Society Drama.

Taihape Daily Times, 2 November 1918, Page 2

Society Drama.

BEVELATH&TS OF LIFE DT HIGH GERMAN CIRCLES

BARONESS AND COUNT. f Some amazing rovelations of life in High German society are now being made in the Berlin Courts. The principal figures in this sensational drama ure Baron Walter von Badeck, son of. * Prussian general, who lived for jfa \ong time in England; Baroness von Badeck, his wife, an American; and Count Gunther von Bernstorff, son of the former German Ambassador at Washington. Sixteen other members f>f Eferlin Society, including Prince A.lbert of Schleswig-Holstein and Herr von Kuhlnmnn (brother of the German Foreign Minister) also figure in the <sase, which arises from an action for libel brought by Von Badeck against the other parties named, Badeck charges the defendants with circulating statements that he was a spy, lived on women, and he had been discharged from the army. Baron Badeck married, in England in 1912, a Miss Marguerite Vivienne Burton, of Burlington, New Jersey,, U.S.A., who had been married to, and afterwards divorced from, a Mr Birch, Upon the outbreak of wiar ho joined his regiment, and, while he lay in the trenches before Ypres, Count Gunther von Bernstorff made advances to the baroness. He .showered presents of flowers, chocolates. upon her, and told her that Badeck was a dangerous person, and thnt he, as tiro son of an Ambassador, could render

his position in' Society an impossible one. Subsequently the pair entered into intimate relations, and the baroness wrole to her husband, saying she wanted him to give her her freedom. Baron Radeck about this time suffered from a breakdown in the trenches, and returned to Berlin. He kept watch on his wife, and, finally, one day in March, 1916, sow her pass through the streets, and disappear into Count Gunther's house. Following into the house he stood outside a drawing-room and heard his. wife say to Coun Gunther: "Put. your revolver into your pocket." A few minutes afterwards the husband burst into the room, and there found his wife with her lover. A dramatic scene followed. Radeck called Bernstorff the greatest scoundrel in the world, boxed his ears, tore off one of his epaulettes, and snatched his revolver from him. He then communicated the iaffair to a military court of honour, as he expected that Bernstorff would send his seconds, Instead of this Bernstorff came to him two days later with the naive request that he should get a divorce, so that he (Bernstorff) could marry his wife. Bernstorff also asked him to settle the court of honour affair by calling on the then Chief of the General Staff, General von Molke. The latter said he/ could do nothing, and subsequently Radeck challenged B'ernstorff, at the same time demanding an inquiry regarding the charge of espionage against him. In the meantime the baroness sued for a divorce, bu; the Court decided in the favour of the husband, who was granted a decree, and the baroness subsequently married Bernstorff. All Von Bernstorff's accusations against Radeck were (siccording to counsel) refuted on this occasion bv witnesses.

Eadeck then wrote to the Ambassador, Count von Bernstorff, then at Constantinople, asking him to advise his son to give up his (Eadeck's) wife, hut he received no answer. The libels complained of were subsequently circulated, in Berlin Society. Eadeck furflier alleges that Count Gunther had previously rendered one marriage unhappy by persuading the wife to be unfaithful, and that he abused his father's position to support the charge of espionage against him. Counsel denied that Eadeck was discharged from the Army, but alleged that Bcrnstorff was discharged, and named various witnesses. The Court decided to adjourn the case in view of various points of a juridical nature which were still unclear.