New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-15
DISCOVER TRUNK
STAHL SAID HE
PUT ON LINER
Sleuths Prove, They Say,
Gun Witness Never Was
Aboard LuSitania.
MEN HIGHER UP" NOW
KNOWN, WOOD ADMITS
Hardenburg, Affidavit Makers
Friend, Agrees to Tell of
Alleged Conspiracy.

That the evidence now in the pos
session of the government proves that
the affidavit Of Gustayc Stahl. the Ger
man rcservist and roustabout, who
swore that he saw guns aboard the Luz
stania before she sailed on her last
trip from this port, was inspired by
certain interests said 10 be known 10
the Department Of Justice vas practi-
cally admitted yesterday by Roger B.
Wood. Assistant United States District
Attorney.
There is no doubt that the story
told by Stahl was inspired he said.
where it was inspired and by whom is
something | do not care TO discuss at
this time. But in the light Of what we
already know. the things which Stahl
has told us are most amazing. | eX-
pect there will be other revelations OF
an equally uprising character before
we get through with this case"
Federal agents working under the
personal supervision Of Superintendent
William II. Onley Of the local investi
CATION bureau Of the Department Of
Justice discovered evidence yesterday
which removed the last support OF the
Stahl affidavit and sent II tumbllng
into the n ass of falsehoods which the
federal investigation has disclosed. This
evidence. it was said, will alone suifce
to convict Stahl of the charge Of per
jury, on which he is now being held IN
$4,000 bail in the Tombs.
Il came as a complete surprise TO
Harold S. Deming, counsel for Stahl,
who up TO Yesterday declared that he
believed in the innocence Of his client.
But when he was told that federal
agents had discovered the trunk OF the
steward "Leitch" which Stahl swore he
helped carry aboard the Lusitania, and
that during this his only visit aboard
the Cunarder he saw the four guns
described in his affidavit, he refused to
make any comment.
William II. Ofley. in charge of the
investigation, admitted yesterday that
his agents had located the boarding
house on the lower West Side, where
Neal J. Leach, the young British law
student, with whom Stahl admitted to
have been Slightly acquainted lived
during his short visit To this country.
A trunk. containing Leach's effects, was
seized by the Federal operatives, and
it's contents. according 10 Mr.. Otiiey,
established beyond a doubt the lden-
titv Of the man for whom the Federal
detectives have been looking from the
start.
Another important item in the chain
Of evidence against Stahl and his sup
rosed hackers will result from the tes-
timony of Heinz Hardenburg former
room mate and confdant OF Stahl, ana
now said to be an operative OF the Ger
man secret service organization IN tnis
country Hardenburg arrived in tins
city Yesterday from Cincinnati IN
charge Of Federal agents. lie is SAID TO
have expressed his willingness 70 tell
all he knows. and Federal agents are
confident that he knows as much about
the alleged German conspiracy as stab!
docs. II was he who introduced Stahl
IN Paul Koenig, head Of the special po-
lice force of the Hamburg American
Line. and said to be the right arm OF
the German secret so~vice organization
in this country. :,
While Federal officials, for ethical
reasons. were unwilling to state official
" that many of the clues gathered by
the Federal detectives point toward OF
Gcials connected with the German gov
eminent. it was learned from authorita-
tive sources that, as in previous cases.
the trail leads TO { Sc private ONCE OF
Captain Karl Boy-lE, the naval attache.
BY his express instructions, those. con,
rccted with his Office have rescinded
their former admission that Stahl was
personally known to them.
II was learned at the Tombs yester-
day that Stahl has made request to
see the Federal prosecuting attorney:
For some days it has been rumored
that deserted by his friends and APP
rarently ready to be sacrificed by his
former employers, he will unburden
himself in order to escape a Jail SEN
tcnce and deportation to Germany. 1t
was even said that Richard P. Stegler;
who three months ago directly accused
Captain Boyd of having instigated the
fraudulent passport scheme for which
he served sixty days in Jail, had com
municated with Stahl and advised him
to confess.