disturbance at an inn there; he is being detained on technical
charges of causing disorder in a public place, and of being a
suspicious person. When arrested, he had in his possession a
dispatch case, containing a number of papers; these are of such an
extraordinary nature that the local authorities declined to assume
any responsibility beyond having the man sent here to Berlin.

After interviewing this person and examining his papers, I am,
I must confess, in much the same position. This is not, I am
convinced, any ordinary police matter; there is something very
strange and disturbing here. The man's statements, taken alone,
are so incredible as to justify the assumption that he is mad. I
cannot, however, adopt this theory, in view of his demeanor,
which is that of a man of perfect rationality, and because of the
existence of these papers. The whole thing is mad; incomprehensible!

The papers in question accompany, along with copies of the
various statements taken at Perleburg, a personal letter to me
from my nephew, Lieutenant Rudolf von Tarlburg. This last is
deserving of your particular attention; Lieutenant von Tarlburg
is a very level-headed young officer, not at all inclined to be
fanciful or imaginative. It would take a good deal to affect him
as he describes.

The man calling himself Benjamin Bathurst is now lodged in an
apartment here at the Ministry; he is being treated with every
consideration, and, except for freedom of movement, accorded
every privilege.

I am, most anxiously awaiting your advice, et cetera, et cetera,

Krutz

(Report of Traugott Zeller, _Oberwachtmeister_, _Staatspolizei_,
made at Perleburg, 25 November, 1809.)

At about ten minutes past two of the afternoon of Saturday, 25
November, while I was at the police station, there entered a man
known to me as Franz Bauer, an inn servant employed by Christian
Hauck, at the sign of the Sword & Scepter, here in Perleburg.
This man Franz Bauer made complaint to _Staatspolizeikapitan_
Ernst Hartenstein, saying that there was a madman making trouble
at the inn where he, Franz Bauer, worked. I was, therefore,
directed, by _Staatspolizeikapitan_ Hartenstein, to go to the
Sword & Scepter Inn, there to act at discretion to maintain the
peace.

Arriving at the inn in company with the said Franz Bauer, I found
a considerable crowd of people in the common room, and, in the
midst of them, the innkeeper, Christian Hauck, in altercation with
a