Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 83, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1913 — JAILED FOR CHARGE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

JAILED FOR CHARGE

Secretary of Treasury in Hungary Accused Premier. Zoltan Desy Imprisoned When He Alleged Minister-President Used Three Million Kronen for Political Purposes. Budapest.—For years America has been described in the columns of the European newspapers not only as the noble land of liberty, but as the happy land of dollars and the unhappy land of graft. But here in Hungary, where we have bad a speaking acquaintance with graft, we have believed always that America could not beat us in this matter. Now, this is no more a belief. It is an indisputable fact, since the trial of Zoltan Desy, ex-assistant secretary of the treasury, in the libel suit which was brought against' him on account of his statement that Minis-ter-President Lukacs used 3,000,000 kronen from the state treasury for party purposes. The trial ended with the sentencing of Desy to one month’s imprisonment and a fine of 600 kronen after the presiding judge had refused to allow him to give evidence and prove the statement. This may seem to be incredible to Americans, but nevertheless it happened. The minister-president protested against any proof or argumentation and the court, in such cases

three judges and no jury, did not allow the evidence. Public opinion protested in vain against such a trial Lukacs still is the premier minister. After the trial the convicted ex* secretary of the treasury Issued anew the same statement and brought up proofs and arguments. Among these there was one according to which a bank director, Paul Elek, was brought before a ’’court of honor" one year ago in his club and charged with abuse ®f the funds of the bank. The

director at last came out with evidence to the effect that he gave the missing funds to the premier-minister in the time of the' general election campaign for party purposes and he was acquitted by the "court of honor" and he is even, now director, just as Lukacs is even now minister-presi-dent, although according to Desy he abused state money in millions and according to the bank director he extorted bank money from him. Count John Zichy, a member of one of the most ancient Hungarian families and the only Hungarian personal friend of Crown Prince Francis Ferdinand, seems to believe the statements of the other two gentlemen, and not that of Lukacs, as he has resigned as a member of the Lukacs cabinet. He went to Vienna to the Hungarian apostolic king, Kaiser Francis Joseph, and resigned as secretary of education and culture on account of his unwillingness to indorse Lukacs’ doings in this matter.

Crown Prince Ferdinand.