HIGH-HANDED ACTION.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14838, 2 December 1913, Page 7

HIGH-HANDED ACTION.

CIVIL AUTHORITY DEFIED

SCHOOLBOYS' INSULT THE CAUSE OF TROUBLE.

(Received December Ist, 11.25 p.m.) BERLIN, December 1. -The situation at Zabern has undergone » series of extraordinary developments. Lieutenant yon Foerstner and four efficors were crossing from the barracks overlooking tho Sehlossplatz when they met a party of students leaving a continuation school in tbe same square. - A boy, recognising yon Foerstner, shouted a word having -reference to niancßUvre affairs, in which yon FoerstU.r was implicated. Overhearing the insult, Lieutenant Schalt summoned fonr armed soldiers, who, after giving .base, captured the offender. Tho lat-f-T was marched to the barrack yard, whence he escaped. . Moanwhilo the large crowd assembled beard the roll of a drum inside the .barracks, and thence, on Colonel yon ' Renter's orders, sixty soldiers with . rifles loaded and bayonets fixed emerged.

front rank knelt as stated. Women _aid children fled, and somo men -v «nter_d shops and houses. Others, who refused to move, wero arrested, including counsel accompanying & judge loav- ; ing the Court. Tho Crown Prosecutor, finding tho .nilitary acting without first seeking police assistance, told tho officers what ""' they were doing waa illegal. Tho officers, turning to several soldiers, exclaimed, "Arrest that man!" When tho Schlossplatz was cleared tho soldiors returned to barracks, but 'it was announced officially that patrols would be sent at, intervals to keep the High street clear and enablo officers returning to their homes to arrest any person offering insulta. Subsequently the.Crown Prosecutor and three othei officials of the Court were released at tho instance of the President of tho Court. The remaining twenty-six spent the night in cold, damp coal cellars at the barracks, foodless and without covering, being treated as if they were tho worst of criminal-.