"LIVING CORPSE."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 133, 18 March 1931, Page 6

"LIVING CORPSE."

GERMAN'S RUSE FAILS. After his relatives and friends had attended his "funeral" Fritz Saffron, owner of a large furniture factory at Rastenburg. East Prussia, was found alive at Willenberg and placed under arrest. He was charged with fraud on insurance companies, arson, and murder.

The "living corpse" as he was called in the Berlin newspapers confessed to arson and fraud but said he had not been guilty of murder. Saffron was a country school teacher when, he married the daughter of a furniture manufacturer and succeeded to his father-in-law's business. Reckless living soon found him with £7OOO debts and no assets. He told the police that with bankruptcy confronting him, he insured his life and his factory foi sums sufficient to enable his executors to cover debts. He then planned to shut himself in his factory after business hours and .set fire to it, perishing himself in the flames. Fraulein Augustin, his pretty confidential secretary, to whom he disclosed his plan, said there was no nood for him to die.

"A corpse from the neighbouring cemetery would serve your purpose equally well," she said, " and while everybody is deploring your death you could begin a new life under another name in a new country." Her advice was adopted. A body was obtained from the cemetery at night and placed in the furniture manufacturer's private office. His rinp; and watch were placed beside the body. The plot worked out as expected. The factory was burned down and the chaired remains with the rinp; and watch pointed to the manufacturer's tragic cieatli. His wife went into mourning, and many of bis fellow townsmen attended the funeral. Insurance claims were duly paid. In Berlin. Saffron under an assumed name, studied Spanish to start life again in Brazil. He recognition by an acquaintance who had attended his "funeral" led to his arrest at "Wittenburg.