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127
facts, and it must be replied to without delay in some journal
having a wide circulation.
Police Councillor Merker, of Berlin, also made haste to issue
an essay against Kaspar Hauser, in the form of a criticism of
Feuerbach’s book. Merker had already written twice before in
the same spirit—in 1830 and in 1831. He believed from the
first that Kaspar Hauser was an impostor; his theory being
founded upon his knowledge of various clever deceptions which
at sundry times and in divers places had been practised upon the
world. Merker never saw Kaspar Hauser ; he merely judged of
the case from the standpoint of a police officer, disposed to con-
sider every man guilty until his innocence can be unmistakably
proved.
His first article, “ Kaspar Hauser nicht unwahrscheinlich ein
Betroger”—(‘‘ Kaspar Hauser not improbably an Impostor”) was
answered immediately by Rudolph Giehrl, a Government official
in Nuremberg, in a pamphlet entitled, “Kaspar Hauser, der
shrliche Findling ”—(* Kaspar Hauser, the Honest Foundling ”).
Merker was hailed by Stanhope and his party as a powerful
advocate of their cause ; but his writings found little credence
with the public, as he had never known Kaspar Hauser person-
ally, and was evidently prejudiced against him.
January 15, 1834, an anonymous letter was sent from Wiirz-
burg to a Government official at Ansbach (Herr von Polhagen),
saying that Kaspar Hauser was a Prince of Baden, and that Herr
von Hacke, formerly a Minister of State in Baden, afterwards
resident in Bamberg, could give information upon the subject;
also that General Tettenborn, in Vienna, knew the facts of the
matter.
This letter caused great excitement, and its contents were
acted upon without delay. General Tettenborn could not be
summoned, because, being Ambassador of Baden in Vienna, he
was protected by ex-territorial privileges.
Baron von Hacke’s conduct on receiving the summons was
such as to strengthen the suspicion of his guilt. He flew into a