Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-13

ing mentally denclent, Is
IL superior to the great ma
jority of honest citizens In
education. poetic fire and inventive
ability" said the professor of GRIM
tnology before the class of Vienna
detectives. Such of course was
Hugo Breitwisser, of whom you all
know"
II was in the Crime Museum of the
Vienna Police Department that l
heard the professor give this lecture
before score of city detectives in
training.
He said no more of Hugo Brett
Wiser during the lecture, and | saw
that the name was as familiar to
these fedgling sleuths as their own
names But to me, newly arrived in
Vienna, It was still only name.
So after the lecture l asked the
professor for the story.
mo; the man to tell you that is
Inspector Johann Rapp. the curator
of the Crime Museum" said the pro-
lessor. Because he can illustrate
the story with relics of the man and
his career"
"Relics?" echoed. You say 1t as
though the man were a historical
character. But / understand that MS
story is only three or four years OLD.
I'm the history of crime in Aus
tria--and perhaps in world history
of crime-Breitwisse will go down
as a man who combined the lnVen-
tive genius of an Edison, the pollsh
and daring of a Rallies, and the gal
hntry of a modern Robin Hood.
But let Inspector Rapp tell you
about it."
So went to the simple, bearded
policeman who had created the
Crime Museum of the Vienna police.
and had him take me to the room OF
which almost the whole was devoted
TO the art of Hugo Breitwisser, the
criminal who, according TO the pro-
lessor / heard, combined so many
talents in one.
"HuGo BREITwIssER came Of # a
line of cultured engineers" In
spector Rapp began. Honest cit
liens as far back as their family can
he traced-and so rich In achieve
ment was the family that its honored
history is easily traceable.
'eNow how in such a strain there
can enter the spirit of evil, as exem-
plified in Hugo. Is something j,
mere policeman, cannot explain. Per-
hapS you, SIT, WIN h'NS
much, can tell me-
could not. Such explanations lie
with whatever powers make mon
sters and angels. Besides, after
had heard the story of Hugo Brett
Wiser / was not so clear that ne ne
longed in that category of monsters
Though of course he was very lar IN
deed from being an anger.
But that he was genius, let ms
story show.
His narents sent him to the uni
versity to study engineering. lie was
a wiry, studious youth, Win
charming presence and GIT a1l
waxing practical use of all his tai
ents When he arrived at the uni
versity he asked his faculty advisers
70 he allowed to make few changes
in his courses.
He seemed to know exactly what
he wanted. The subjects he chose
were related to engineering, and ne
was SO serious a student that the pro-
fessors permitted him TO choose these
special courses. and said 10 one an
other: an
"There goes a youth who will sue
~ead He has enrolled in even more
courses than he needs for his pro-
The learned gentlemen were right
as far as they knew. But what they
did not know was the profession young
Hugo Breitwisser had really In mino
when he chose these courses.
Had they known 1t, that sedate
Austrian university would have been
terribly perturbed. For the quiet
Young fellow of Is had deliberately
marked out a course of studies which
would make him the most competent
burglar in the history of crime.
He chose courses that would teach
him the tensile strength of various
metals that go into the making OF
bars, bolts. locks, strong boxes and
safes. He took courses in the making
of steel tools.
He studied the chemical effects OF
powerful acids on iron and steel. He
learned the nature and use OF the
oxy-acetylene torch, with which one
can burn a hole in a steel door.
He studded the theory and practice
Of safe and vault construction.
He kept himself in perfect physical
trim. and took lessons in jiu-jitsu,
wrestling, boxing and the French
''savate," the kick with which the
Apaches of Paris have laid out many
q policeman.
He even took-"for diversion he
told the president of the university
O. course with the department of crimi'
nology, where he was taught the tech
1ique the police use in hunting down
criminals.
Week ends during his college course
would find young Breitwisser setting
nut for hikes in the mountains, always
Rlone. He would start on train and
get out at small town or city the
same evening
But instead of heading for the
mountains or the open road, he would
take a small room at hotel and go
out accommodating in the town
Toward 10 In the evening he would
return to his hotel room and unpack
his knapsack, apparently in prepare
ton for bed.
But instead Of toothbrush, pa jamas
and similar to-beeXpected articles
there would appear queer-looking
tools of steel most of them made by
Breitwisser in some secret corner of
his university workshops.
With these under his overcoat,
young Breitwisser would wait until
the hotel was closed for the night.
Then opening the street doors with
a. skeleton key he had devised he
would steal out and go to a store or
private home he had selected for his
operations.
On these he would practice what
he had learned-in his own way--in
theory at the university. He would
break into "A grocery store To try out
an instrument he had invented; he
would pick an intricate lock on a
warehouse: he would search out q
burglar alarm in private home and
cut its wires before it should wake
any one.
Then, having effected an entrance
Breitwisser would depart without TAX
ing anything worth so much as a
can't - Ea knew eYactl,, what he