Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
DOUBT ABOUT HIS LETTERS
Had Attachments, But Did Not Take
Certain Degrees.
FAILED THE D. C. L. AT OXFORD
He Is Said to Have Had Contempt for
American and English
Authors.

KARLSRUHE, Germany, June S.-Karl
Hau, professor of Roman law at the George
Washington University, Washington, D. c.,
who is in prison here, charged with the
murder of his mother-in-law, Frau Molitor,
was visited by the governor of the prison
today and informed that his wife had COM
mitted suicide by drowning in lake near
Pfaeffikon Switzerland. The governor had
quite a lengthy conversation with the pro-
lessor. which led to a report that he had
confessed that he had murdered his wife s
mother, which he has strenuously denied.
The states attorney subsequently denied
the report that Hau had made a confess
sion.
Mrs Hau came to Karlsruhe two days
ago and had a long talk with her husband.
she left the prison in state of the utmost
depression. and went back to the village
of Pfaeffikon. On arriving there Mrs. Hau
drowned herself in the lake.
IN connection with the charge against
Karl Hau much has been said regarding
MS Drllilancy as a student In the George
Washington University, his scholastic at
talnments, his numerous collegiate degrees,
MS place In the faculty of George Washing
ton University his popularity among the
student body, his immaculate dress, and
some other things. Many Of the statements
referred to are alleged to be misleading
In 1903 Karl Hau was given the degree of
LIB. by the Columbian University He
may have been popular with his class
mates, and he may have been brilliant in
class with them, but it is said by one who
claims to know that he won no prizes took no
medals, and received no honors except
honorable mention.
He has been represented as having grad
uated from the universities of Berlin, Frei-
berg and Bologna with high honors. and
also with high honOrs from the Academy. of
France Yet, The Stars informant says, he
matr1culated for the degree Of doctor Of
civil law from the Columbian University
and never got 1t. He also tried for the de-
gree OF doctor OF philosophy. and the stu
dent body understood his thesis for that de-
gree was unsa tsfactory. He never got the
degree of PhD. from George Washington
University, nor did he receive the degree
Of IL d.
Karl Hau once told an acquaintance, 1t
the degree Of d. c. L. at Oxford, but was
rejected. Hau was student in Berlin in
1899. at the age of nineteen or twenty. and
commenced studying law In George Wash
ington University in 1900, and it Is evil
dent. according to The Stars informant,
that he could not have obtained high de-
Srees from the universities in France and
Germany, as alleged
The catalogue of George Washington Uni
Versity for l906-1907 shows him to be listed
as assistant professor of Roman law. 1t is
stated by authorities at the university that
Hau was an instructor in Roman law in the
institution and was regarded as having con-
siderable ability, SO that he gained Il pro-
motion to the assistant professorship Dur
ing the last year of his service in the uni
versity, 1t was stated last night, Hau
seemed to have contempt for American and
English authors in Roman law, and it is
said he egotistically condemned Sohn as
imaginative and unreliable. although he was
at one time a pupil of the latter.
Mr.. Hau dressed well, yet he was not n
Beau Brummel, and 1t is now said he could
never have been truly regarded as being
popular with the student body