A PRUSSIAN CAUSE CELEBRE

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1903, 8 June 1892, Page 5

A PRUSSIAN CAUSE CELEBRE

A remarkable trial took place at Berlin on 19th January which excited much interest, The judge had been regularly stormed for weeks for tickets of admission to the Court, and on the Bourse they were bought and sold at high prices, A well-known jurist here, JDr Prager, between whom and bis wife a divorce case was pending, was some months ago attacked in the night and seriously wounded by a shot from a revolver. It turned out that his assailant was his own brother-in-law, who, at the instigation of bis sister, Dr Prager's wife, had committed the deed. Frau Prager denied the intention of having her husband murdered. She only wished to get possession of a packet of compromising letters which her husband threatened to use against her in the divorce case. Her brother told the same tale, and tried to free his sißter from all guilt by taking the whole crime upon himself. Their statement, however, that Mra Prager bad known nothing beforehand of the attempt on her bnsband's life, was proved to be false. Cross-examination revealed the fact that the brother, with the female pi isoner's knowledge and assistance, left Berlin for Harnbnrg in order to be able to prove an alibi, but that he returned secretly with a wig and a false beard, and was hidden by Mrs Prager in her husband's bedroom. She herself slept in an adjoining room. In the night, when the whole house was alarmed by the shot and by the cries of the seriously wounded man, she remained quietly in bed. When the servants entered her room informing her of what had happened, she coolly answered " Well, I suppose he has attempted suicide," and she even refused to leave her bed when the police officers entered. When, however, her brother's cloak and hat were discovered In the bed she at last got up and followed the officers of the law, The brother, who, as it appears, really committed the crime out of love for his sister, fled, but afterwards gave himself up to the police. During Dr Prager's evidence against his wife the Court was cleared. All depended upon whether the jury would credit the assertion that the accused intended only to intimidate and to re-obtain possession of the compromising letters, or whether they intended to kill the hueband. After long deliberation, the jury found Prau Prager and her brother Schweitzer guilty of attempted murder. The court sentenced her to six years' hard labor, and Schweitzer to five years. A distressing scene took place when the accused beard the sentence. During the trial Frau Prager had shown great composure, and remained quiet, at least in appearance, when the jurymen pronounced their verdict of guilty. When sentence was passed, however, she was completely broken down, and cried bitterly. Her hueband approached her, and did his best to console her. Everybody felt that a sad domestic tragedy had come to a still sadder end. The unhappy husband might well have wished the shot had not failed in its aim four months ago.