PUBLIC APPALLED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 37, 14 February 1928, Page 7

PUBLIC APPALLED.

Revelations In German Murder

Trial.

GIRL'S MENDACITY.

BERLIN, February 13.

The trial of the youth, Kranz, on a charge of murdering a boy friend is still creating great interest. The revelations made as the case proceeds continue tp appal the public.

The frivolous indifference and the brazen mendacity with which the girl, Hildegarde Scheller, has answered questions put by the vice-Prefect of Police are regarded as most shocking when it is remembered that her brother and her boy lover were killed practically in her presence. The callousness of the girl is partly explained by a discovery made by a policewoman, who went to the Scheller home to inquire about Hildegarde's antecedents.

This ' official found the giri'a father bent over a table, his head resting in his hands. He was not bowed down by grief, however, but was trying to solve a crossword puzzle.

Elinor Ratti, a girl of friend of Hildegarde's, who visited the house on the night- of the murders was ruthlessly cross-examined when she attempted to exonerate Kranz at the expense of Scheller.

A cablegram from Berlin on February 9 stated:—The case of a youth named Kraaz, who is charged with murdering a boy friend, has caused a sensation in Berlin, Kranz, who is 18 years of age, was a scholarship winner. His chief reading since he was arrested has been the works of Nietzsche, Schopenhauer and Dostoieffsky. Kranz was visiting the house of a schoolboy friend named Scheller on the night of the tragedy. The others present were a third schoolboy, Stephen, and Scheller'B sister, Hildegarde, aged 16. The girl's parents being absent the boys sat up all night drinking liquers and talking of love. The discussion finally turned on death, and Scheller proposed that all four of the party should die. He wrote a letter beginning: "Dear Universe, —A single portion of your organism perishes. Do not worry. Time will roll on." The letter ended with an intimation that Stephen and Hildegarde would be killed, and the others would commit suicide with a smile. Kranz states- that Scheller . Bhot Stephen and then committed suicide. Kranz was about to committ suicide also when the girl snatched his revolver out of his hand. Some of the evidence suggested that Stephen: being found in Hildegarde's room precipitated the tragedy. It was also stated that some of the boys belonged to a juvenile club, the rules of which strictly enjoined that all members who were deceived by men or women friends must avenge theipselves upon their rivals.