CONTINENTAL ITEMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 152, 27 June 1914, Page 17

CONTINENTAL ITEMS.

MAN FROZEN TO DEATH. A despatch from Geneva to the "Petit Journal" states that in a hut in the Yalnis Alps a young man named Johann Winkler was found frozen to death. In a letter which, .he wrote some hours before his death be states lhat he lost his way in the snow, which was six feet deep. During four days he had no food, and had lost part of his clothing. When he was writing the letter his feet were already frost-bitten. A BARON'S DOWNFALL. After gradually falling in the social scale during a lawsuit which has dragged on for nineteen years, Baron Ernest yon Wallbarg. who claims to be the son of the late Archduke Ernest of Austria, has had to find refuge with his family in an asylum for the homeless. His action was brought with the object of securing what he claims to be his rights. Some years ago, when deprived of all means of sustenance, he became a waiter at Buda-Pest. Recently he lost this position, and, being unable to pay his rent, was turned out of his fiat. A PRISON ROMANCE. it has been discovered (says a Madrid correspondent) that Maria Sanchez, who was sentenced recently to a term of imprisonment for complicity in the murder of her lover, .Talon, has been carrying on a clandestine correspondence with a young man, also a prisoner. From letters written in invisible ink, which were intercepted by a warder, it appears that the young man intended to escape from prison, and proposed, on regaining his liberty, to arrange for the escape of Maria Sanchez. It will be remembered that her father. Captain Sanchez, was executed for the murder of Jaloa.

'GLAD-EYE" POLICEMEN. The conductor of a Turin orchestra who was walking home with his wife late at night passed two policemen, who turned admiring eyes on the lady. "Beautiful," exclaimed one, and nudged' his companion. "Lovely," said the other. The husband angrily reproached them. "You are not fit to wear your uniform,'* he said. The policeman seized the conductor and took blm to the police station. The wife went with him, and the pair were detained till next morning. When they were brought before the police magistrate, he fined them both for insulting the police officers in the "execution of their duty."

PRIEST MURDERS A BISHOP A sensational trial iv Sweden has rtsulted in a sentence of death on the Rev. C. O. Nystrom, vicar of the village of Runstem, for the murder of Bishop Aestrand. Some time ago a series of complaiuts was lodged against Nystrom, and the Bishop was sent to Investigate. At the conclusion of his visit, the Bishop plainly told Nystrom that there was cause for complaint. The Bishop never spoke again. Drawing a revolver, Nystrom shot his superior in the back. Death ensued immediately. Nystrom received his sentence with the greatest of equanimity, and said that he found it impossible to express contrition for the misdeed he had committed. 'Sweden has practically abolished capital punishment, and he will be sent to penal servitude for life.

MADMAN'S AWTtFI ACT. A message from Madrid to the Paris "Journal states that "the hospital at Alicante was the scene of a lerrlblo drama ou May Ist. Two persons were in an isolation cell awaiting examination. One was a madman, who had killed his father, and ■Ihe other a kleptomaniac. The attendants were aroused by cries proceeding from tho cell, and found that tho murderer had •gauged out the eyes of his companion with an iron spoou, under the impression that the man was the murdered man's father. The unfortunate man's tongue was also cut through with the spoon, which had been forced into his mouth. Both the men had been placed in strait waistcoats, but the murderer had by some means escaped from his.

""" WOMAN'S DABING ACT. In order to help her husband, whose affairs were in a desperate way, and who urgently needed funds, Mme. Solangei d" Atalide, a French cirens rider in, Vienna, conceived a way of making money at the imminent peril of her life. She contracted with a klnematograph company for a large sum to furnish it with, a nighty; sensational film by riding a horse on topi of oue of the cars on the Big Wheel alt the way round. The wheel, as all who nave seen it are aware, reaches a perilous and dizzy height, trying to the nerves even o£ tbe passengers safely seated in the interior of the cars. Mme. Solagne d'Atalide passe* throngh the perilous ordeal with credit, watched hy a huge and awestruck crowd*. Tbe horse had been trained by being places upon the top of a large van, which was i moved about.

BICH GERMAN'S MTTNIFICENCEV Herr Lieberer. who has just died at. Innsbruck, rose from a poor man to We extremely wealthy. He gave away in all about £240,000 to hospitals, asylums, and other charitable institutions. His first donation was £40,000, sent to an Innsbruck .hospital. After deciding to make the Kilt, he found that If he did so Ms whole remaining fortune would .be £8, and that lm the event of illness or bad lnck, he himself might have to accept 'public charity. For two days he left the letter to the hospital authorities lying ou Ms desk and then forwarded it with tho money. "I fought a great battle wlUi myidif," he once said, "bnt finally my self-confidence was victorious, and I posted that letter and remained with £8 in my pocket,** Ho declined a high decoration offered by the Imperial Court, but recently the Emperor, witbont consulting.- him, and probably against his wishes, made him a. baron.

A CBIMINAE HUNTED DOWN. News reached SL Petersburg on Monday. May 4th, that a notorious criminal named 'Daniel, who for a long time previously had terrorised the district of Put'rokoff, was shot and killed In a buttle with the police, which took place in tiie village of Stobhieo. Daniel recently loft prison, ami immediately set about revenging himself upon all those who had given evidence :i< to his niauy misdeeds, and so brought about his arrest, trial, aud sentence. Several of these persons met with violent deaths, and the others lived in a state of constant terror. Throe farm stewards at Govorchovo, wbo had been witnesses against Daniel, were all mysteriously murdered, and the deaths were generally laid at his door. In the end Daniel took to the woods, and the police aud military were sent to make a thorough search of the locality in which he was believed to he hiding. The scone! was tho affray ot . 'Saturday.