SHOOTING AT SIGHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18565, 24 November 1923, Page 2 (Supplement)

SHOOTING AT SIGHT.

A NOTORIOUS GERMAN:

IMMUNITY FROM ARREST.

ACTION TAKEN. AT LAST.

The notorious " shoot-at-sight" chieftain of Castle Petzow,' near Potsdam, is about to come before the public's notice again, •vyrites the Berlin correspondent iof a London paper.

' Herr von Kaehne. who, for many years, caused something like Wild West con-" ditions to prevail in and around his big estate, is a very, wealthy nobleman with the mind of a minor baron of the Middle Ages. He lives at Castle Petzow, a picturesque residence with 24 palatial rooms, situated on Lake . Schielow, , one of the pretty sheets of water in the Potsdam region. It has been in possession of the family since 1623.

It was 12 years ago that he first gained notoriety by claiming the right to" shoot without warning at anyone on or approaching his lands. He regarded, and still regards the people of the nighbourhood as so many thieves and poachers, and lie claimed the right to be lightning judge and- executioner whenever he felt like it.

In Father's Footsteps. In the early days of his bellicose career it was difficult, to " have the law on" a ! Junker, however wild his deeds. All that could be done was to insert in the local guidebooks a warning that it was dangerous to life and limb to go near his' estate or to row about on the lake near the castle. He brought up his children, a boy and a girl, in the ideal, " Always carry a gun, and do not hesitate to shoot." His son was a very apt pupil. His first exploit, which brought joy to his father s heart, was to open fire on two men who were in a boat near the castle. He wounded (hem both, «nd the young mar's sister, hearing the firing, rushed to the scene with her rifle and blazed away, too. For this exploitthe charge was that of dangerously wounding the men— young von Kaehne was fined 400 marks, much to his father's annoyance. The young man was again before the Court in February of last year for firing at the occupants of a motor-car on the high road near the castle. He fired threa shots at them, and then dashed after them on horseback. Seeing , that nobody had been hit, he used anything but choice language in expressing his regret that the. bullets hod not sped more truly. The motorists took the case to Court, and had tho young man .' fined 10,000 marks. Suppressed Oases. < y

The exploits of Herr von Kaehne, sen., were, , however, of a much more serious nature. Early last year he aroused a Storm of anger in the , Potsdam area.; by shooting an old labourer, Karl Nietert, who was gathering wood by the wayside, some distance - from the von Kaehne domain. He drew a revolver and shot Nietert through the chest. Then he drove off home to dinner without worrying about the man whom he had left bleeding' in the snow and helpless. The man's son, a boy of 12, who happened to be with him, raised the alarm and Nietert was carried to hospital. Though the affair caused a tremendous sensation, and though numerous demonstrations of protest were held, the case was smothered in Court and Herr von Kaehne went free. * On another ocsasion he took away the horse of a man who was driving near tho castle. The .man charged Herr von Kaehne with theft, but the case was suppressed. Many other such cases have been reported. % , ui . Secret of a Skeleton:

- But the greatest sensation was caused towards the end of February of last year, when a story leaked out of a skeleton found on the Petzow estate.

In May of 1921 a young apprentice, named Otto Lesse, son of a grower of Geltow, near Pctsdam, went out to seek wild birds' eggs. He never returned. Inquiries were niado for .three months, but nothing was heard until July 30, ( when the father was informed by Herr von Kaehne that a skelton hud been , found near the castle. 'V'

• Herr .Lesse went to see it, ' and :' the size of the skeleton and the colour of the rags still clinging to it proved beyond doubt to the father's mind that the regains were those of the long-missing lad.

The authorities endeavoured to hush up the matter and nothing about the mystery was allowed to become public. It was not till July, 1922, that they moved in the matter once more. The judicial authorities intercepted a number of letters, and the information which came to their knowledge cawed them to exhume the lad's remains. Experts examined the skeleton again and found that, in addition to the shot in the chest which proved fatal, he had also been shot in the foot.

The experts came to the belief that young Lesse had first been shot in the foot. Unable to move, he had probably called lor help. Then,- it is believed, he was struck with the butt-end of a rifle or a revolver full in the mouth most of the front teeth were missing. Then the fatal shot was fired at him. These discoveries led to a search in Castle Petzow, and it was reported that cartridges with bullets similar to those which caused the wounds were found.

Suppressed Cues. • A short while later a young labourer came forward and declared that he " 'was with young .Lesse on the egg-hunting expedition. From behind a tree he saw von Kaehne attack and shoot th« lad. Then tin judicial authorities -became quite bold. They arrested Hen- von Kaehne, and he came before the. Court at Potsdam. In the course of the Proceedings, the crime was " reconstructed on „the. spot, and , the case seemed to go hard against the Junker. But the law found ways and'means of creating delays. Herr von Kaehne was set at. liberty; the case was not continued. Only- now, another year inter, is something going to be done. , ' The Lord of Petzow Castle will come up again before the Potsdam Court on a very serious charge. It is, not yet known to which of his acts the charge refers, but it is probable that the proceeding? are in connection with the death of thfe lad. Less?. , - A sensational case is certain. Hj(T von Kaehne's numerous acts have made the whole Potsdam region Communist to a man, and, it is - whispered, the judge who will try him is not altogether out of sympathy with' that political creed.