A DEGENERATE COUNT

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 27

A DEGENERATE COUNT

BERLIN, October 11

- The trial of Count Giesbert WolffMetternich, whose arrest in December last with his alleged associates, Captain Newton and Julius Esteinman, said to be international card sharpers, on a charge of winning £IOOO from Herr Bactthus, a German officer in a London hotel, caused a sensation in society circles, was characterised by violent scenes. The accused was sentenced to 48 hours on bread and water for charging the judges with partiality.

The medical evidence was to the effect that the prisoner was mentally stunted. Other testimony stated that his condition was largely due to squalid family wrangles. In April iast the. accused was' sent to a hospital with a view to ascertaining his mental condition. At the time of his arrest the count, who is only 24 years of age, and is a nephew of Count Paul Metternich, German-Ambassador to the Court of Ste. James, denied complicity in the offence, and stated that he had lost considerably himself

October 12.

Count Wojff Matternich was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for cheating at cards, whereof six months will be considered as served owing to the length of the proceedings

October 13

The Wolff-Metternich trial showed there had been various acts of fraud of the ordinary type. The Count's paternal allowance was 30b a month, yet the prisoner lived in magnificence and squandered money profusely. The trial has caused the press to deplore the low morals of the idle rich. The prisoner threatened to deal with the Crown Prosecutor when he was released.