Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/485

 of their habitual blackmailing of strangers in this city, by accusations of offences against the all too-famous law known as "Paragraph 175," of our present Code. The defendants were of various callings, mostly humble ones, and also mostly nominal; for such mischievous rascals can thrive quite too well, by the fear of their victims, to be forced to work for bread. The group included a certain Kubicky, Gebers (a notary's clerk), Gleisberg (a binder) Staupe (a goldbeater)—Hanck, Krall and Paul (waiters in a café) and Schuckhardt, (a cabman). A ninth member of the clique managed to be acquitted for lack of direct evidence. Those named however received sentences ranging from nine months to two years of imprisonment. The matter came to head on the charge of a well-known professor in the University, and of an officer in command of a regiment here. One result only of their proceedings terrified their victim into turning over to them 1000 Marks—at once! Our city is quite too full just now of this class of banditti, who hang about the streets, parks and cafés, well-dressed and friendly, making themselves agreeable to strangers, luring them into "compromising situations" and then—turning on the thumbscrew."

"The case of Captain D. v. Tz—, who is accused of an unnatural offense, under Paragraph 175 of the Criminal Code, in company with a certain young barber of the town, was tried yesterday in a private session of the Criminal Court. The only witness against Captain Tz— was the plaintiff, sixteen years of age, who asserted that the defendant had twice misconducted himself with him when alone in the Captain's rooms, where he came to shave him. The Criminal Court acquitted the Captain. The story told seemed to the judges too strongly as a made-up narrative, carefully learned by heart, and in too close likeness to the filed complaint of the young barber. There appeared to be grounds for supposing that the complaint wps all a scheme of blackmail, aided by some outside parties, using the young man as a catspaw."

"A raid on blackmailing gentry of this city was made last night, in the Thiergarten (Berlin) alleys and copses, near the railway-station, on the part of the local police of Charlottenburg. Repeatedly has it been stated lately that unknown persons attack masculine visitors to the gardens with accusations of immoral offences of a special sort, and have done so by pretending themselves to be secret-police on duty, who will let the victims off—if money be forthcoming! In once instance lately, a large sum was handed over. Three individuals were captured on this kind of charge They were the brothers G— of Charlottenburg, and they are now in the hands of the authorities."