New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-17

eminent would negotiate for the pur-
chase Of those antiquated rifles.
personally | have never heard OF
Mrs. Selma Lewis, and | am quite sure
that the ambassador has never heard
of her. But | know positively that DR.:
Meyer Gerhard came TO the United
States on a Red Cross mission"
Julius P Meyer, resident director OF
the Humburg-American Line, who ar
ranged for the passage of DR.. Meyer
Gerhard aboard the steamship United
States, of the Scandinavian-Amer
Line, and who later personally escorted
the German Red Cross commissioner
aboard the ship, refused to be inter
viewed yesterday. While waiting in the
Hamburg Line building, at 40
Broadway, for Mr.. julius Meyers APP
pearance, another mystery was discov-
cred by reporters.
Mysterious DR.. Albert.
On the fourth floor in that building
DR.. Heinrich F. Albert maintains mys-
FERROUS activities in a closely guarded
suite of Offices. DR.. Albert is listed in
the "Hof Kalender"-t official Ger
man who's Who"-as an Under Secre-
tary in the Imperial German Ministry
of the Interior. He registered at the
Ritz-Carlton Hotel on May 20, and has
been occupying a suite on the sixth
floor since then. Nobody knows, appar-
emily, where he came from or what his
mission is in this country.
When he arrived at the hotel he gave
specific instructions to the management
that he desired absolute privacy and
that every effort should be made TO
keep his arrival at the hotel secret.
Consequently the average inquirer for
DR.. Albert is politely informed that
"his excellency" is not staying at the
hotel, although telephone calls for him
have been directed to Suite SOB and
604. Evidently a pass word is neces-
sary 10 induce DR.. Albert to come 70
the telephone. Every call is invariably
answered with a stereotyped:
81 am the valet he is not here"
Then the receiver is snapped on and
the mystery deepens.
Inuuisitive callers at DR.. Albert's Of
fee in the Hamburg American Line
Building are met by an aggressive, ath-
letic young German, who informs them
that It is impossible to see DR.. Albert.
"He never receives strangers" the
young man said yesterday to a group
Of newspaper men anxious to ask DR..
Albert what he knows about DR.. Meyer
Gerhard, who before he left the Ritz
Carlton Hotel left instructions that his
mail should be forwarded to DR.. II. F.
Albert, at as Broadway.
Efforts TO learn something about DR..
Albert's mission in this country were
fruitless. German officials pretended
that they did not know anything about
him, and at the Ritz il was said that he
was "a man of mystery"
Viereck Blames Allies.
George Sylvester Viereck, editor Of
Meyer Gerhard story as desperate
press agent story inspired by the
Allies"
at shows how desperate they are
when they attempt to drag the names
of German officials into the mud and
even attack the honesty and integrity
of the German Ambassador" Mr.. Vie
reck said.
Officials Of the German Consulate, at
IL Broadway, were unanimous in their
declaration that DR.. Meyer-Gerhard
had actually been in this country as
an accredited German Red Cross COM
missioner; that his mission here was
strictly confined to Red Cross activities,
and that when he sailed for Germany
aboard the United States no Alfred
Meyer or any other person accompanied
him as secretary.
Late last night Counsellor con Hahn
hansen sent telegram to Acting Sec
rotary of State Lansing. in which he
officially denied that he published al
legations about DR.. Meyer Gerhard had
any foundation in fact.
81 have made this official denial, but
doubt whether Count Won Bernstorff
would dignity such a gross perversion
of facts by reply" Won Haimhausen
remarked.
Professor Frederick Oechsner, for
merly Of the University Of Berlin,
made this comment last night:
at is unfortunate that such wide
publicity should be given to this story
at a time when the feeling between
the peoples Of the two countries is
none too cordial. did not meet Dr.
Meyer-Gerhard until he came TO this
country, but am quite convinced that
there is no truth in the story which
characterizes him as a masquerader."