1939-08-30 — Page 21

THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 30, 1939 TO-DAY'S STRANGE STORY OF REAL PEOPLE

THE BOY WHO CAME FROM NOWHERE

By VINCENT TOWNE

A MYSTERIOUS

personage was

found leaning against a wall in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg in May, 1823. He was a youth of about 18, apparently an aristocrat. Blinded by the morning sun, he held his hands, over his eyes. The police told him to move on, but he could not walk. They prodded him. He staggered and fell. Questioning him as to his identity, they found that he could not talk, so they carried him bodily to prison. It was evident that he was an idiot. His face and demeanor bespoke inherent intelligence. Yet his inability to walk or talk was unfeigned. He was not deaf and his vocal organs were capable of reproducing any spoken word by re- petition

The soles of his feet were convex, like those of an infant who has never walked. Every sound seemed to ter- rify him, as did the sight of the com- monest objects. On hearing a bell ring he burst into

paroxyms of weeping

and the music of a street band caused him to swoon. Given a substantial

Blinded By The Morning Sun

All his forehead, and when revived the violet coloured silk, containing a slip.

him and fled.

meal, he turned from it with abhor- ence and fell into convulsions. that could tempt his appetite was lad said that a man with a blackened hard bread and water. Some one faced had stolen into the room, stabbed. sent him some toys to play with, but they caused him to cry with terror, until he caught sight of a wooden horse, which he snatched up with glee, clasping it in his arms and kissing it tenderly.

The police scoured the country for the assailant, but without avail. About this time the case attracted the atten- tion of the very wealthy Lord. Stan- hope, of England, who adopted Kaspar and sent him secretly to Ansbach that he might be hidden safely from his enemies and be educated by the celebrated Professor Fuhrmann. After a few years, his education having been completed, Lord Stanhope ar- rived in Ansbach to take his ward back to England.

paper on which had been scrawled:

"Kaspur Hauser, born April 30, 1812. Murdered December 14, 1833. Know by this that I come from the Bavarian frontier on the river. These are the initials of my name. M. L. B."

A price of 5,000 florins was placed upon the head of Kaspar's assassin by Lord Stanhope, and for years

the police strove to solve the mystery. But their efforts were futile.

THE BANK OF EAST ASIA, LTD.

Authorised Capital Paid-up Capital Reserve and Undivided

Profits

$10,000.000.3

5,598,600,00

2,888,982.01

The only clue to his identity was a letter found upon his person and pur- porting to have been written by a Bavarian labourer. It stated that the bearer had been found at the writer's door 16 years before, and inclosed was a note alleged to have been written by the youth's mother. According to this his name was Kaspar; he had been On the day before that set for his born April 30, 1812, his father was a departure for England, captain in the 6th Chevau-leger Re- handed Kaspar a note requesting him a stranger giment, at Nuremberg, and his mother to appear at a certain place and learn was tality. With surprising rapidity the secret of his origin. Without con- Kaspar thereupon learned

HEAD OFFICE HONG KONG. not only fiding the circumstances to Lord Stan-

10, Des Vaux Boad, Central. to walk and talk, but to read and hope, the young man proceeded to the write. Within a few months he was place appointed.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:- Soon afterward ho able to relate so much of his strange terrified his guardian by staggering

Hon. Bir Biou-san Chow, Okairuan; IN Chuo. Esq., P. E. Ewok, Eng.. Wone Yo history as he could remember. Ac- into his apartment with blood dripping | Bang. Esq. Wong Chu Son, Baq.. Bao Ying Pe

Toog Esq.

Chan Ching Shak, Esq.. Li Las cording to his story he had been con-

from a knife wound in his side. Gasp-Fq. and Fung Ping "Wah, Eeg. fined all his life in a dark cell, pene- ing the words, "Palace-Uzen Monu- trated only by a man whose shadow ment-purse!" he fell to the floor, alone he could see and who came dead, Lord Stanhope astoned to the daily to wash him, dress him and Uzen monument in the palace bring him his sustenance, always grounds and there found a purse of bread and water. His only friend had been a wooden horse, and his jaller, although never speaking a word to

him, had for some mysterious reason

expended a year's effort in silently WOMEN'S

teaching him to write the name "Kas- par Hauser.

