The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-16
Reason Why Emperor Will
liam Recalled German Am.
bassador Is at Last Di-
yulged-Latter Tried to
Select the Wine With
Which to Christian the
Yacht Meteor.

NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-The World
tomorrow will say that from evidence
brought out in the United States cir
cult court, sit appears that Emperor
Williams sudden and mysterious re-
call Of Baron Won Holleben, German
ambassador at Washington, closely fol-
lowed charges that he had used his
official position to advertise a certain
wine. This wine had been urged in
vain by the embassy for use in the
christening of the emperor's yacht
Meteor by Miss Alice Roosevelt.
Herbert Limburger, member of the
law firm of Hoadley, Lauterbach &
Johnson, who figured in the litigation
in the circuit court at Milwaukee, re-
turned to New York yesterday" says
the World, 'and told for the first time
that these charges against Ambassador
Won HOlleben were presented in person
by Edward Lauterbach to Secretary
Hay; that President Roosevelt had d1-
rected an investigation Of the charges,
inasmuch as he himself had taken a
conspicuous part in the launching Of
the emperor's yacht and his daughter
had broken the bottle of wine at the
christening.
M. Limburger says that Count Won
Quadt, secretary of the German en-
bassy, admitted on cross examination,
that Ambassador Holleben had received
letter from the producers of a GER
tain champagne offering him twenty
cases if he would designate that wine
for the christening Of the Meteor.
Urged to Use Another Wine.
wallace Downey, who built the Me-
teor, testified that he was repeatedly
importuned by Count Won Quadt, sec
rotary of the embassy, and by the Sec
rotary Of the German consulate, to use
a special brand of wine at the christ
ening. He had already bound himself
to use another brand, and he refused
to break his contract unless assured
that the emperor himself had requested
the use of the wine designated by the
secretary of the embassy.
when seen by a reporter at his
home, Mr.. Limburger gave details Of
the affair.
"It is true said he, that charges
were filed last summer against Am
bassador Holleben with the state de-
partment at Washington, accusing him
of using his official position to adver-
tise certain wine, and further &C
cusing him of having sent a Willfully
false telegram to the agent at MilWau-
kee the night after the launching of
the Meteor, saying that his wine was
used at the christening, when In fact
1t was not. l-
"'These charges were presented to
Secretary Hay in person by Edward
Iauterbach, of our law firm, represent
ing our client. The reason why they
were not made public sooner is that
we received express permission of Sec
rotary Hay to make them public only
few days prior to my leaving for the
West to try the action between the
two wine agents. We shall make pub
lie the accusations in detail IN a few
days, when l receive a transcript of
the evidence taken.
&c I have been informed that after the
filing of these charges. President Roose-
welt had an investigation made. Some
time thereafter Ambassador Won Holleben
was recalled by the German emperor
Offered Him 20 Cases.
upon cross examination Count Won
Quadt admitted that no instructions had
been received by the German embassy
Won Holleben's action in urging the use
Of a certain wine was instigated by
letter to him from the makers of that
man ambassador twenty cases of their
Wine If he could designate it for the chris
tening of the Meteor by Miss Alice Roose-
welt.
UNITED States Court Judge Seaman,
in Milwaukee, after hearing all this tes-
t1mony In the Milwaukee circuit court
instructed the jury that the report which
had been public that this wine of German
make had been selected by the emperor
and another substituted by trickery and
subterfuge was libelous and false and that
circula ton of that report. The jury on
Saturday afternoon brought in a verdict
for damages, said to be the largest ever
awarded for libel in the state of Wiscon-