The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-15
AUroMoB111NG IN GERMANY.
Singular Experience of an American
 in the Black Forest

singular Experience or all @A4li04 A- in the Black Forest,
 A letter to the editor of the London Tribune says: Motorists at home are just now full of their grievances Ihey may congratulate themselves that things are not in England as they are in Germany. Here is a frst-hand ac- count of what lately befell an Amerl- can motorist in the Black Forest not far from Strasburg, The gentleman in question was driving his car recent ly from Nordrach Sanatorium to Stras burg, via Kel. On his return feW hours later he was stopped at hell an informed by the police that they thought he had driven too fast through the city earlier in the day. He gave the police his address, and gave pr. Walther (the we'll known head of the Nordrach Open-air Sanatorium, which is the model for the royal sanatorium lately opened at Hindhead) as a refer ence. The police were content with this apparently, and allowed him to return to Norrach.
 Two days later policeman came to Nordrach with an order infiicting fine of fifty marks (say e2 1Os) on the motorist, though no summons was sent, and no opportunity for appear ing was afforded him. On the order was printed a notice to the. effect that if he wished he could appeal to a court against thi (very summary order Under advice, and being informed that this was the proper action to take, he noted on the order that he wished to have the matter gone Into by the court The policeman made no objection and did not press for instant payment of the fine under these circumstances. The motorist waited for some further intimation of the hearing of his ap- peal, but none came.
 About three weeks afterwards two policeman from the local barracks ap- peared at Nordrach with a telegraphic warrant from Kell for the immediate arrest of the notorist. no offence be- ing stated and no reason given for this extraordinary procedure. He prom pity drove with Dr. Walther and the
 armed guard to the local magistrate at Gengenbach. Though the motorist was i'll and under pr. Walther's treat ment for tuberculosis, he was treated with scant courtesy by the magistrate till Dr. Walther insisted that he should be given a chair. This was at the magistrates private office, not at a public court Then, without any in quiry whatever and refusing to hear any explanation, the magistrate order ed the motorist to pay, in the first plac a fine of 50 marks; next, his chauffeur was called on to pay an equal fine though absolutely no mention had been made of this en the original notice; and finally a further sum of 50 marks as costs was demanded. In the event of his not paying he was told that he would be then and there committed to jail for an indefinite period.
 Naturally he paid up the amount demanded, and then stated that he wished to appeal, and to have the whole case ab initio heard by a court. there having been absolutely leggal proceed ings in the customary way taken up lO tllGI lllllts put u lllS lS was informed that he had waived all right to appeal, and to further inquiry when he paid up these fines! He re- turned with Dr. Walther to Nordach, and three days later arrived an order similar to the first one, imposing a fine on the chauffeur for the alleged rackless driving at Kel almost a month before, No one could understand the line of procedure adopted in the case. This last order seemed to be an afterthought designed to make the chauffeur an acused, and so prevent him being cited as witness on the motorists behalf
 The whole affair has been referred to the American embassy, and further developments are expected. Then mo- torist had taken out license, as re- quired by the new German law, and had paid e GAO marks) for the priv lege of breathing German air and spending his money in Germany. Some of our English papers have already warned motorists against visiting Ger many on account of the new scale of tax es on all visitors. Finally, the police have notified this gentleman that he must not leave Nordrach without first notifying them of his intention
 "It may, however, be added that a brief account of the affair was sent to a Berlin editor. He replied that It was so utterly incredible that he thought it must be hoax, and asked for further corroboration and outhenticatlon, which he has by this time received. Any visitors may fall in for similar treatment, and help their predicament in case they have no well-known man like pr. Walther to interest himself on their behalf Is easily imagined.