Wrongful Imprisonment in Germany
A CASE of peculiar hardship has recently attracted attention in Germany in connection with the enforcement of the laws forbidding disrespectful references to the emperor. One of the editors of a Socialist newspaper is serving a four years' sentence for lese-majeste, in the publication of an offensive article. It appears that he had nothing to do with editing the issue which contained the article, and that his name was given to the authorities by the publisher as responsible, through some mistake. The editor really responsible, who is a member of the Reichstag, has waived his preliminary privileges in order that he might be tried for the offense; but the imperial court at Berlin, with all these facts before it, has refused to reopen the case, on the ground that the first sentence contained no error of law. The fact that the wrong man is in prison does not count. — Ex.