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Show A'Puzziling Caso for German Courts. . Tho Gorman courts aro now dealing with ono of tho most perplexing cases that haVo ever come beforo them for adjustment. adjust-ment. In a lit of temper a kltchenmald on a Rhino steamer threw overboard all tho pots and pans that had been sent to her to bo cleaned. She was accused of stealing tho pots and pans, but tho wise judges who tried tho case at Cologno decided that tho chargo of theft could not bo proved. Furthermore, they decided that tho woman could not be held for damaging dam-aging property, becauso It had not been Bhown that the property was damaged. For all they knew to tho contrary the pots and pans at tho bottom of the Rhino might be just as good as now. An appeal was taken to the high court of Lcipalc. and tho judges there decided with tho court bolow that tho kltchenmald could not bo convicted of thoft. Aleo they gave, It as their opinion that tho charge of damaging property had not been backed up by sufficient proof to warrant them in punishing the offender. At the samo tlmo, however, the high court decided that tho woman was guilty of something, and that justlco would be outraged if sho wore permitted to go free- Thn matter was therefore referred back to tho court below, be-low, with InHtructions to the judges to ascertain whether the pots and pans might not havo been damaged by rust or by contact with tho pebbles on tho bed of the river. Hero tho caso rests at present, and it may be assumed that tho judges at Cologno Co-logno would bo thankful to any volunteer diver who might seo fit to bring tho utensils uten-sils out of the river for examination. In tho absenco of any other kind of relief, it might bo suggested for tho benefit of tho judges that perhaps the pots and pans have been damaged by the flsh in tho Rhine. It should, bo easy for a judge to assumo that It would bo natural for a flsh in caso it. found a pan in the Rhino to bite a chunk out of iU That thdory established estab-lished tho rest would be easy, and punishment pun-ishment could be meted out In accordance with tho law. It Is imperativo that the. woman In this caso receive her deserts, lest a dangerous precedent be established. A grave responsibility rests upon the Judges of Cologne. Chicago Record-Herald. |