Karl Marx 
The Trial at Cologne 


The Morning Advertiser. 
Nr. 19145, 2. November 1852 


The Trial at Cologne. 


To the Editor of the Morning Advertiser. 


Sir—I beg to offer you my best thanks for the generous protection you have 
afforded to the cause of my friends, the prisoners at Cologne. While the 
defence will bring to light the series of unscrupulous acts committed by the 
agents of the Prussian police, even during the progress of this trial, I wish 
to inform you of the last trick that has been had recourse to, in order to prove 
a criminal correspondence between myself and the Cologne prisoners. 
According to the report of the Kölnische Zeitung, of October 29, Mr. Stieber, 
the councillor of police, has produced another of his documents—a ridiculous 
letter, purporting to be in my handwriting, in which I am made to recommend 
one of my pretended agents, "to push under the doors of acknowledged 
democrats, at Crefeld, 50 copies of the Red Catechism, and to choose for 
the execution of this commission the midnight-hour of June 5, 1852." 

For the sake of my accused friends, I hereby declare — 

1. That the letter in question is not written by myself. 

2. That I learned its existence only from the Kölnische Zeitung of 29th 
inst. 

3. That I never saw the so-called Red Catechism. 

4. That Inever caused any copies of the "Red" to be circulated, in whatever 
manner. 

This declaration, made also before the magistrate in Marlborough-street, 
and consequently as valid as an oath, I have sent by post to Cologne. By your 
inserting it in the columns of your paper, you will the more oblige me, as 
that would be the most effective means of preventing the Prussian police 
from intercepting the document. 

I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, 
Dr. Charles Marx. 
London, Oct. 30, 1852-28, Dean-street, Soho. 


427