In October 1885 a trenchant state paper issued from the German consulate.

Twenty prisoners, the consul wrote, had now been at large for eight months from Weber's prison.

It was pretended they had since then completed their term of punishment elsewhere.

Dr.Stuebel did not seek to conceal his incredulity; but he took ground beyond; he declared the point irrelevant.
The law was to be enforced.

The men were condemned to a certain period in Weber's prison; they had run away; they must now be brought back and (whatever had become of them in the interval) work out the sentence.
Doubtless Dr.Stuebel's demands were substantially just; but doubtless also they bore from the outside a great appearance of harshness; and when the king submitted, the murmurs of the people increased.
But Weber was not yet content.