New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-08
INVESTIGATES SPY CASE.
Col. Strong Makes Unofficial In
quiry as to George Petr.
CALLS HIM GOOD SOLDIER
Thinks Man Accused by Girl as
Austrian Count Has Writ
ten Foolish Letters"

OF the post at Fort Totten. Long Island,
began personal investigation yesterday,
unofficially, Of the allegations which have
been made I'm the dispatches from Indian
apolis. charging private In the l35th Coast
Artillery, stationed at Fort Totter, with
being an Austrian spy. The name of the
soldier was given in the dispatches as
George Peters" It happens that there is
no private of that name in the i55th Coast
Artillery, but there is an enlisted man
by the name Of George Petr, whom Colonel
Strong is satisfied is the man referred IT,
Pending Official instructions from the
War Department. Colonel Strong has mere
ly made casual inquiry into Petrs record.
He has not had the young priva:e before
him. nor has he instructed any ~ Petrs
superior officers to question him. He salo
he would not submit Petr to any embar-
rassment until he received instructions to
take up the matter officially.
The man we have here Is named George
Petr, and he has been at this post since
MAY. 1910. and is good soldier" said Colo
mel Strong HE came here from Fort Slo-
cum and prior 10 that had served three
years in the 9Th Cavalry. His papers show
that he came TO this country n ON some
small town In Bohemia, and named
brother living in Prague as his nearest re-
laticn. ! have no doubt that he is the
man referred TO in the stories from Indian
apols, but the idea that he Is or has been
commissioned by the Austrian government
as a secret agent under an assumed name.
to pry into some of our secrets, is absurd,
TO my mind.
However. If receive any official con-
frma ton Of the charges which iIe alleged
10 have been made against him, OF course
I will act according to instructions.
Colonel Strong suggested that Austria
was particularly we'll disposed toward this
country AZ this time. and said he could not
imagine why that country would want TO
send her secret agents into the American
army. He said that no dunnite. the high
explosive Of which Petr was supposed To
have been anxious to learn the secret CT
manufacture, was kept at Fort Totten, ana
the young Austrian spy. If he really was
one. would have no opportunity TO study
its ingredients at his present post.
Private Petr was on post duty at the
fort all CAV Yesterday, and his company left
early this morning for target practice al
Sandy Hook No one was allowed 10 see
him at the fort yesterday.
Petr is popular with his messmates and
has a good reputation among the ofncers
of the post. Some Of his friends In the
company said they had never heard MN
mention Miss Anita Dyer, the Kentucky
girl who is said to have made the charges
against him. They were not inclined to
look seriously upon Petr as an engaged
man" but welcomed the opportunity to har-
ass him a little on the subject for their
future amusement
The story Of Miss Dyer that Petr was in
reality Count Windisch- Graetz. Of Prague.
Bohemia. tickled the artillerymen's fancy
10 boisterous degree. They agreed that
he must b. good letter writer as we'll as
a good soldier.
Colonel strong was inclined to think that
Petr had simply written several foolish let
ters TO the young woman in indianapolis.
and laid claim 10 lineage that he possessed
only in imagination. 1t might he the case
of a little tiff and retaliation, it was said.
Colonel J. \. Hull. judge advocate general
Of the Department Of the East, and Colonel
George Andrews. adjutant general or that
department. stationed at Governors Island.
said yesterday they had no knowledge of
the Petr case.
Washington. Aug Before taking any
action the War Department will await
full report from Captain James Watson,
United States army recruiting officer at
Indiana polls, in regard to charges that
Private George Peters is a secret agent OF
Austria. Captain Watson to-day tele-
graphed the department that such an al
legation had been made against the SOL
der The recruiting officer will forward
all The papers in the case to the depart
ment FOR investigation.
Indianapolis. Aug. Captain James u.
Watson forwarded to the War Department
today the affidavit made by Miss Clara A.
Dyer. accusing George Petr Of being n spy
from the Austrian government. Pending
instructions from Washington. Captain
Watson declined to discuss the case. Along
with the affidavit he mailed the letters Petr
is alleged to have written to Miss Dyer.
Corporal William n. Lahr, Of the recruit
ing station here. said to-day that he served
with one George Petr in Troop NJ. Of the 9Th
United States Cavalry. in the Philippines
and I'm Montana. Corporal Lair said petr
was an Austrian, a man of education and
refinement and received remittances regu-
larry from that country. For some time he
nOsed as an American army officer. had his
mail addressed TO Captain Petr. and he
vas reprimanded by the ommander for as
slIrnng to hold a commission I'm the United
states army
p1yrT AMI ~ nrNTCC CuApCp