Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-23
History of the Case.

some of its phases of the dismal story OF
Eugene Aram, another learned and brilliant
man who was ruined by the lust for gold,
and who. like many men of brains who
have fallen into crime. showed conspicuous
incapacity in the planning and execution
of it.
When Hau came to Washington seven
years ago his opportunities for great and
honorable success were bright. He mad
devoted WIFE, and her rich family, although
1t had at first opposed his marriage. had
become reconciled to it and stood ready to
help him to make the most of his great
natural abilities. Hau began well in Wash
ington. AS student in the George WASH
ington University. his brilliant work soon
attracted attention and he gained the de-
grees of M. and Ii. .. and the chair Of
before him, with every chance in his
favor. when the money lure claimed him
and he forsook the pursuit of learning for
that of gold.
He went to Constantinople, where he
hoped to use what influence he had in pro-
curing from the Turkish government con-
cession for an oil station. 1t Is not known
in whose interest he worked besides his
own, or that he had any backing. 1t is
probable that it was all a personal venture
on his part. and that he lost his own
returned to- Baden-Baden, where his wife
and child awaited him. disappointed and
penniless man. This was last fall.
Lure Of the Inheritance.
1t is said that he tried to borrow large
sum of money from Mrs. Molitor his moth
er-in-law, to enable him to have another
try in Constantinople. and that she refused.
But, in case of Mrs. Molitor's death. Mrs
Hau was to come into $4,000. and in that
fact lay temptation before which Hau
fell He announced that he would return to
Washington and go to work again, and he
and his family left Baden-Baden, ostensibly
for New York via London. But at Frank
fort Hau sent his wife and child on to
London, promising to rejoin them soon, and
returned in disguise to Baden-Baden, lured
his mother-in-law, Mrs. Molitor, out by
false telephone message and shot her
through the heart as she passed along 4
dusky street where he had lain in wait for
her
But his every step, before and after the
clumsy crime, was soon plain to the German
false beard made. proved his wearing it,
traced his clandestine return to Baden
Baden and his hasty flight from 1t after the
murder, showed that he was the sender of
the false telephone message, found per-
sons who had seen him lurking in the path
that he knew Mrs. Molitor would take, and
produced the telegram he sent to his wife
as he was hurrying to London after the
crime-tWilf return tomorrow night Do
not betray my address,
1t was all clear enough. though the evil
dence was .circumStantial, and it justified
the jury's verdict, while the wretched de-
Tense of the prisoner. that he had returned
to Baden-Baden to pursue an intrigue with
an unmarried sister-in-law, instead of help
ing him, must have still further hardened
the jury against him. and was even more
dastardly than his crime.
Surprise at the ominous result of the
trial of Karl Hau was general among the
condemned mans friends in Washington
when they received news last night of the
verdict and death sentence passed upon
Hau in the court at Karlsruhe. Germany.
yesterday. At the same time there were
many expressions of hope at the possibility
OF reversal of the verdict when an appeal
dispatches from Karlsruhe indicated that
DR.. Dietz. Haus counsel. has expressed
his determination to GARY the case to the
highest tribunal of Germany.
Many Of the men who were most init
mate with Hau during his residence here
are out Of the city. but 1t is generally
stated that nothing can be done in Wash
ington. or from Washington. at this time to
aid him in any way. 1t was reported that
Mrs. Hau had left about $4,000 on deposit
in a Washington bank, but so far as H.
Ralph Burton, Haus legal representative
in this city, Is advised. he knows nothing
of the existence of such a sum. The Hau
family were supposed to have taken prac-
tically all of their possessions to Europe
with them a year ago. and there Is moth
ing in the way of an estate that will need
to be settled.
Formal Statement Given Out.
In formal statement, following receipt
of the news of his conviction yesterday,
Mr. Burton said:
81 cannot believe Hau guilty. To me it
is inexplicable that such a man should
commit the crime for which it seems Hau
Is to pay the penalty.
Further. as l have stated before, / do
not believe that Hau has had a fair trial
The prosecuting witnesses. the prosecuting
attorney and the presiding judge all seem
to have had an inclination to every bit
of evidence to Hau's disadvantage.
'Of course, the prosecuting attorney is
expected to work for the conviction of priS-
oners. but it seems to me the presiding
judge has not permitted Hau to have a
fair hearing.
men could find him guilty on the circum-
stantal evidence that has been submitted.
More than that. cannot conceive the JUS
tlce of condemning a man on such circum-
stantial evidence. 1t Is notorious that a
great percentage of men so executed are
later found to have been innocent, but then
1t Is too late for redress
"Granting the verdict of the jury is right
for the sake of argument. then 1 say that
He could not have committed the crime If
he had been in his right mind.
"To me the case is the saddest OF any
with which l have ever come in contact
A wear ago theirs was a happy family
Today the wife and mother are dead, the
daughter motherless. and the father is
under the shadow Of the headmans AK.
One could hardly picture greater tragedy.
ITO me it looks as though everything had
conspired to aid the terrible processes Of
the German police in sending Hau to death.
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