DANGEROUSLY WEALTHY ALIEN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 236, 28 June 1915, Page 7

DANGEROUSLY WEALTHY ALIEN.

At 'Westminster Police Court, Ludwig Paul Selbach, a wealthy German, who, it was stated, had subscribed to the Prince of Wale’s Fund and other war charities, appeared on remand,.and was sentenced to six months’ hard lagour as an enemy alien - 'failing to register. Charged with him were a German woman named Charlotte Wilhelmine, otherwise “Mrs Hamilton/’ and her son, aged 20, Alfred Paul Selhach. She was sentenced to, three months’ imprisonment. The Magistrate allowed the withdrawal of the charge agaiast the son on the ground of his belief that he was born in England. Mr Knight, who prosecuted, said the authorities considered the conduct of the elder Selbach exceedingly suspicious, inasmuch- as his ostentatious support of our war charities had been associated with concealments and untruths of a. very flagrant character. He had been under suspicion for a considerable time, and when; inquiries wer e made about him- the woman with whom he. had been living, falsely asserted that h e had gone to New York. When arrested ; ho posed as a; naturalised American citizen, born at' Hamburg, and produced r. document with a gold seal in support of liis claim; This turned out to be a form of declaration for naturalisation in America made in July, 1900, and'though;it was;of no authority it had evidently helped him to befool'some people Documents were found showing that lie could be called up for service .in the German army. He has been living with the woman for about 20 years, and was well' known as the associate of women of a> certain class ih, the West End of Lond&n. Since the war he had"lived' with - tire-woman for two months at an hotel - at Eastbourne —a prohibited area. —registering himself as an American and deceiving the Eastbourne police. Sinewy, than be hadistayed at Cromwell Crescent, S.W., in the false name - of' Selby; In short, was regarded as a dangerous person, and th-a case was pressed against Mm as one of - the most 1 serious that could be. The' woman he associated .with was a person of' sinister repute, 'and had been convicted? as a disorderly character at Marlborough Streat In