The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-26
Fat William, the Original Beast of Berlin, Described
 by Countess Montignoso
Continued from Page 1O.)

their orders. They held him mo- +4onless while the head rolled to his feet, The Governor checked his cries by gagging him with handkerchtetf. Convulsions seized him, and he fell back fainting in the arms of his sol diers"
 Not even Nero himself could have extended the torture. But the Ro- man was as gentle as a lamb while in a passion of revenge in comparison with the Prussian.
 One would have fancied that the tragedy was ended, but the curtain was not lowered on this bloodstained ~%S~atre.
 TOT on recovering conscio usness, Frederick saw the body of Katt on platform erected opposite to his bed. This was Fat Williams Satanic idea.
 The original Brute of Berlin had decided that all day his son would remain alone with the corpse of his beheaded friend. Frederick, howev- CT, went into such frenzy that the Governor risked the displeasure of !, Fat William by drawing the curtain. When Frederick recovered from the shock he was a changed man. From a warm, generous youth he was trans l formed into a cold and unfeeling au- tocrat. This cruel contrast in his nature was to be shown when he f. nally ascended the throne and con- demned the very devotion of his friends ~ho had served him as the Crown Prince at the risk of disgrac- ing themselves. Frederick's aide-de-camp was one sufferer from this transformation caused by the almost incredible cruel ty of Fat William. Keitt, 1t will be remembered had fled to Holland ffom the wrath of Fat William. He eK- pected to be recalled and received with open arms, but on the contrary, Frederick would not even allow him to return from his exile. Lieutenant KAtt's parents were also sufferers from the reaction of the acts of Fat William towards his son. They were driven from the Court and all their offices taken away from them. As for Doris, the young girl with whom Frederick was wont to play his flute, and who was beaten in the streets of Potsdam and imprisoned, she was flung aims in the form of a pension of so ecus.
 It was not for some time after the execution of Lieutenant Katt that Fat William released his son from the cit adel of Kustrin. As a. prisoner he was forbidden to speak his beloved French and his personal expenses were limited to 1z cents a day. Ev- cry night promptly at nine o'clock the Governor came to his cell personally to extinguish the candle
 But as time went on the severity of Fredericks imprisonment relaxed. For his jailcrs were farsighted enough to appreciate the fact that some day their prisoner would be the King. Then the nobility in the neighborhood helped to relieve the scarcity of the prison menu and the French refugees in Berlin sent him linen and books.
 Governor Loepel went so far as to permit him to leave the prison incog- nito and Frederick began to spend his evenings with the family of the :. 4 Baron de Wrech in the Castle of Tam sel. Now there were no restrictions placed upon his reading. eating or music as at home. Fat William was really giving his son freedom instead of imprisonment.
 Not until eighteen months had elapsed, however, did Fat William re- lease his son from the citadel. Then he called Frederick back to Berlin, re- stored him to his regiment, married him to a Princess of Brunswick and presented him with the Castle of Rheinsberg. There for the first time the Grown Prince was permitted to live his own life and hold a little court.
 Old age and ill-health were now setting in on Fat William and he be- gan to display signs of what he would phave termed "softening of the brain" in his prime. As he grew feeble, he naturally was unable to beat with his familiar cane those who opposed his will. He was accustomed to use this cane on the shoulders of his Grena- diers when they passed him on review. One day he surprised the soldiers by throwing ducats at them. Soon he had to give up revie~&ng his troops.
 Most startling of all the signs of Fat Williams growing decay was when in burst of generosity he draw 100000 ecus from his miser's hoard in the den on the banks of the river Spree and donated the sum to the Berlin hospitals.
 '"The devil was sick, the devil a monk would be" applied well to Fat William but he had relapses of his old-time ferociousness and "the devil a monk was he" One day, while on a ride through the streets of Potsdam in his invalid carriage, Fat William noticed workman gazing at him in- tently. He ordered the carriage stop ped and commanded one of the lack eys to go and pull the mans nose six times
 On another day, one of his subjects approached the carriage and Fat William gruffly demanded what he wished. The fellow replied that he was delighted to see His Majesty in such good health. A small crowd gathered in interest at the sight of the King and workman talking.
 Fat Williams acknowledgment O, the compliment was blow of his ia. nous cane. Then he ordered hi. lackeys to beat and kick the unfor. ltunate man, whereApon the crowC fled in terror.
 Queer indeed were the freq Rfsh i'm pulses of his Aind. Once he sum moned the Queen to his room ant on her arrival she was terrified to finC him lying fin a marble coffin, cacklint with senile glee at its excellent fit
 Another coffin, but smaller, wa. placed beside his own. Fat William ordered his wife to get into it ant see how it fitted her. The poo Queen thought that her last hour hat come.
 RT obeved mora daad +haa aiI,s