"

Finally, one night his keeper had .entered his cell, blindfolded him, placed in his band the letter later found upon his person,

taken him to Nuremberg, and left him leaning against the city wall. That was all he knew of his strange history.

Professor Daumer's house soon be-, came the mecca for thousands a poor girl unable to support him. There were grave suspicions that these letters had been written as a blind, inasmuch as the youth' showed many evidences of aristocratic lineage.

A.R.P. IN H.K.

Old linen, screw top bottles and jars would be very welcome:-Please send all you can spare to:-292, The Peak; the Helena May Institute; or the European Y.M.C.A., Kowloon, addressed to Women's Air Raid Pre- cautions Union.

If you have the spare time to make up bandages or help with hospital equipment, there will be an oppor- tunity of doing this at the Helena May 'Institute on Wednesdays at 10.30 a.m. and at the European Y.M.C.A., Kowloon on Mondays at 10.30 a.m.

One surprising discovery was made, At the sight of a pencil the speechless youth took it up and forthwith wrote

A.R.P. Short Course Lectures will "Kaspar Hauser" evidently a name be given weekly at the Helena May given to him to disguise his real Institute on Wednesdays at 9.30 a.m. identity. He was unable to write any-- Also wanted, free of charge, are thing else or to pronounce what he had rooms in the Wanchai District, the written.

Kennedy Town District, and the Cen-

Fit

Kan Tong Po, Esq. Chief Manager Li Tae Fong, Esq., Manager.

Branches And Agencies:-

Petang

21

HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATIONS.

Authorised Capital

Issued and Fully Paid-up..$20,000,000 Reserve Funds:--

Sterling

$50,000,00€

.2 6,500,000

$10,000,00

Reserve Liability of Pro

$20,000,00

Hong Kong. Currency Re-

→serve

prietors.

HEAD OFFICE: HONG ZONA.

PJARD OF DIRECTORS:

A. L. Shields, Esq.

Chairman.

W. H. Lock, Esq.,

Deputy Chairmans.

Hon. Mr. J. K. Bousfeld,... Miskin; Raq. 5. I. Compton, Esq. K. S. Morison, Esq.. Hon. Mr. B. II. Dodwell, Hon. MT. E. Pearce D. P. Tandalo, "Esqu f. V. Wilkinson, Esq.

Sir Vandeleur M. Grayburn,

Chief Lianager,

AVOY

BANGKOK

BATAVIA ROMBAY CALOUTTA CANTON CHEFOO COLOMBO DAIREN РООСДОМ HAIPHONG HAMBURG HANKOW

. HARBIN

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ILOILO IPOH: JOHORE. KORE

KOWLOON

KUALA LUMPUK

BRANCHES :--

LONDON LYONS MALACCA MANILA.. MUAB (Johor) MURDEN NEW YOBE PEIPING PENANG RANGOON SAIGON

SAN FRANCISCO

SHANGHAI

SINGAPORE NOURABAYA SUNGEI PATANI NWATOW:

TIENTSIN

TOKYO TSINGTAO YOKOHAMA

Current Account opened in Local Gurroses and Fixed Deposits received for one year shorter periods in Local and other currencies on terms which will be quoted on application.

ALSO up to date SAFE DEPOSIT BOXE

various sizes TO LET.

Hong Kong, 25th February, 1939. -

HONG KONG SAVINGS BANK,

The Business of the by the HONG KONG ING CORPORATION. on application.

abova Bank is oonduste# AND. SHANGHAI BANE Rules MAY be obtaine

FOR THE HONG KONG AND BHANGBA BANKING CORPORATION.

