CROWDS GREET KRANTZ

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 280, 16 February 1928, Page 12

CROWDS GREET KRANTZ

BERLIN MURDER TRIAL MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE SUBSTITUTED By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Racd. 9.5 a.m. BERLIN, Wednesday. A surprise was caused at the resumption of the Krantz case, when the prosecutor declared that he would withdraw the charge of murder against the youth, and substitute one of manslaughter. The bench granted the withdrawal, which meant Krantz’s liberation from custody during the hearing of the lesser charge. The decision transformed Krantz, who apparently did not understand. He had been hanging limply over the dock in a pose of exhaustion and dejection, but on hearing the decision he straightened up. smiled, and made a bolt for the door. The judge had to remind him that the lesser charge was not yet. finished with. When it became known, a great crowd collected, and on his reappearance for the afternoon session, accompanied by his parents, Krantz was surrounded by cheering people, who were endeavouring to shake his hands. Women wept, and even scattered flowers on iiis head. To-day’s e\,idenc,e was directed to show that Krantz was impressionable, and more likely to be dominated by the actual murderer and suicide, Scheller. —A. and N.Z.

The youth Krantz was charged with murdering another boy under somewhat unusual circumstances. He was visiting the house of a schoolboy friend named Scheller on the night of the tragedy. The others present were a third schoolboy, Stephan, and Scheller’s sister, Hildegarde, aged 16. The girl's parents, being absent, the boys sat up all night drinking liqueurs and talking of love. The discussion finally turned on death, and Scheller proposed that all four of the party should die. Krantz states that Scheller shot. Stephan, and then committed suicide. Krantz was about to commit suicide also, when the girl snatched his revolver out of his hand.