DEATH PACT CASE

Northern Advocate, 14 February 1928, Page 5

DEATH PACT CASE

AMAZING REVELATIONS

BRAZEN MENDACITY.

PUBLIC APPALLED.

(United Press Assn.—Copyright.)' (Received 9 a.m.) BERLIN, February 13. Revelations in the Kranz case continue to appal the public. The frivolous indifference and brazen mendacity with, which Hildegarde Schellcr answered the questions of the viee-Prefect of police are regarded as most shocking, when it is remembered that her brother and boy lover were killed practically in her presence. „

The girl’s callousness is partly explained in a discovery made by a policewoman, who went to Scheller’s home, to inquire regarding /Hildegarde ’s antecedents. She found the girl’s father bent over a table with his head in his hands. He was not bowed down by grief, however, but solving a crossword puzzle.

Elinor Ratti, a girl friend of Hildegarde, who visited the house on the night of the murders, was.. ruthlessly cross-examined, when she attempted to exonerate Kranz at the expense of Bcheller. —A. and N.Z.

A cable received from Berlin on February .11 stated:—The case of a youth named, Kranz, who is charged with murdering a. boy friend, has caused a sensation in Berlin. Leading sociologists, doctors, authors, lawyers and' professors have attended the trial analysing the psychology of the drama. 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, Stephan, and Scheller’s sister Hildegarde, aged 16. Teh 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 shot Stephan and then committed suicide. Kranz was about to commit suicide also when the girl snatched his revolver out of his hand. Some of the evidence suggested that Stephan, being found in Hildegarde’a 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 woman friends must avenge themselves upon their rivals.