall, soldiers, with bayonets fixed, were
placed on guard. The bandit cooIly
entered and saw the mayor, Herr Ian
gerhaus, who was Immediately placed
under arrest. He wanted to know why
he was being arrested. 1.-THE Kaiser's
ORDERS" replied the captain. Still I'M
willing to be so cavalierly captured, the
mayor asked to see the orders. The
brigand waved a hand in the direction
of his soldiers. So the mayor sue
cumbed to the witchery of the Kaker's
coat
Even in Koepenick there was curios-
1ty and somewhat alarmed interest
among the unsophisticated inhabitants:
! When the detachment occupied the
town hall large crowd gathered, nat
urally attracted by the sight of soldiers
with fixed bayonets guarding the doors.
One of the principal police officials of
koepenick also appeared and demand
ed entrance. which the soldiers refused,
threatening to shoot him if he attempt
ed to pass. When the robber heard the
police superintendent was before the
door, he summoned him, and told him
he required assistance. The superin-
tendent, like all others. stood at atten-
ton. and, after receiving the captains
orders, proceeded to execute them. He
eight policemen, and direct
ed them to keep order among the
crowd
There was one vulnerable point in
the captains armor. and woman
found it, as woman has done in all
ages in similar circumstances. Had
the men of Koepenick possessed her
bravery and energy they might not
now be famous.
The only heroic part in the drama
was played by Mayor Langerhaus'
wife. who on learning of her husbands
arrest rushed to the town hall, forced
her way past the soldiers, entered the
room where the mayor was held pri-
soner, and threw herself into his arms
declaring that she would share his
fate, whatever it might be. The dis
suised brigand was SO impressed by
1er energy that he permitted her to
remain with her husband and accom-
oany him when he was escorted to
Berlin by the grenadiers.
Carrying out the orders of their COM
nander. squad of the soldiers con-
Keyed the captured mayor to the rail {
way station and set out by train to
out him in the hands of the military
b Berlin. Meanwhile the captain set 4;