COALHEAVER’S HOAX

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 4, 26 March 1927, Page 18 (Supplement)

COALHEAVER’S HOAX

FETED AS PRINCE SERVED BY HIGH OFFICIALS There are many people of exalted position in court circles in Weimar and Gotha who will long rue the day when they lavished hospitality upon a pseudo-heir to the German imperial throne, ’ entertained him at State banquets, and organised luncheons, gala theatrical performances and shooting parties in his honour. He turns out to be a humble coalheaver, Harry Domela by name, and he is now in the custody of the Cologne police, having been arrested as he was about to leave for Metz in the guise of a recruit for the Foreign Legion. So successfully did he personate the eldest son of the ex-Crown Prince, that he was the hero of the hour in the highest walks of life, and many people distinguishes in German society were invited to meet him. He is only 22 years of age. but his young life has been crowded with adventure and romance. As a youth he was suspected of various small thefts, and then he embarked upon a swindling campaign which was checked for a time by a term of imprisonment. In Berlin he swaggered as the representative of the Baltic Red Cross, for which he collected substantial amounts, and it was this deception which, when exposed, led to his arrest. Coming out of prison, he soared to even greater heights of impdence and ingratiated himseli into German society as Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, Baron Von Korff, and Prince of Lieven. It was as Baron von Korff that he first started masquerading at a® Erfurt hotel. The suspicion got abroad that he was really the eldest son oi the ex-Crown Prince, and Domela was soon fawned upon by people anxious to do him honour. Managers 0 theatres vied with each other in giving gala entertainments, and, to his appreciation of the leading actresses’ performances, he sent roun to the stage boxes of chocolates, eacn bearing a card from “Prince 1 " heim of Prussia.” Counts and baron and lesser satellites swarmed aroun him, and the coalheaver soon fo® himself the central figure in a dally round of \ Brilliant Social Functions His reign of splendour was cut short by the attitude of the Socialist Party in the Thuringian capitals, who c ticised his close association Reichswehr officers. Having run V heavy bills, “the future Kaiser” sU denly took to his heels, next app®*** ing in Cologne and other Rhinelana towns, where he became Prince Lief of the Russian Baltic Provinces, expectations of re-inheriting imme fortunest ou, of which those . befriended him would receive a _ r reward. At Weimar a former to baker, who had bought a title ou his savings, was delighted with opportunity of entertaining a r L s prince, and insisted upon blacking guest’s boots. As Prince of Li«V«“ _ was admitted to the Students of Heidelburg University. 1 ® in the French Foreign Legion. >on r n< j was tracked down by the police, when arrested boasted of his exp and of the successful imposture which he had deluded sycophants the German court.