CITY OF CRIME.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1920, Page 4

CITY OF CRIME.

BERLIN MURDERS AND ROBBERIES.

BERLIN, Dec. 23

Such a wave of crime as is passing over Berlin just now has never before been known. Murder, robbery, and brazen-faced swindling are rampant, and frest outrages are reported daily. The asassination of a cabman to steal his horse was carried out a night or two ago by an unknown man, who looked like a peasant and hired a cab for a midnight drive to a lonely wood on the outskirts of Berlin. He drove out past Ruldeben, and in a lonely spot cut the cabman’s throat, pushed the cab into a wood, and made off with the horse. All trace of him is lost. Another crime that is baffling the Berlin police is the highway robbery of a postal wagon. This was on a lonely road at night, when it was held up by, two men with revolvers. They made off with the contents, leaving the driver and guard bound face downwards on the ground. BLOODHOUND CHASE OVER ROOFS.

Last night a bloodhound chase, which was led partly over roofs in the most fashionable quarter of Berlin, resulted in the arrest of a maidservant, in whose room had been found the proceeds of a number of robberies recently carried ot in the houses ot women living alone. She confessed that she had planned to rob the baroness, by whom she was employed, on the nght of her arrest. The rooms occupied by one of the leading American correspondents in Berlin in the principal hotel were ransacked in broad daylight and .£9OO worth of jewellery belonging to bis wife stolen. Another alleged gang of criminals in the custody of the Berlin police includes a certain “Countess Colonna,” who claims to have been adopted by the Italian Prince Colonna and to have bee i engaged to be married to Prince Thu n and Taxis, who was shot as a hostage in Munich. She is alleged to have decoyed a man friend to a picnic in the Grunewnld Forest. There he was attacked by confederates and robbed of a largo diamond ring and other valuables.