Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-18
Former Washington University
Professor Is Charged With
Killing Mother-in-LaW in
Baden Baden Park,
TRAGEDY DRIVES WIFE
OF ACCUSED TO SUICIDE
Selection of Jury Occupies
Ten Minutes; Commission
Officially Pronounces Pris-
oner Perfectly Sane

lby morning JouFnhi Npecih iehseh NHes
Karlsruhe. Germany July l7.--Thc
trial of Karl Hau, charged with the
murder of his mother-in-laW, Frau
Molitor in Baden Baden on the even
ing of November 6. 1906 began In this
city today.
Hau was at one time professor %;
Roman law in George Washington uni
VersitN. Washington, -. g.. Tie praC
ticed law In Washington mp To year
ago After the alleged murder ne
fled to London, whore he was taken
into custody Later ne was returned
10 Germany. and as many people
claimed he was insane, the question II
his mental condition was thoroughly
Investigated with the result that he
was formally declared 20 be in his
right mind
Mrs. Hau committed suicide by
drowning in June of this year leaving
"A farewell letter in which she declared
that she could no Longer bear the sor-
row of living apart FROM her husband.
II was once reported that llau had
confessed TO the murder uf Frau Mol
it0r. but this was later denied.
The selection of jury from ve-
nirp of twentY-eight men of which
each side could reject seven, occupie j
only ten minutes.
The presiding Judge examined Hdu
for three hours. Hau pleaded not
guilty to the charge a. inst him but
he admitted having li-in BaGeu 30
den the night the tragedy occurred.
The examination took "A wide range
including Hau's life in Washington
and his visits to ConstantinOple in ~
unsuccessful effort TO negotiate conces-
siuns for American firms.
Hau stated that while returning
from Constantinople in october hc
stopped in Vienna and collected $1,000
on "A letter of credit He said that
he had lost this letter of credit Al
he visited his mother-in-law|
in Baden Baden for "a week and th"n
went to Paris, accompanied by his VIE
and his sister-ln-law, Olga Molitor.
The judge here showed the prisoner
a telegram sent from Paris signed
Olga" asking her mother Co come 10
Paris Immediately and which was NOT
sent by Olga. Hau refused tu say
whether he had written this telegram
pr not Here the judge reminded hin
Df what the experts expert TO ailrm an
his connection and warned him of the
risk he incurred in making denials.
rhe Judge then called Hau's attcnti IN
10 the fact that on his arrival in Lon
Ion on his way To the United states. /
he had received a telegram recalling /
him to the continent and selecting Bei- !
in as a meeting place with an uniden-
ihed person. Hau had shown thiS /
elegram 10 his wife to justify the |
rip. 4 letter from Mrs. Haus |
mother was then read showing thdt |
Iau had impressed upon her the ne !
'essity of absolute silence regarding !
iis trip to the continent.
Hau then admitted % having had a /
Wig and false beard made 10y "a barber
u London. and that the explanation az
his procedure was as previously
.iven-that he was going as SPY iu
turkey and needed the wig and beard
was Incorrect. He said today me-
hrew the wig and beard from the car
window after leaving London ana thar
lis only object had been 70 leave Lon
lon unreCognized He admitted, how
yer To having had second falls"
'ear made at Frankfort. lie admitted
oing TO Karlsruhe November q, ih'
lay OF the murder. wearing iuls"!
IeaTd. lie said he left his two valiS'-
n the baggage room there. ASKED
Why he did not take his belongings i' u
BADEN Baden. Hau made an aWhiE-
ous answer about Ca.ching the right
rain for London. and upon repeater
INQUIRY he said he had no definite plan
u doing this. The iudge reminded
Tau that many persons had noticed
hat he wore a false beard and That h'
.a4 seeking 90 evade observation.
When the Judge brought the invcs-
cation down to the iue ident az Badrn
laden. Hau announced his intention io
i've no Information whatever concern
TX what happened there. ie refuse
say why he had teiegraphcd Frau
iolitor 20 come 90 the railroad station.
Ie refused to say whether he hAl
card the shot fred which caused her
cath. He also refused 10 say whether
D. carried pistol.
He admitted having aent the follow
lg telegram from Frankfort Geo biz
lie af London.
''The place Of meeting has been
hanged 60 Frankforf Observe ahsp-
.tc discretion toward everybody. ] re-
irn Thursday or Friday
The Judge then returned to the sub
ct of the throwing away uf the false
.ard after Hau ieff Baden BADEN. =,
be- prisoner admittef the suspicious !
ok OF this incident huf he refused is
Y why he threw AWAY the beard.
The Judge then read tu extract from Z
.c viii 81 Ham's Nifr before commit Z
ng suicide
one provision nf this d0crucnt is VI
at her little damEnfar shuI|l take o.
lother name Hau said with much ,
cling that b. had NOT bad Single i
iuurtwuitN while Dee prison Geo have q q
lNafe talk with hie Hifr and fNaf if fI
had she never r1uid haEe gotten y.
.rh "a runNi irtiun r
The Judge confronted IIau reurff- .
'iy with the grave srilcuaa Iga .u-r 7
m. but he only eiUIi-d aefussiH fu .
isWer.
Al the afternoon sl.-iun OlEa Muii-
o.. who accompanied her mother uu p
e fatal walk. testified fn hearing fnH D
ere of = persun walking hark snl %