Evening star., 1923-05-27
German Criminal of World Fame
Once Held a i. S. Consular Post

he was unknown by sight. and in
making inquiries about various for
mer acQuRintances, he inquired in a
very eager manner as to the wherea-
bouts of Sir Percy Fitzpatrick and
learned from the latter's son that his
father happened to be in the United
States, at which Kurtze manifested
profound disappointment and chagrin.
However, his visit to the club was
an fmprudence on his part. He had
been recognized by one or two Of
the older members, who. instead of
taking steps for his immediate ejec-
ton from the premises and precipi-
tating another sensational shooting
with the result that he was arrested
on the following day, sent down to
Cape Town by rail and speedily de-
ported from South Africa.
difficult to say. 1t is possible that
he may revisit the United States, the
scene Of quite number Of his ad-
ventures, to whose fine consular
corps he at one time belonged and
where there are at least two un-
fortunate women, whom he induced
with his wonderful stories to confide
money they possessed. 1t would be
well for the immigration authorities
to be on the lookout for him. For
he is dangerous customer, con-
siderably over six feet in height, of
striking and even distinguished ap-
pearance and speaking a number Of
languages as free from foreign ac-
CENT as his native German.
His conviction and his sentence to
penal servitude by Lord Phillimore
in 1908 led to an extraordinary pro-
eminent. 1t was proved during the
course Of the trial. as 1t had also
been shown In the course of the pre-
vious police court proceedings, and
killing of Woolf Joel. that his real
name was Karl Frederick Moritz
Ludwig Kurtze and that he was born
on the 4th Of December 1857, at
Allhusen. in the duchy Of Brunswick,
that he served under that name in
Sailor Division Of the German army
and that he had deserted at VIII
helmshaven on the 1st Of September.
1880, carrying away with him the
gold watch and chain, the gold seal
aaa, ana ,,tts3l, p9,,rttGlio Of Of family papers Of
was serving on the same ship and
under whose name he turned up three
years later at Perth. in western Aus
tralta, where he passed himself Off as
a baron, and which he subsequently,
retained.
Now, the name Of Won veltheim IN
= very ancient and honored one In
Germany. where 1t has figured In the
ranks Of the particularly blue -blooded
aristocracy for the last 500 years, its
chief. Frances Won veltheirn, now in
his seventy-nfth year, having been
raised In 1907 by former Emperor
William to the rank and title OF
Prince OF Putbus by reason Of his
marriage with Marie, eldest daush.
ter and heiress Of the last Prince
William of Putbus OF the male line,
Marie having, on her fathers death,
come into possession Of his owner
ship OF the greater part OF the Baltic
Island of RuGen, Of tho coast of
Pomerania, embraced in the ancient
semi-sovereign prfncipality of Putbus.
Naturally Prince Putbus and all the
lily took violent exception to the mo-
tion that their name, one OF the most
honored In Germany, should not only
be allowed to figure in q great GRIM
ina1 trial in London, although clear-
1y shown by the evidence to have
been stolen and uSurped, but that
British justice should have convicted
the prisoner under that name 70
which he had no vestaGe OF right,
placed 5udiciAlly. on the. records and
annals of British crime