Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
HEARTBROkEN,
WIFE OF HAU
KILLS HERSELF
Professor Accused of
Crime
Member of Faculty of George Wash.
ington University Held in Ger
man Prison and Spouse
Takes Own Life
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
KARLSRUHE, Germany, June s.
Karl Hau, professor of Roman law at
the George Washington university,
Washington, who is in prison here
charged with the murder of his mother
in-law, Frau Molitir, was visited by
the governor of the prison today and
informed that his wife had committed
suicide by drowning in, a lake in
Switzerland. The governor had quite
a lengthy conference with the profess
sor, which led to a report that he
had confessed that he had murdered
his wife's mother. The states attorney
subsequently denied that Hau had con-
fessed.
Mrs. Hau came to Karlsruhe two
days ago and had a long talk with her
husband. She left in state of de-
preston and went back to Pfafikon.
On arriving there Mrs. Hau went to
a bathing establishment on the lake
and requested to be given a separate
dressing room. The attendants later
saw her swimming out in the lake, but
soon afterward they observed that she
was no longer moving. A boatman
brought the body ashore. A long fare
well letter was found in her clothing,
in which she declared 1t was impos-
sible for her longer to bear the sorrow
of living apart from her husband, not
withstanding the charge against him.
Hau was born and educated in Ger
many and went to Washington four
years ago with his wife and little
daughter. He had married Lena Mo-
liter against the wishes of her mother.
Wife Had Dover
Mrs. Hau, who was about six years
older than her husband, is understood
to have had dover of $50,OOO, which
she intrusted to her husband. The lat
ter graduated from the George Wash
1ngton university in 1904 after having
passed his examinations brilliantly
and earning the degrees of A. M. and
LII. D., and later he was appointed
professor of Roman law. The same
year he was admitted to the bar and
practiced his profession in Washing
ton up to the time of going abroad with
his family a year ago. Hau's father
was wealthy and a former member of
the reichstag and his mother was
baroness.
After leaving the United States Hau
went to Constantinople and sought I'M
successfully to obtain a valuable con-
cession from the Turkish government
in connection with an oil depot. He
then went to Baden-Baden with his
family to visit his mother-in-law. The
best relations seemed to exist between
them. In October Hau left Baden
Baden ostensibly to return to the
United States He sent his mother-in-
law false telegram dated Paris, ask
ing her to go to see married daugh-
ter there. Inquiries about the false
message were still proceeding when
on November Frau Moliter received
a telegram at her home asking her to
go to the postoffice and get parcel.
Accompanied by her young daugh-
ter Frau Moliter started for the post
office, and while passing through
quiet street was shot from behind, the
bullet piercing her heart. The assassin
wore a false beard and the police claim
he was the person who called up Frau
Moliter upon the telephone. Hau ap-
peared next in Frankfort and from
there went to London, to which city
his wife had preceded him. He was
arrested in London and brought back
to Germany.
Soon afterward Mrs. Hau went TO
Switzerland, where she had been max
ing efforts to discover what had be-
come of her dowry-$50, 0,000-which she
had intrusted to her husband.
1t developed that Mrs. Haus father
left s125 900 and considerable realty to
his wife and children and that the
greater part of the estate was to go 10
Mrs. Hau upon the death of her
mother.