142
Kaspar Hauser.
——
Garnier ventured into Baden, where he was at once arrested ang
put in prison, but not brought to trial. After a few weeks Paylis-
ment took notice of the matter, and Herr Welcker, an influentis]
member, told Minister Winter that Garnier must either be set free,
or else be allowed a fair trial. After some discussion he was set
free.
After his return to Strasburg he happened one day to meet 3
former acquaintance, named Sailer, from Waldsee in Wurtemberg,
where his father was a magistrate, he himself being at this time
clerk to an apothecary in Kippenheim, a village in Baden, near
the French frontier. Garnier proposed to him to become an
agent for the spread of the pamphlet, and Sailer consented to
receive a package through the Post-office for distribution.
Now Kippenheim was only a few minutes’ distance from Mahl-
berg, the old castle inhabited by Major Hennenhofer, who had
for his guest at that time Major von Berstett, a former member
of the Baden Cabinet, and a supposed secret agent of Prince
Metternich.
Sailer carried home from Strasburg a quantity of tobacco,
which was wrapped up in a sheet of Garnier’s pamphlet, and the
conversation in the shop happening to turn upon Kaspar Hauser,
Sailer showed the leaf to several persons present. Among them
was a man from Mahlberg, who appeared not to notice what was
said ; but the next day Hennenhofer and Von Berstett came to
the shop and asked to see the paper. Hennenhofer took the
sheet and read it, trembling visibly from head to foot as he saw
what was there. Afterwards the two men came often to the shop;
but spoke only with the apothecary. Once, during Sailer’s ab-
sence, they induced him to open Sailer’s trunk to search for
papers, and the same day they spent the whole afternoon at the
Post-office.
On Sailer’s return he found the package awaiting him ; but it
had evidently been delayed and opened. Hennenhofer soon ap-
peared and called Sailer to account, saying that he could have
him arrested for what he had done. He pronounced the pamphlet
a gross slander, and urged Sailer to suppress it, assuring him that
