The Washington herald., 1911-11-07
BERLIN HAS ANOTHER
SCANDAL in HIGH LIFE


man Ambassador at London, was con-
victed before the Berlin Criminal Court
of fraudulent practices, and sentenced
to nine months Imprisonment. The trial
lasted eight days, Tin any other country
eight hours would have sufficeO because
1t has occupied public attention at the
capital by the Spree to the exclusion Of
all other topics, not only owing to the
high social position Of the prisoner, but
because. number OF persons involved
are we'll known in Berlin west-end So
ciety.
The count was found guilty OF various
acts of fraud Of the most ordinary and
vulgar type. although his allowance from
his father amounted only to about $50
a month he lived in magnificent style,
had an automobile, wore boots costing
$3.50 a pair, dined at the most luxurious
hotels, bought bouquets for his lady
friends when roses were IS cents apiece
lin German at thaD, frequented noe
turnal pleasure resorts. where he flung
about bank notes among the demimon-
DANES and drank expensive French cham
payne.
The exact methods he employed in
raising the wind have not been fully
explained and q still more serious charge
Of card-sharping has been postponed, ow-
ing to the difficulty of gathering evil
dence; but enough has been brought to
light to satisfy the court that the pris-
oner is a youth of exceedingly shady
character.
Among the witnesses were a number
of persons whose evidence throws an
n.
customs of a certain section of Berlin
society. There was, for example, the
lady OF easy virtue" who testified un-
der oath that the young count had bor-
rowed money from her, and who assisted
him in certain complicated bill transac-
tions. There also was the hotel head
waiter from whom Count Gisbert had
borrowed small sums, and who stated
that the loans were only paid back on
the threat of proceedings. Count Gis-
bert explained that it was quite Gus
tomary for Berlin 'eIegants'' to negotiate
temporary loans from head walters with
out diminishing their self-respect
Then, there was also the ridiculous
Maj. Gen. PAUL.. one of Metternich's
witnesses as to character. who insisted
that the accused was worthy of all con-
fidence, and that no himself would have
loaned him any amount OF money. In
the course of the proceedings this wit
ness afforded the court some minutes OF
splendid farce. For he is not Ger
man general at all. but left the Kaiser's
army when he had attained the rank of
major. 1t was during an alleged valiant
career in China, Peru, and Honduras. of
all places. that he acquired the dignity
lay his commissions before the court.
The prosecuting counsel had discovered
that a broken-dOwn Prusslan officer
named PAUL had, arrived in Peru at the
same time as the witness, and who had
been accused of horse stealing, but no ade-
quate attempt was made to establish the
identity Of the two Paulis. The gen
eral'' said there was no truth in the
charge.
Count Gisbert justified his loans. his
eXtravagant purchases. his fast living,
&c, on the ground that he had a pros
pect of marrying the daughter OF a rich
Jewish merchant named WertheiH,
whose stores are well known here. On
the other hand, the Wertheims alleged
that he had no such prospect, and that
they regarded him rather as an aristo-
cratic hanger-on or decoration for their
otherwise somewhat plebeian social gath
erings.
The entire course OF the trial has been
marked by the most painful raking into
private family matters. and by the usual
confusion and disorderliness inseparable
from all causes Ncelebres. The press
teens with mOurnful articles depIoring
the low moral standard OF the idle rich
in Berlin holding up to contempt the
nd
condemning the slavish respect and
adulation paid to titles regardless of the
moral character and worth of their hold
ers.
As Count Gisbert Wolff f-Metternich has
already been ten months in prison the
court remitted six months OF the SEN
tence.
Ex-Crown Princess Louise Of saxony
certainly manages TO keep herself in the
limelight. Hardly giving the public tima
to recover from the bomb she threw at
the Saxon court through the book SHE
had published, detailing and ridicuIing
her experiences and the narrow-mInded
court in Dresden, where, had she be-
haved herself she would have been
Queen now for some years, she suddenly
reappeared at Florence, where she and
her present husband, Slgnor Toselli, re-
sided until she left with her child for
Brussels to superintend the publication
of her sensational narrative, and whom
she had left sans ceremonle," ignoring
all his requests and pleas for her return
to him.
OF course, Florence society was e2o
cited. for the happy rair was seen walk
ing in the main street as though nothing
had happened to mar the happiness of
their domestic relations. Princess Louise
arrived in Florence unennounced, en-
gagged an elegant first-hoor suite of
rooms in the Hotel Baglione, under the
name Of the Countess d'Isette, one Of her
many former titles. She thereupon tele-
phoned to her husband, who arrived later
in the day and remained with her. The
next day. after shopping, they drove to
their villa in the hills above the city, dis
missed all the servants, terminated their
house contract, and left the city unex-
pectedly by the northern express for
Brussels, where the princess had left her
child. -Ns
The couple seem to have effected a
thorough reconciliation without bother
ing themselves about their lawyers in
Florence, who have been busy since her
leaving Toselli, in preparing divorce pa
pers. Both profess to have no knowledge
Of the Intentions or whereabouts OF their
romantic clients. But not so Signor
Toselli pere, who declares in fit of
rage that this peace-makIng with the
ffar azaanada