New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-02
U. S. ORDERS FULL
SWOBODA INQUIRY
Authorities Told Man Ac-
cused of La TOuraine
Fire Is American.
From Tn. Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington, April 1.-The State De-
partment cabled Ambassador Sharp. at
Paris, tonight to investigate the case
against Raymond P. Swoboda, the al
legged American charged with having
set fire to the French liner La Touraine.
and report at once as to the reasonable
ness Of the charges.
The State Department is open minded
in the Swoboda matter. From Ameri-
can sources, persons intimately en-
gagged in business with Swoboda, the
department has been informed that
Swoboda's mission abroad was under
taken with the full knowledge OF his
status b. the French government, and
that his recent visit to the United
States was to obtain estimates on large
quantities of supplies Of various kinds
for the French army in the fleld and
the French government generally, as
we'll as for the civil population.
X, x. MacLea, of New York. COM
mission broker, whose principal busl-
ress is in textiles, and who was closely
associated with Swoboda, said to-day
that the man was native OF San fran
cisco. He said Swoboda's trip to the
I United States had been made on be-
half Of a NJ. MORRISON and Maurice
/ Duclos, purchasing agents, who deal
with the French government. Mr.. Swo-
| boda had obtained price lists and estl-
mates from various American oncerns
( on all sorts of supplies for the French.
I One of the principal items OF hi IN
vestigation had been the price for vast
! quantities of blue-gray cloth for uni
/ forms for the French army.
Paris, April additional evidence
I has been found, the police assert, to
/ nrove the pro-German sympathles OF
/ RAYMOND Il. Swoboda, charged with
/ being responsible for the fire which
/ threatened the destruction OF the
steamer La Touraine.
Five large trunks left by Swobods
II, an Office in the Avenue de POpera
/ have been seized and sent to Havre.
The villa which Swoboda occupied az
Virofay. near Versailles, was searched
snd several papers seized. These doeu-
nents included, the police assert, let
ters Of highly compromising charac-
ter. together with photographs showing
Swoboda in a German uniform with
two othe. officers.
NJ. Racquet, Swoboda's business asso-
ciate, declared last night that he be-
/ licved Swoboda was Canadian, as he
bad excellent references from Quebec
where he said his family lived. Swo-
bOda told Raguiet, the latter said, that
he had bean brought up in Germany
h ia NJ
sympathy for that nation.
Strongly Pro-German.
"Swoboda's Germanophile sentiments
became so pronounced about the middle
Of July" said NJ. Raguiet, that | de
cided TO break off my relations with
him. After July Is Swoboda spoke OF
war being imminent between France
and Germany. He said he had exception
al sources of information in Germany
He wrote me about this time that II
was a shame to deal on the Bourse,
since there never would be monthly
settlement"
The Figaro" prints the following
Abatement in reference TO Swoboda's at
tempt to attach himself TO that paper:
During the first days of the wal
Swoboda came TO the Figaro" and Of
fered himself as a war correspondent
in which position. he declared, his
American citizenship would be adyan'
tageous. He said he could go every
where and supply information noboay
else could get. One of our editors
Franz Rachel, who saw him, gained sc
poor an impression Of the man that foI
the moment he seriously considered de.
nouncing him as a spy, and refrainet
from doing so only because he was not
| ahsolutelY certain