EX-KAISER’S SON FINED.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1128, 13 August 1921, Page 4

EX-KAISER’S SON FINED.

A SMUGGLED FORTUNE. An interesting page is added to the story of the house of Hohenzollern. Prince Eitel Fritz, the ex-Kafesr’s secson, was found guilty of smuggling a fortune of 337,000 marks out of the country, and by a Berlin Court was fined 5000 marks (£250 and costs. In, the case of non-payment he will go to prison for about ten months —a day for every 15 marks. The prince appeared in court in civilian clothes, but wearing the Iron Cross. “I am a soldier, not a business man.” he declared, answering the charge, and his story certainly proved the truth of the latter part of the remark. He declared that he gave the fortune, consisting of stocks and shares, to Herr Grusser, of the firm of Grusser and Philippson, which carried out last year a great fortune smuggling scheme for Royal and noble families.

The prince admitted he knew little about Grusser, and said he did not think the fortune would be smuggled out of the country, though he understood it would lie transferred to Holland. He was unaware where it was now kept. ' In extenuation of the offence the prince said he was the head of a family and responsible for the mointenance of its members. The r newspapers had said that Royal " fortunes would be confiscated, and he feared the Entente might seize them'. His own house was unsafe, as anonymous letters had threatened that it would be blown sky-high. “I felt it my duty to put away a groat or two for my wife at least in case of need.” . : He pleaded that he was too busy in thinking of the end of the war to concern himself about the law against smuggling fortunes abroad. His account at Grusser’s Bank was kept under the name of Fritz von Eitel. Counsel for the prosecution pointed out that the prince’s - statements disagreed with those he made at the time of the discovery when he was asked for an explanation. Then he declared he was convinced that Grusser sent the fortune to Holland, that he was aware of the law, and that he was liable to punishment. The Court let the prince down lightly, and declared there was some justification for his fears that he might lose his means of subsistence, and acquitted him of dishonourable motives.

It may be mentioned that in a previous case this kind jf smuggler, who smuggled half a million marks had his land was fined 100,000 marks, and his fortune confiscated, so that the prince had nothing to grumble about.