The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-29
how BRAUN THUMPED The SPY
NARRATIVE or OUR SPECIAL I'M
MIGRATION COMMISSIONER.
Even Communications to Him From His
own Department Opened in Buda.
pest Before He Got Them -
Decoy Letter Captured the Detective

DecOy Letter Captured tho Detective.
Although the diplomatists we're reported
to have settled that little row that Marcus
Braun, the special immigration commission
| err. had over in Budapest, Hungary, when
! he thrashed Government detective, Com
missioner Braun, who landed yesterday
| from the Kaiser Wilhelm, said that he didn't
consider the incident closed at all. Mr..
Braun says that the State Department
has never heard all the facts in the matter,
but it will get them in report he Is shortly
to make.
MIR. Braun recited with some animation
last night the details of the thrashing he
gave the detective In the corridor of the
hotel in Budapest. MIR. Braun went abroad
three months ago, and after visiting France
and England went to Hungary to continue
the investigation he had begun on former
visit.
Il arrived in Budapest on April II, said
Mr. Braun. NO sooner had l arrived
than a detective named kalmar. a big.
strapping fellow, a member Of the secret
police, was assigned to shadow me. The
police work directly under the Minister OF
the Interior. This man followed me about
day after day. began to notice that the
letters got at the hotel were about twenty
four hours later than their postmark. I
called the attention of the hotel people to
this, but they said that the letters had just
arrived, and that it must be the fault of the
Post Office Department. 1t wasn't the
fault of the Post Office at all, as l learned
aIterward.
"In opening letter one day noticed
that the envelope inside was full Of muciage.
I = op VI hot = ba IN n Eaep or,ane1
and resealed in clumsy way. Day after
day ] noticed this, not only in the case OF
private letters, but in the case Of official
letters from Washington. plainly marked.
In this way they were finding out just what
orders | received and what individuals
was going to see.
-One day sent decoy letter, watched
it arrive and saw this fellow kalmar come
in and get the letter from the hotel people
1t was in the afternoon and the corridor
was crowded. l walked right up to him,
demanded the letter and called him scoun-
drel. Then proceeded to thrash him.
licked him good, Nobody interfered. He
was beautiful sight That's what we do
in Ar erica l said.
well, just sat still and waited then
1t took the authorities thirty-six hours
to make up their minds what to do. Then
| was served with summons and taken
before police captain, who is also magis-
trats over there. The summons charged
. me with a misdemeanor in insulting de-
tective. They didn't dare to make it any
stronger. | told them that If to thrash
man who tempered with YOUR mail was an
insult pleaded guilty When | started to
explain they wouldnt let me talk, but fined
me $40 and told me l would be locked up
unless ! paid. ! paid under protest and
had IL so mentioned in the records.
After that the authorities wanted me
to prefer charges so they could whitewash
themselves. That was trap that refused
to enter But after that my letters arrived
promptly and didn't seem to be followed
Il told few of the facts to our Ambassa-
dor but he made no investigation on his
Austrian Government is said to have given
at Washington that they didn't know who
| was is ridiculous. | spent four months
there on previous visit and had inter
views with the Prime Minister and the
Minister OF the Interior, who thus knew all
about my business and even offered to
help me. This was a deliberate attempt
10 hamper my work. They have con-
tinued it since. Certain people who are cir
cuatlng statements against me over here
are paid agents of the Austrian Govern
ment. Just why the Austrian Govern
will have to get from Washington. l do
not feel that | can talk about il.
Mr. Braun said that he intended to go to
Washington and make full report OH
the matter in a few days. In a previous
report :, r. Braun charged that criminals
and paurers were coming to this country
and were in some cases assisted by the
local authorities in Hungary
On arriving here yesterday Mr.. Braun
went to Ellis Island and had long talk
with Commi ,sioner Watchorn. Last night
some of Mr. Brauns friends entertained
United Hungarian Societies are to give
him dinner in q day or two