Imperial Valley press., 1934-12-20

In the home of a good burgher in
the town of Bernbruch, jimmied
their way into the house and stole
300 marks and silver watch. The
offense was the more striking be-
cause the victim who bemoaned
the loss of his silver timepiece was
none other than the Herr Burgo-
meister Schierach.
On the following night, the same
pair burglarized the home of Edu-
ard Scheumann, a leather tanner
in Kamenz, stealing 200 marks, a
quantity of postage stamps, and an
other watch and chain.
A third robbery at Rackelwitz, in
which they used crow bar to gain
entrance to house which was rob-
bed of 400 marks and third watch
and chain, was traced to their
hands.
Fourth Escapade
Hauptmann's fourth escapade Of
the month was to hold up two
women who were pushing baby car
riageS filled with food on the road
between Wiesa and Nebelschutz.
: Petzold, on that occasion, waggled
revolver at the women-Haupt-
mann's revolver it was afterwards
shown-and took from them a guam
tity of food stuffS and several food
cards such as were being issued to
German families at that time.
When the women refused to stop,
the police related Hauptmann urged
Petzold to shoot, and waste no
time"
Were radicals" the ex-soldiers
shouted at the two females, land
we're ready to shoot"
The frightened women ran away
from their baby-less baby-carriages,
and the two youths divided their
booty in the woods.
The police lost no time in trac-
ing down the pair, and they were
arrested on March 26, 1919, in Ka-
menz. While they were being trans
ferred to a safer Jail at Bautzen,
in the following month, Haupt-
mann escaped from the prison van,
only to be caught again by the Ka-
menz police.
Court Conviction
On June 8, 1919, Hauptmann was
convicted by the first district court
at Bautzen on three charges OF
grand larceny, one charge of petty
larceny, and as a receiver of stolen
goods. He was sentenced to two
years, six months and one week in
Jail. In subsequent court case at
Bautzen, dealing with the highway
robbery. he was sentenced to an ad-
ditional two years and six months,
making total of five years and one
week.
He began serving the sentence in
the Bautzen Jail, but was paroled in
March, 1923. Within a month after
his release a new series of petty
depredations in Kamenz pointed in
his direction. He was arrested on
June z, of that year, charged with
having stolen valuable leather belt
ing from pottery, a saw mill and
machine shop.
Escaped Again
No disposition of these cases ever
was obtained. Before he could be
brought to trial he had escaped, in
leisurely fashion, while exercising
in the Jail yard. The harassed au-
thorities never saw him again.
Hauptmann made his way to q
Hamburg pier and slowed away on
liner bound for America. Dis
covered before he was able to land,
he was taken back again. But he
promised" the liners skipper that
he would stow away again at the
earliest opportunity.
A second attempt to reach
America ended before his trip ac-
tually began. When officers dis
covered his hiding place, he leaped
overheard, swan to the pilings of
the dock, and clung there for eight
hours before he was hauled ashore.
Persistence had it's reward, how
ever, on his third attempt. He stole
landing card, reached the United
States safely, and went ashore to
work, for a time, in New Jersey
dye plant.
Hauptmann made friends in the
German speaking colony of New
York, and a few years after his ar
rival met, wooed, and married Anna
Schoeffler, waitress in Bronx
bakery. He appeared to work steadi-
ly at his carpenters trade until the
depression came. From March, 1882.
until his arrest he had not been
employed for more than few days
at time.
Beat Stock Market
Hauptmann told his friends he
didn't need to work. He had found
a system of beating the stock mar
ket, he said, enabling him to live
comfortably. But he never gave
any details of his system and was
regarded as extremely close-mouth-
ed about his personal affairs. Over
seidel of beer at Hans Bavarian
Garden he would talk about his war
experience, but never about his
business.
In the summer after the kidnap-