The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-07-07
FAMOUS ROBBER
PERPETRATES HOAX
Newspapers Print News Of His
Death With Extensive
Obituaries.
JOKE ON THE PRESS
Writes From Inland City That
He Is Very Much Alive;
Sends His Address.
JOKE ON THE PRESS
Special Cable to The Tribune.

Special Cable to The Tribune.
LONDON. July 6.-Wilhelm yoigt,
the robber-cobbler. and "Captain of
Koepeniek," appears to have perpe-
trated another delicious hoax on his
fatherland.
Yesterday the official Wolf Tele-
graph agency supplied the German
press with Exclusive news that
Voigt died in a London hospital three
days ago, For the past twenty-four
hours the newspapers in all parts OF
the country have been publishing SYM
pathetic obituaries of the ingenious
rogue who made the whole world roar
with merriment after his immortal mil
itary exploit Mt the town hall of Keep
enick in October. 1906.
According TO the majority OF to-
night s newspapers, notably the Ber-
liner Tageblatt, Voigt is not dead, but
very much alive. He Is said to have
arrived at the town Of Lauscha, in the
Thurngian forest at the outset of
circus tour, in company with q troupe
or itlnerant glassblowers.
Very Much Alive.
Meanwhile the Tageblatt prints what
purports TO be q letter from Voigt,
telling how Mortified he WAS on arriv-
Ing IN ThuIingia yesterday to find his
"death' the sole topic Of conversa-
tlon IN railway trains, restaurants and
streets. He said he almost believed it
himself when he saw it in the semi
official Cologne Gazette His fears in
creased when he reached Casel and saw
the "news' conspicuously displayed
Tageblatt for the imposing obituary il
published but assures the editor that
until further notice "Captain Koepen-
ick' may be reached at Lauscha in
care Of his glass-blowing eonfreres.
Scotland Yard has informed the Ber-
lin newspaper that it has no record OF
the death Of ANYBODY answering to the
description of Voigt.
Picture Causes Controversy.
A curious controversy has arisen be.
tween the Spanish government and the
authorities at the Kaiser Friedrich mu-
scum at Berlin, with regard to pic
ture which was purchased by the mu-
scum two years ago for one million gold
pesetas, 100000.
According to the statement of the
museum authorities this picture which
IS known as the "Adoration of the
Magl by the famous Dutch painter.
Van der Goes, was bought by their
u,
which had been sanctioned bv the
Spanish authorities. There was moth
ing of hole-and-corner nature in the
purchase. which was effected against
the strongest competition from British
and American dealers.
Belonged to Monks.
The picture at the time was the nron.
erty of an order of Spanish monks, and
it hung on the monastery Of Mon{orte.
in Galicia. and the monks were snxious
TO sell il in order TO execute some re.
pairs in their buildings. Since the
auction. however, an agitation sprang
un In Spain against the practice of
selling. costly art treasures to foreign
countries, and when the agent of the
Berlin museum went to the monastery
to receive his picture he was forbidden
admission by the gendarme, On the
ground that the monks had no right to
sell the painting. which had already
been marked by the state as national
property.
Much indignation ia expressed hero
nc the action of the Spanish authori-
ties, and dire threats are held ont OF
diplomatic and legal action In Madrid.