The Cordova daily times., 1921-08-26
Isy Associated Preset

BERLIN, Aug. 26 Matthias Erz- berger, former vice premier and min ister of finance, was assassinated to- day near Offenburg. Baden. It is be- Iieved several men were implicated in the crime. as twelve bullet wounds were fouud in the body of the eX- premier
 Matthias Erzberger, German vice Premier and Minister of Finance was shot and wounded on January 2G, 1920, as he was leaving the criminal court building in Berlin after attend ing a hearing in a libel suit he had brought against Dr. Karl Helfferich, the former German Nice-Chancellor. His assailant gave his name as Olt- wig von Hirschfeld. a former cadet officer, 20 years old, student, and son of a Berlin bank official. Von Hirschfeld was arrested and was quoted as saying he considered Erz- berger dangerous to the empire. The assailant fired two shots at Erzberger as the minister was en- @sring his automobile. One bullet glanced off the minister's watch chain and another entered his shoulder.
 Erzberger reused a storm in Germ any in July 1917. more than a year before the armstice. by proposing a resolution in the German Reichstag in favor of peace without annexa- tions and for parliamentary reform. Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg de- clared this formula was unacceptable and Dr. HeIfferich subsequently blamed Erzbergers peace proposal for the moral collapse of the German people. The former Vice. Chancellor accused Erzberger of high treason, denounced him as "a menace to the purity of our public life" and invit- ed him to bring suit for libel. He declared that Ezberger must be re- %oved from public office If our political life is again to become healty and normal" He asserted that Erzberger's fortune had been made during the war by utilizing his polit- ical and parliamentary position.
 Erzberger accepted the challenge and instituted suit for libel The hearing was acrimonious and as- sumed much political importance. Dr Helfferich delivering denunciat- ory speeches in court while Erzberger vigorously defended himself and his action in seeking peace in 1917.
 Herr Erzberger was for many years leade of the German Center party one of the leading figures in German ! public life after Germany's defeat in the war. His peace move of 1917 had made him the storm center of attack by reactionaries; but when Germany's military power collapsed he was made Minister Without Port folio in the cabinet of Prince Max imilan.
 As a member of the German Amis- tice delegation he conducted nego- Seations with Marshal Foch and lat CT headed the Majority Socialists In a movement to form a new minis try and sign the Peace Treaty. His attitude throughout the armistice negotiations aroused against him the indignation of German military authorities and in June, 1919. It was reported that his residence has been fired upon by a Berlin mob. A plot said to have been formed by members of the officers corps ot Potsdam to assassinate him was revealed in September following
 Born in Buttenhaus. September 20, R75. Erzberger was the son of a
 &Or tailor. He became a school master, obtained university educa- tion. studied international law and political economy. wrote several books on political and economic sub. i. jects and became brilliant speaker and politician. He was elected to the Reicastax in 1905 as msmbsr ot