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 Minutesi Commission
Officially PronounceS Pris-
oner Perfectly Sane,
lBy Morning journal Special Leased wlrel ]

[By Morning journal Special Leased Wirel
Karlsruhe, Germany, July 17.-The
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. 1905, began In this
city today.
Hau was at one time professor Of
Roman law in George Washington uni
versity, Washington, y. {. he pracH
ticed law In Washington up to a year
ago. After the alleged murder he
fled to London, where he was taken
into custody. Later he was returned
to Germany, and as many people
claimed he was insane, the question or
his mental condition was thoroughly
investigated with the result that he
was formally declared to be in his
right mind.
Mrs Hau committed suicide by
drowning In June of this year, leaving
farewell letter in which she declared
that she could no longer bear the sor-
row of living apart froia her husband;
1t was once reported that Hau had
confessed to the murder of Frau Mol
ltor. but this was later denied
The selection of a jury from g ye-
nire OF twenty-eight men of which
each side could reject seven, occupied
only ten minutes,
The presiding Judge examined Hau
for three hours. HaA pleaded not
guilty to the charge AGAINST him bus
| he admitted havlne Aexnln Baden b.
den the night the tragedy occurred.
The examination took Wide range
including Haus life in Washington
and his visits to Constantinople in S.n
unsuccessful effort TO negotiate conces-
otone for Amaficau firms
Hau stated that while returning
from Constantlnople in October ne
stopped in Vienna and collected $1,000
on a letter of credit He said that
lhe had lost this letter Of credit. Al
terward he visited his mother-in-law
in Baden Baden for week and then
went to Paris, accompanied by his wite
and his sister-in-law, Olga Molit0r.
! The Judge here showed the prisoner
a telegram sent from Paris slgneu
"Olga," asking her mother TO come TO
Paris Immediately, and which was not
sent by Olga. Hau refused to say
whether he had written this telegram
or not. Here the Judge reminded MIN
| of what the experts expert to afhrm ~
| this connection and warned him OF the
risk he incurred I'm making denials-
THE Judge then called Hau's attenti IN
to the fact that on his arrival IN bon-
don on his way to the United States
he had received a telegram fecalllnk
him to the continent and selecting Der
hin as a meeting place with an uhlaen-
tilted person. Hau had shoWn s thls .ts
telegram to his wife to JUSTIFY tne
"trip. A letter from Mrs. Haus
lmother was then read, showing thal
Hau had impressed upon her the ne
cessity of absolute silence regarding
his trim to the continent.
Han then admitted to having had z
wig and false beard made by a barber
lin London, and that the explanation %
this procedure was as previously
leiven-that he was going as spy e
Turkey and needed the wig and peaft
was incorrect. He said TO-DAY NJ
threw the wig and beard from tiie ~ %.
window after leaving, London and tha
his only object had been to leave Lon
don unrecognized He admitted, now.
ever to having had second ial'f
lbear made at Frankfort. He admitte'
going 10 Karlsruhe November 0, ths
L dav of the murder, wearing Ials'
heard. He said he left his two vallsel
lin the baggage room there. Askee
WHY he aid not take his belongings e
Baden Baden, Hau made an ambls
luous answer about catching the flBh
train for London, and upon repea,e.
Inquiry ne said he had no deiille pial pal
in doing this. The Judge reminae'
Hau that many persons had noticed
Ithaf he wore false beard and that ~
vas seeking TO evade Observation:
When the Judge brought the lnVes
ltleation down to the incident at baaei
Ipaden. Hau announced his Intention q
give no Information whatever concern
ling what happened there. He reInsei
10 eav why he had telegrapheo fia'
lMoIltor 10 come TO the railroad statioh
He refused TO say whether ne "a
heard the shot fired whlch caused s ~
death. He also refused To say Whe'ne
he carried pistol. ezu....
He admitted having sent the iohvW
ling telegram from Frankfort 10 ~
wife at London; -.
sarhe place OF meeting has beer
changed 10 Frankfort Observe aDHo
Ilute discretion toward everybody re
lturn Thursday or Friday.
THE Judge then returned 70 the sue
iect OF the throwing away OF the fais
beard after Hau' left Baden baaen
THE prisoner admitted the susplelon
look OF this incident but he refused 3
! say why he threw away the behha
! rhe Judge then read an extract iron
/ lthe wifi OF Hau's wife before commit
w 0ne provision Of this document
that her little daughter should TAX
lanoiher name. Hau said with mue
feeling that he had not had q sinFl
ouuorfsfnlfx while In prison % have
lprfvate talk with his wife. and that
! he had she never could have gotte
lauch e conviction.
Tho Judge confronted lIau repeal
eddy with the grave evidence HFtuH.
I. him. but he only ellcllsd aefusal4
lnnsWer
At the afternoon session Olga Mol
llnr. who accompanied her mother g
E 1.-The fatal walk testified 80 hearing Fl
I Iafapf of & person walking back -
forth ii tire park The steps aeefn9