CONTINENTAL CRIMES AND SENSATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 205, 28 August 1909, Page 15

CONTINENTAL CRIMES AND SENSATIONS.

MOB LAW AT FRANKFORT. At Sachenhnusen, a suburb of Frankfort, on Monday evening, July 12th, a mob of 2000 persons surrounded a house Inhabited, by the parents of a 16-year-old girl who on Sunday morning, in desperation at her continued ill-treatment by her father *n<l mother, Jumped out of the window and was taken to hospital in a serious condition. The dwelling was broken Into, and the parents dragged out and driven front street to street by the infuriated neighbours. The culprits tried to take refuge at the police station, but the crowd cut off their escape. They finally reached a public-house, the landlord of which let them in, end then promptly closed the doors and telephoned for the police. A strong fore* of constables coon arrived, and dispersed tbe enraged mob with drawn swords. Even after this, however, the police had considerable dlttlculty in getting the parents back to their dwelling, in view of the determined opposition of tbe crowd. At midnight the people made another determined effort to break the cordon and drag out the parents, and the police had to guard the bouse ell eight. A TOO PATRIOTIC QUEEN. The Greek papers report a dispute which has arisen between Queen Olga of Greece and the Crown Princess Sophie eoncernlug the nurses at the military hospital la Athens. This Institution, of which ths Crown Princess is tbe patroness, has an English matron and three English nurses on its staff. The Queen, from somewhat narrow patriotic motives, desired the Crown X'rincess to dismiss the Englishwomen and replace them by Greek mimes. Tbe Crown Princess, who is herself half English, beiug the daughter of the late Empress Frederick, refused, as it was generally recognised that the English nurses were better trained, and that the matron was doing a great deal In Improving the training of norses generally in the country. Political influences were, however, brought into play, and the Crown Princess finally chose the alternative of resigning her position as patroness. The Queen succeeded her, and Immediately dismissed tbe English nurses and the matron. It is said they will prlng in action for breach of contract, as.the term of tlielr engagement has not expired. AUSTRIAN FAMILY TRAGEDY. A distressing family tragedy occurred on July 11 In Salsburg, when a wealthy man named Franz Hofer was suddenly seized with madness. In a fit of frenzy he shot his wife and three children, and finished the melancholy massacre by hanging himself to the window. During the evening Hofer conversed In his customary friendly manner wttl his wife and children, but, rising at four In the morning, he loaded a sporting rifle and went to the room where his two boys, George and Karl, aged lit and 18 years respectively, siept. He evidently Hhot the younger first, while the boy was sleeping. The shot probably awoke the eldest son, between whom and his father a llfe-and-death struggle must have followed, as the boy's shirt was torn to pieces, but a shot in the back finally stretched him dead on the floor. Hofer then must have reloaded the weapon and entered his wlfeja room, where a daughter of 15. was also sleeping. The girl was killed by a shot in the head. Neither she nor her • mother;-wlid fvrqs shot In the mouth", appea'r-co' libve"toce'n'!>Bwakened by the previous conflict between the father and son in tbe adjoining chamber. Hofer then proceeded to close the tragedy by hanging himself. His weight broke tbe first rope, which Iny on the floor, but a second attempt succeeded. Passers-by who saw the body at the window summoned the police, who discovered the five Inanimate bodies. POLISH PRINCE'S SUICIDE. Much sympathy is caused among the Austro-Pollsh aristocracy by the death of Prince Stanislaus Jablonowskl, who on July 5 committee suicide on his Hursztyn estate In Galicia by shooting himself with a revolver. He belonged to one of the most distinguished Polish families. His ancestors Include Prince Stanislaus, distinguished as a successful general In the seventeenth century, who effected the election of John Sobieskl to the throne, and played a dls tlngulshed role in liberating Vienna from the Turks. His grandson was made an Austrian Prince. The grandfather of the Prince who has committed suicide was an eminent Austrian diplomatist. Prince Stanislaus, jwhose extravagance threatened to dissipate his great wealth, was for a long time under guardianship, and lived for some decades in complete retirement. Of late years this amiable aucl gifted Prince was the victim of melancholy, and committed suicide at the age of 63, when left for a moment unguarded, by his family. BOGUS ACCIDENTS, Two splendid automobiles, some porcelain vases, and a forged title of nobility were the stock-in-trade of 4 cleverlyorganlsed band of swindlers, who for the last eight years seem to have uj a <ie an excellent living out of It. Their method was very simple. The gang consisted of six associates, the eldest of whom assumed the title of count. A boulevard beauty completed the membership. She passed off as a theatrical artiste who owned one of tbe autos, The pseudo-count obtained various appointments a» an accident insurance agent, and had his automobiles regularly Insured In different companies against accident. The other members of the gang acted either as chauffeurs or owners of the cars, wjth new names and addresses on each occasion. The porcelain vases, worth only very little, were certified, to hare been purchased for 500f, When money wag needed at the end of each month the two automobiles were simply brought Into collision In any public thoroughfare, and the one occupied by the artiste invariably contained one of the porcelain rases, which was smashed lv the shock. Policeman only too willingly took note of the damage done, and the companies usually paid out the sum of £200. To avoid suspicion being excited by the too frequent demolition of porcelain vases, other objects of art were sometlmee carried, in the cars, with a similarly high, but fictitious purchase price. A mere accident revealed the whole secret of the gang. The pseudo-coupt happened to have a quarrel with 8 tram conductor over a trifle, and both were taken to the police station. The lnpolent behaviour of the sham count when parading his title and showing his card aroused the suspicion of the police officer, who then and there ordered him to be searched, and found him in possession of accident insurance pollales with nearly every company operating in Paris. Why one person should have such contracts with a hundred different companies seemed strange, and the pseudo-count could give no plausible explanation, with tbe result that he was kept in custody, and further Inquiries caused the arrest of the entire gang, Including the boulevard beauty, whose apartments were stocked with cheap works of art, for which she held certificates of ' purchase representing them as worth from £500 to £600. The two automobiles have also been confiscated, and the amount of che sums which the gang la known to have obtained from different accident Insurance compauite Iβ £8000.