The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-21
COURTS CAN REACH THE MIGHTY KAISER Crown Recently Lost a
 Damage Suit INTEREST IN TRIAL Interesting Stories Told of the Col lege Life of Wagner-Triple
 Suicide of the Lueck
 Family
By MALCOLM CLARKE

 Kaiser is amenable to the courts and he recently figured es an unsuccessful de- pendant in damage suit. The Emperor lost the law suit in his capacity of King of Prussia and proprietor of the Royal Opera at Wiesbaden. The case was in- stituted before the "Privy Council of jus tice" by Fraulein Hessleehl, a singer em- ployed at the Wiesbaden opera. Frau len Hessleehl was recently fined 2.50 for indulging in loud stage whisper. This the management considered an un- seemly interference with the perform ance. She sued the King for restitution of the fine, and the courd decided that the claim was well grounded
 Great interest has been taken in Bohe- mlan circles in the trial for forgery and fraud of two people well known in night life-namely a money-broker, Magolin, and his sweetheart, Erna Froehlich, once a popular singer.
 Public interest centered less upon the accusation against the prisoners than in the persons directly implicated in it. the so-called Count de la Rance, who. representing himself as the heir of French nobeman, married Fraulein AL ice Hecht, the daughter of one of Der lin's wealthiest merchant princes. The real name of the count Is Rela Klimm. In Wiesbaden the count met Frauelin Hecht, who fell in love with him. The couple eloped and were married. The count" was afterwards arrested, but his wife's devotion remained unbroken. His ability to charm wealthy ladies and his shrewdness at cards brought him. it Is alleged, much revenue. One noble woman Is said to have pawned s30,000 worth of Jewels and turned the proceeds over to Rela.
 Ip his quest for fresh funds De la Ra- mee made the acquaintance of Margolin and Frauelin Freehlich. Margolin offer ed to secure Sl0000 for the couple, but he could not negotiate their notes with out security and he and his sweetheart hit upon the plan of forging the endorse ment of Frau Hecht the Countess" de la Ramees wealthy mother, Fraulein Froehlich impersonated Frau Hecht be- fore a notary and signed her name to notes for sumes aggregating about s7, 800 These Margolin had little difficult ty in negotiating, as the name and wealth of Frau Hecht are well known here.
 Instead of turning the money over to the count and his wife, however. Mar goln appropriated It. lie and his ac- tress wife subsequently disappeared and lived in the best hotels of the Riviera, Switzerland, and Austria, until they were arrested at St. Petersburg. | The couple cut a sorry picture on the dock at their trial Margolin wore an
 ordinary tweed suit in contrast with the
 elaborate attire of his better days, while
 the night life habitues who occupied most of the room in court hardly rec | oCpizad Era,, Froehlich in an olive green skirt, a simple blouse and a plain felt | hat Frau Froehlich was often in tears. | The process of the law revealed that Margolin is forty three and Frau Froeh- lich forty two. Both looked older as a result of seven months in gaol. Margol- In made full confession, but attempted to exonerate Frau Froehlich, who he said, had forged and sworn falsely who'll ly to please him. "She would sign her own death warrant" exclaimed Margo-
 lin, "out of love for me-" Frau Froeh- lich pleaded ignorance of the illegality of her acts even after the judge had ang- rily rebuked her for trying to make the jury believe that she was really so naive.
 Eventually. after a hearing of seven- teen hours, both the accused were found guilty of forgery and fraud and sen fenced to three years and a half hard la bor and one year and a half imprison- ment respectively. The closing scenes of the trial were dramatic. Just before the jury retired at midnight, Margolin ad- dressed the court in his own defence, asking no mercy for himself but begging for clemency for his Frau Froehlich. Don't add to the burden of my con- science by convicting her" he exclaim ed. Then the actress, crying pitably, appealed to the jury to find mitigating circumstances in her case. When the jury returned the court was still crowd~ ed with spectators. Margolin received his sentence stolidly. but Frau Froeh- lich collapsed.