V. M. GRAYBURN, Chief Manager.

Hong Kong, lat March, 1957.

THE CHARTERED BANK-OF INDIA, AUSTRALIA & CHINA Incorporated by Royal Charter, 1843

Paid-up Capital

Reserve Fund

Reserve Liability of Pro-

prietors

.£3,000,000.

.£9,000,000,

£3,000,000,

HEAD OFFICE: LONDON: 38, Bishopsgate, E. C. 2. Sub-Agencies. In London: 117/122, Leadenhall Street, E. C. 3 West End Branch: 14/16, Cockapur Street, S. W. 1. Manchester Branch: 52, Mosley Street, Manchester, 2.

AGENCIES AND BRANCHES:

སྙ་

imoy

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Sydney:

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Every description

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་

Accounts opened in Local Curren and Fixed Deposits received for one year akorter paciods in Local and Foreign Currenclaw Cawnpore on terms which will be quoted on application.

Safe Deposit Boxes To Lat.

KAN TONG PO,

Chief Manager.

THE MERCANTILE BANK OF INDIA. LTD.

HEAD OFFICE:

15. (trauschurch Streak, London, E.0.8. Authorised Capital

Subscribed Capital Paid-up Capital Reserve Fund & Rest

BANKERS:

The Bank of England & Midiand

DRANOXES:

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Kazachs Kote Bhart

23.000,000

1,800,000 1,050,000 1,252,770

Bank, Ltd.

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Simila

the

Challa Hong Kont Howrah Ipob

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In Nuremberg dwelt a kindly tral District for the purpose of re- savant, Prof. G. F. Daumer, who becruiting. Anyone willing to give came interested in the mysterious their time and services for this pur- youth, and took him to his home, hop- pose are asked to apply to ing to develop his retarded men-who Secretary, W.A.R.P.U., 2nd Floor, flocked there to see the mystery youth | Exchange Building. · ́

and hear his strange story. One day, within less than five months from the time when Kaspar was found Icaning against the city wall; Professor Daumer was terrified to hear his in- teresting protege utter terrified cries for help, and, rushing into the room he found; Kuspar writhing upon the floor. Blood gushed from a wound in

MONEY PROBLEM

London, To-day." - Reports from Rome state that since yesterday British subjects. In Italy are finding it difficult to change their pound notes into lire. Trans-Ocean.

Kuala Lipis

HONG KONG BRANCH.

Every dogshyllon of Banking and Ezobange: bualnasa tranském k

Travelima, China Xiauad,

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WILL UNDERTAKEN. - CURRENT ACCOUNTS opened - in - Local Currency and FIXED DEPOSITS received in. Loyal CurrenaJ, STERLING'S V,8, DOLLARS.

ferma st may be sscariained y en

оп

Mealla

Palping

Tongkak

Taingiao Yokohama

General Banking

FIXED or shorter

FOREIGN EXCHANGE and Business transsobod..

OURRENT ACCOUNTS opened and DEPOSITS recalvad Lor Ope Year periods in Local or Other Currencies al rates which will be quoted on spplication.

SAVINGS

ACCOUNTS also opened in Loos! Currency and Barling with interset. allowed að rates obtainable on application.

TheRank's Head Chloe in London undertaken Executor and * Trustes business, and claima - ro- Dovery of British Income Tax overpaid, on tarms which may be ascertained at any of the Agoncics and Elennabes.

R. A. CAMIDGE,

Manager.

THE WING ON BANK, LTD.

Head Office: Hong Kong. 26, Des Voeux Road, Central. Authorised Capital $10,000,000 LONDON BANKERS— Westminster Bank, Ltd.. Foreign Exchango and every descrip- tion of banking business transacted.

Current Accounts and Savings Ac counts opened. Fixed Deposits recaly ed at rates >which), will be quoted † a Application.“

#fruntéeskin taken:~~ Bar,