Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-31
Passenger on French Ship,
Set on Fire in Mid Ocean,
in Custody.
ADMIRALTY PROBE
ATTACHES BLAME
an known 40 Raymond sweboda Ae-
cussd Of Attempt to Destroy Vessel
--Has Posed Both as American and
: Russian-stats Department. Records
Show United States Passport Was
Issued 70 Accused Man.

one Of the passengers aboard the
French line steamship La Touraine.
which was imperiled by fire at sea
on March s. has been arrested, charged
with setting fre to the vessel, accord
ing to the Matin.
Swoboda. the paper asserts, is sus-
pected Of having close relations with
the enemy" and correspondence found
in his rooms b said to indicate that he
was charged with the task Of blowing
up the Touraine. He has been taken to
Havre.
Explosion Prsesdss Firs.
Investigation made by experts ap-
pointed by Admiral ,Charlier. who is
conducting the inquiry. has established
the fact that the blaze aboard the
Touraine must have been caused by
the explosion of some decorating de-
vice. Statements of passengers and
members of the crew support this
theory. The explosion was sufficient to
wrench loose doors Of cabins near by.
The explosive Is supposed to have been
carried in a trunk stored in the baggage
hold.
Significant Remark.
The authorities at Havre examined as
many passengers as could be reached.
Some stated they had been amazed by
q statement made by a passenger one
! night. This man is quoted as having
4 4renar3ged:
THE 09fnnau war zone IL not the only
& one that would Be dangerous. The ship
hexseH sven before abe reaches the war
s1he might be Obliged TO Rave recourse
% the doctors and nurses aboard to
care Tor the passengers"
Only passing heed, however. was
given to this assertion when 1t was
made. but later 1t appeared to the in
vestigating attorney to have serious
importance.
swoboda PosssAs American.
The passenger in question was listed
I Swoboda, 80 years old. an American
subject: profession, financier: destina-
tion. Paris"
commissary Dubert, attached to the
: secret service department Of the min
istry OF interior. undertook the task Of
: tracing Swoboda. He found the man
was fairly well known in Paris financial
circles. He was supposed to be Rus
sian. for he often spoke of his family
connections at Petrograd and Moscow.
4 He had served in foreign circles for a
broker named Morrison. of Paris.
None Of Swoboda's business associ-
afes had seen him after the arrival of
the Touraine at Havre, where she
docked safely on March s. but Dubert
traced him to a hotel in the Avenue
Kleber. only to find he had left ten
s days later after a brief stay.
Talk crsatss Suspicion.
He registered there under the name
of Raymond Swoboda and professed to
be an American Of important means
who had come from New York on the
La Touraine. In the hotel drawing
room he had told the story Of the fire
and his story had aroused suspicion.
He was traced to another hotel in the
Place de Rivoli. where he was arrested.
When his room was searched. the
police declare, number Of letters
written in German seemed to point
strongly TO his guilt. He was then
turned over to the Havre authorities.
Mr.. Morrison, the broker, when told
Of the arrest, expressed amazement.
II had business relations with,
Swoboda," ne said, "and he was always
I honorable In his dealings with me.
knew that he formerly was employed
in a large Paris bank and I was not
astonished at his wide knowledge Of
finance. ! knew also that his business
brought him large income"