"LIVING CORPSE”

Evening Star, Issue 20720, 17 February 1931, Page 11

"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 Wmeuberg and placed under arrest. He was charged with fraud on insurance companies, arson, ( and murder. . , The “ Jiving corpse - ,” as he was called, in the Berlin newspapers, confessed to arson and fraud, but said ho had not been guilty of murder. Saffron was a country school teacher when he married tlie daughter of a furniture manufacturer, and succeeded to his father-in-law’s business. Reckless living soon found him with £7,000 debts and no assets. He told the police that with bankruptcy confronting him, he insuredhis life and his factory fpr sums sufficient to enable his executors to cover debts. He then planned to shut himself in his factory after .business hours and set fife to it, perishing himself in the flames. Fraulein Augustin, his pretty confidential secretary, to whom he. disclosed his plan, said there was. no need 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 ring and watch were placed beside the body. The plot worked put as expected. The factory was burned down and the chafred remains, with the ring and watch, pointed to the manufacturer’s' tragio death. His wife went into mourning,; and many of his 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. His recognition by an acquaintance who had attended his “ funeral ” led to his,arrest at 'Wittenberg. ....