The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-20
ZABERN INCIDENT ENDS
WITH FORSTNER'S CONVICTION

waves w the conquered provinces.
There was more hooting of Won Forst-
ner, and, as the uniform must be pro-
tected from impertinence, the colonel
gave him a guard of four men, who,
with fixed bayonets, escorted him on
his walks about town and pursued any
utterers of ribaldry.
Reached the Reichstag.
By this time the press all over Ger
many. was full Of the affair, interpret
lations were deposed in the Reichstag,
and Zabern suddenly found itself fam
GUS. The civil authorities of Zabern
were annoyed. They considered that
Won Forstner, having given proVOca-
ton, should have been made to smart
in some way, and the irritated popu-
lace allowed to return to a calmer
frame Of mind. It was not to be. The
point was, not that o Fostner had
done wrong, but that civilians had
vexed him, and that t~reacherous SOL
diers had reported in the streets what
they heard in the b~arrack-yard. So the
recruits were hauled out Of bed one
night and made to sign a declaration
that they could not remember. what
the lieutenant had said, n a dozen
Of them were arrested on suspicion Of
gossiping abou regimental affairs,
but released, as they could not be
convicted.
Meanwhile, the ingenious youth Of
Zabern, from twelve years of age up
wards, had discovered a new pleasure,
which put all those they had known
from infancy in the shade. You had
only to laugh or shout something when
a lieutenant passed, and straightway
there was a commotion IN the town
with which the moving pictures could
not compare. So it fell that n aft
ernoon Won Forstner, escorted by a
| dozen brother officers, went walking,
and an unknown young man shouted
something after him. The officers
drew their swords and pursued the
insulter. They caught him, but he
got away again, and by this time a
gang Of delighted young citizens OF
Zabern had gathered at the officers
heels. The time had come for action
Fifty soldiers with fixed bayonets
suddenly wheeled out of the barracks
gates, commanded by a lieutenant
The drums beat, the front rank knelt
and the lieutenant announced that
unless the onlookers dispersed, he
would give the order to fire There is
no doubt that he meant 1t.
Fortunately, the onlookers preferred
to disperse. and ran up the street FOL
lowed by the soldiers, who, in obedi'
ence to orders, arrested every one
| they met who laughed, spoke. or die
not follow the runners. AS the hum
swept past the courthouse, two judges
Of the provincial court and the public
prosecutor were coming out. They
knew nothing of what had happened
A soldier told. one Of the judges tt
move away. The man Of law replied
that the soldiers must no give hin
orders. He was promptly arrested
and, followed by his brother Judge anc
the public prosecutor, dragged off tt
the Schloss with the other prisoners
The Judges friends procured his re-
lease. but the others, some thirty II
number, We're kept all night in an un.
derground coal-cellar of the castle, th'
picturesque old building in which thu
Cardinal de Rohan received the magi'
clan, Cagliostro, and listened to tn.
story OF the pearl necklace, which wa.
to buy the honor of Marie Antoinette
All these people were either harm
less youngsters, accused OF laughin,
at the soldiers, or highly respectable
citizens, who had given no offense ex
cept that they happened to be in tn
street when the troops came charging
through II. It should be noted tina
under German law. the military hay
no right to assume police duties, I'm
less called upon by the civilian au
| thorities to do so. The majority OF tn
prisoners, who We're all discharged 10
the civil magistrate next morning
have brought criminal and civil &C
tons against the responsible Officer
In this case the commander OF tn
regiment. The stories Of the arrest
were hardly credible. A girl OF Is wa
captured who had given no offense a
all. A young man was arrested fo
singing. another for calling for hi
brother, who was among the captive
In the castle cellar. and q boy wa
taken Coz: laughing. IA boy pg 10 wa