Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/496

 along against a well-to-do citizen in private life here, viz. Herr von Seggern, on the charge of unnatural offences (Parag. 175, RSB). Two of the seven blackmailers (chimney-sweeps in Oldenburg) were the first arrested; but the main conspirator against Herr von S—, also a chimney-sweep, unluckily was not easy to catch. He was prudent enough to go over to England, and sent thence his threatening letters to his victim, demanding the money; or else wrote his comrades, directing the 'campaign' against Herr von S— through these agents. The active participants extorted sums that varied between 700 Marks and 40. The sentences ranged from one year and six months, to six months. Two soldiers have been found to be of this same conspiracy, and have been tried in the Military Court, and sentenced to degradation from service. Since the proceedings began, the absent leader in the affair, Kirchhoff, has comitted [sic] suicide, to avoid extradition."

The blackmailer is often right, in spite of all the law's judiciousness, when he warns his writhing victim that even if he, the blackmailer, will be punished as an offender—or co-offender—so will the victim be punished. The law cannot always distinguish. Sometimes it will not do so—whether failing intolerantly or stupidly. The famous Hasse Case, in 1905 is an example. In December, 1905, Herr Hasse, a high-standing jurist of Breslau—in fact, the president of one of the most important of the Breslau tribunals—one day in Berlin, shot at and wounded a young blackmailer who long had mulcted Herr Hasse of money through their having had homosexual relationships. The sums extorted reached to the thousands. The unlucky Herr Hasse went to the nearest police-court, laid down his revolver, surrendered himself, and was duly tried for attempt at murder. He had wounded the blackmailer only slightly. The affair made a great local sensation. Hasse was highly respected. But in this case, when the matter was raised of a reason for the shooting, the court regarded both the blackmailer (a youth named Lechel) and blackmailed as duly to be punished for homosexuality. Hasse, as well as Lechel, was sentenced to several months of prison. Such an outcome raised a violent outcry against judges and law. But the sexual case was clear as to