YOUNG MAN WHO WAS FINANCED FROM DOORN

Shannon News, 7 June 1929, Page 1

YOUNG MAN WHO WAS FINANCED FROM DOORN

Mystery Secretary —— ’ ' I ' TRUSTING GROCER GAVE ALL HIS SAVINGS Karl Hartung, a man og 29, who has bten ait os ted iii Berlin on charges of fraud, g-ave himself out as the ex-secre-tary ot Princess Hermine (the exIvaiser’s wife) and as haying at one time been initiated into the political secrets of Doom House. At first lie seemed to be a common imposter who had merely made minor raids on the parse of the ex-Kaiser by the familiar trick of professing superlative .Royalism. A Cologne telegram in the Volkszeitung, however, leaves doiibts whether this is a ful lexplanation of his case. The message states that Hartung also had dealings with - Baron von Solenjacher, who long exercised a power of attorney for the Princess Victoria of Sehaumbcrg-Lippe, now Madame Zoubkoff,and who has informed an inquirer that his statements "contained things which could be known only by persons initiated and enjoying special confidence. ” Statement by a Lawyer. A further statement on the subject has been made by the Cologne lawyer, von Heyden. According to this, Hartung came to him in December, 1927, and professed precise knowledge of events in Doom, ‘ * especially that the wife of the former Kaiser was spreading a network of agitators over Germany." As credentials Hartung showed a number of letters, of the genuineness of which the lawyer was able to convince from the postmarks and other circumstances.

Some of the letters were written from Doom by Count von Finkenstein and others from the Hohenzollern agenev in Berlin by Baron von. Kleist. They ""placed it beyond all doubt that for a long time Hartung had been munificently supported from Doom." Some of the letters "expressed ambiguously the most cordial goodwill of Her Majesty, who had promised him further assistance."

The lawyer was sufficiently impressed to advance Hartung 20 marks. He escaped more easily than a Cologne grocer, who by means of a letter described in the message mentioning it as "an obvious forgery,"—which began: "My dear lad," and ended, "Your mother, Hermine," was beguiled into sacrificing all his savings to Hartung. This trusting tradesman fitted out the imposter anew from top to toe and gave him 100 marks to pay his travelling expenses to Doom. Nothing Further From Doom. When, however, Hartung was exposed the grocer, whose horse and delivery van had been distrained on in consequence of his precipitate loyalty, applied in distress to the "Kaisenne Hermine." He received a reply from the. Hohenzollern agency in Berlin to the effect that Hartung had been liberally assisted from Doom, but could expect nothing further .from that quarter, and- that it would doubtless be best to report the matter to the lubhc Prosecutor. This was done and seems to have been the immediate occasion of Hartung’s arrest.