5. The Secret of Ed(o)uard Baldus - revealed
After his time as soldier Eduard Baldus lives in Cologne. The life as a soldier was too modest, the pay too meagre. Cologne, a city with already 70.000 inhabitants, offered too many temptations, especially for a country boy standing at the edge of adult life: Eduard Baldus is 21 years, measures 5 foot 4 inch, is small but robust, catholic, has dark blond hair, a receding hairline, and a small moustache, big blue eyes and a healthy complexion.
This sounds like a police bulletin – and it is one. Eduard Baldus is wanted in the whole Rhine Province. With the date 16th of February 1835 we find in all official gazettes of the Government, in Cologne, Düsseldorf, in Aachen and Koblenz the following arrest warrant:
Warrant of Apprehension. The
former bombardier Eduard Baldus, born in Grünebach, in the county
Altenkirchen, governorate Koblenz, and most recently residing in Cologne,
who is accused of making and distributing forged Cash Notes, evaded the
corresponding investigation by escape. By adding the following description,
I ask all police authorities to watch for him, arrest him and bring him
before me.
Cologne, 16th of Februar 1835. Royal Investigative Judge : Ludowigs.
Description: Name, Eduard Baldus; Age 21 years; Size 5 foot 4 inch; Religion catholic; Hair dark blond; Forehead high; Eyebrows brown; Eyes blue and big; Nose ordinary; Mouth ordinary, but with slightly pouting lips; Moustache brown, (had a small moustache); Chin ordinary; Complexion healthy; Face round and oval, and statue small but robust.