Hoedel's Conviction

A late Berlin letter says of the trial and convicción of Hoedel for attemptirig, in May last, to assassinate the Emperor William : "The room in which tlio proceedings were conducted was somewhat small, having at one end a raised dais, approachod by two steps ; on this dais there was a semi-circnlar green table, at which sat the ten Judges, the President being Herr von Muller. Nono of the Judges wore wigs or gowus ; they were simply attircd in plain evening dress and black neckties. At one end of the semicircular table sat the Public Prosecutor, and at the other the Begistrar of the Oourt. There was no jory. At the further end of the room, faoing the Judges, were the general public and the representatives of the Germán press, some fifty individuals in all. These were kept in place by a strong wooden railing, in front of which were ranged four rows cï seats, intended for tne witneseee. "On the left-hand side of the center of tho room, facing the Judges, was a small form, having in front a little wooden balustrade, and, on the opposite side of the room, the Second Ohief of the Berlin Pólice and myself. ' ' In the exact center of the rcom, at a little green table, sat Hoedel's advocate, a palé, thin, nervous man, who was perpetually engaged making notes. Hoedel himself sometimes sat on the form and occasion ally stood leaning aeainst the balustrade, nearly always laughing, evidently wishing to appear to treat the whole prooeedings with contempt. In appearance the accused is a thin, sallowfaced young man, with light hair. He posseeses a most objectionable countenance, is short in stature, ill made and very poorly dressed. It ppears the prisoner is we)l educated and able to make an effective speech when he pleases, as indeed he seems often to have done in Socialist meetings. " Some thirty witnesses wereexamined consecutively, nearly all simply repeating what they had previously deposed to before the authorities, five only being fresh witnesses, and these alone taking the oath. While the oath was being adniinistered the whole court stood up, the witnesses raising their right hand, with their fingers arranged in the form of a cross. " The evidence went toshow that Hoedel pointed the revolver direct at the Emperor, that he had declured his intention to do so beforehand, thathe was a prominent Social Democrat, and that he did his best to kill the Kaiser. Three shots were fired in all. ' 'Af ter the examination of the witnesses had finished, the Public Prosecutor addressed the court, speaking very temper - ately and quietly. He dealt with the evidence respecting the attempted assassination, and laid great stress on the political view of the quesiion and the necessity of doing something to prevent the constant recurrence of such crimes. In conclusión, he called for the punishment of death on the criminal. "Hoedel's advocate followed, each lawyer speaking aboul half an hour. He dfeuied the truth of the evidence given, asserted that Hoedel never intendeJ kiüing the Kaiser, and only attempted suicide, and generally repudiated the charge. ' ' Shortly af ter 3 o'clock the Judges retired, and were absent about half an hour. On their return into court Hoedel was ordered to stand up, while the President quietly read the sentence, which said tb at in the name of the King of Prussia he sentenced Hoedel to be beheaded and to lose all his rights of citizenship. ' ' Hoedil simply laughed, and continued to smile. The reading of the document having concluded, the policemen closed round Hoedel, fastened a chain on his wrist, and then led him away. The public followed to the doorway, where the pólice van was in waiting for him. Thus, all terminated; there was no excitement, and the trial did not last six hours." "JHore Copy." In the sanctum, cold and dreary, sat the writer, pond'ring o'er a memorandum book of items used before (book of scrawling head-nots rather ; items taking days to gather them in cold wintry wékther, using much time and leather) - pondered we these items o'er. While we conned them, slowly rocking, through our mind queer ideas flocking, carne a quick and nervous knocking at the sanctum door. " Sure that must be Jinks," we muttered, ' ' Jinks that's knocking at our sanctum door ; Jinks the everlasting bore." Ah! well do we remind us, in the walls which then confined us, the exchanges lay behind us and before us, and around us, all scattered o'er the floor. Thought we: "Jinks wants to borrow some newspaper till to-morrow, and 'twül be relief from sorrow to get rid of Jinks, the bore. " Still the visitor kept knocking louder than before. And the scattered pile of papers, cut some rather curious capers, being lifted by the breees coming through another door ; and we wished (the wish is evil, for one deemed always civil) thai Jinks was at the devil, to stay there evermore; there to flnd his level- Jinks the everlasting bore ! Bracing up our pationce firmer, then without another murmur, "Mr. Jinks," said we, " y our pardon, your forgiveness we implore. But the fact is, we were reading of some curious proceeding, and thus it was, unheeding yonr loud rapping there before - " Here he opened wide the door. But phacey now our phelinks - for it wasn't Jinks, the bore - Jinks, nameless evormore. But the form thafc stoid before us caused a trembling to come o'er us, and memory brought us back again to days of yore ; days when items were in plenty and where'er the writer went he picked up items by the score. 'Twas the form oí our " devil," in attitude uncivil ; and he thrust his head within the open door, with "The foreman's out of copy, sir, and he wants some more !': Now this "local" had already walked about till nearly dead ; he had sauntered through the city till his feet were very sore ; walked through the street called Evans, and in the byways running off into portions of the city, both public and obscure ; had examined store and cellar, and had questioned every feller whom he met, from door to door, if anything was stirring, anything occurring not published beretofore, and had met with no success ; he woulrl rather kinder guess he feit a little wicked at the ugly little bore, with the message from the foreman that he wanted something more. ' ' Now it's time you were departing, you scamp !" cried we upstrting ; " get you back into the oifice, where you were before, or the word a that you have spoken will get your bcmes all brokeu" - and wo seized a cndgel oaken that was lying on tho floor - " take your hands out of your pockets, and leave the snnctum door ; teil the foreman there's no copy, you tigly little bore." Quoth our devil, " Send him more !" And our devil, never sitting. still is flitting, still is flitting, back Mid forth upon the landing just outside the sanctum door. Tears adown bis cheeks are streaming, a strange light from his eyes íb beaming, and his voiee is heard still screaming, "Sir, the foreman wants some more."