The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-09

ehJoy in quietude the fortune which ne mad amassed during his wander- | ings. l Such, at any rate was the story Whleh he had told to Frau IaszewsIxi ana ana soon 1t became known that he was 1.e accepted suitor of the lnapproach- able beauty Preparations for the union were hurried on, and 1t was ar ranged that the pair should be married , rom one of the principal hotels of berlln at the end of January, last But on the 10th of that month Frau Leszew- SKI was found dead at the foot of the staircase of her house
 Ihe circumstances pointed to acci- dent, and the doctor who was called fin certified that the lady had met with her death by falling downstairs. It was only after the funeral had taken placo that rumor suggested that she had been q victim of foul play. It was whispered that the widow had for years been sedulously hoarding in order to beNable to secure brilliant match for her daughter. and had all along opposed the idea of her marrying Gaffke, who. m spite of his reputed wealth, was u man of rough manners and obscure origin.
 High words had been heard to pass between the widow and her son in law elect. Grounds for suspicion now mul-
 
 signed by Frau Laszewsld had been negotiated by Gaffke, and 1t was shown that the signatures upon them were false. It was argued that he had every interest in getting her out of the way before the presentation of the bills re- vealed his forgery
 At last so much discriminating evi- dence accumulated that the man was arr rested. At first he stubbornly denied all guilt, but under cross examination he broke down and made a partial cdsn- fession
 What he admitted was that the widow provoked him by abusive words and that in a moment of blind anger he had struck her a fatal blow. He stiu resoutely denied that he had any inten- ton of killing her The investigations of the police showed that the stories he had told of his wealth had very slen- der foundation. The sum actually found In his possession was not more than $1750. In the course of his cheauere3 career he had played many roles. In various parts of the world he had been In turn sailqr. waiter. farmer, mer- chant There are also said to be req sons for believing that he was at ono time actively concerned in the white slave traffic in the Argentina
 Indeed, 1t is suggested that his motive in the marriage project was to possess
 
 deliver the daughter into the hands of his aceompllces in that~country. At the trial the auditorium was crowded by women from all grades of society, who appeared to be particularly interested III the accused's personality Ganke, whose German was interspersed with English words. admitted, in reply to the presiding judges questions that he killed the widow with life preserver made of cane, load ed with lead, and weighing five pounds He stated that in tho dusk he mistook the deceased for her daughter, and pinchcd her piayfully on the arm, where upon she shouted at him. Go away, you old ourang-outang," and bit his finger This so infuriated him that he struck out at her bllndly.
 The prisoner was found guilty" of murder and sentenced to death
 The Kaiser very much enjoyed his visit to Count Tiele- Kincller at Moscnen Manor house, in Silesia. There was an unusually large house party, and the four days passed right merrily, although shoot ing was not crowned with the success anticipated Among the visitors at tho Schloss Pless were the Duke of Traehen- berg, Count yon Donhoff- F'riedrchsteln (the brother-in-law of the hosD and Mr. Charlemagne Tower the former Amer ican ambassador at Berlln). In the even- ing music and cards formed the enter German national game skat being pre- ferred as rule to whist, but the Kaiser is fond of both games.