New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-16
HOBOKEN PASTOR
SWEARS HE SAW
LUSITANIA'S GUNS
Like Stahl, DR.. Henry
Brueckner Gave Affidavit
to Won BernstOrff.
HIGH DIPLOMATS
INVOLVED IN PLOT
Hardenburg, Governments Prize
Witness, to Testify Before
Grand Jury To-day.

Despite strenuous efforts on the part
reputable Germans out of the Lusitania
affidavit scandal, il became known yes
terday that DR.. Henry Brueckner, SUI
perntendent Of the German Seamen' 5
Home In Hoboken, had filed an affidavit
with the German Ambassador in which
he swore he saw several guns aboard
the Lusitania before she sailed on her
last trip. DR.. Brueckner is also pastor
Of st. Matthews German Evangelical
Church in Hoboken, and has a large
following among Germans in Hudson
County and New York.
He is said 10 have sworn in his affi-
davit that while crossing the North
River on Twenty-third Street ferry
boat in April he saw several guns
plainly protruding over the sides of
the Lusitania. He voluntarily went to
the German Consulate and made the
affidavit, which was sent TO Washing
ton with the Stahl affidavits, and is now
In possession of the State Department.
Although il was pointed out TO him
yesterday that il would not be pleasant
for him to have his name coupled with
that of Stahl and his alleged accom-
plices, whom the government is trying
to convict on perjury charge, DR..
Brueckner last night refused to make
any statement, stating that he would
not try his case in the newspapers.
From employees of the German Seamen's
Home il was learned yesterday that
q l. -
ance while he was quartered aboard
one Of the North German Lloyd liners
in Hoboken. Being German reservist
and ostensibly out of work he was en-
titled 10 receive whatever assistance
the Seamen's Home could give him.
Diplomats in Conspiracy.
William II. OfFley, superintendent OF
the local Bureau of Investigation Of the
Department of Justice. who is ham
ding the Stahl case, admitted yes
terday that he had knowledge of DR..
Brueckner's affidavit He refused how
ever, to say whether any Of his agents
have been investigating the statement
DR.. Brueckner is said to have made.
Heinz Hardenburg, the alleged Ger
man secret service operative, who was
recently apprehended in Cincinnati and
brought TO this city as material wit
ness against Stahl, his former room
mate, in the grand jury investigation,
did not testify yesterday because As
sil tant United States Attorney Roger
B. Wood, who has charge of the case,
VS. unable to appear. Hardenburg, who
is said 70 have been member OF the
German Aviation Corps, will be the
chief witness before the Federal grand
jury to-day. Important developments
are expected, because Hardenburg is
said to be in possession OF valuable IN,
! formation which, If made public, would
compromise not only Captain Karl Boy
/ Ed, the active German naval attache,
| but German diplomats higher up.
According TO advices received last
night from Cincinnati, where Harden
burg went after his mysterious diSap-
pcarance from New York, he APP
preached Charles Ginocchio and R. f.
simmons, the Italian and British con-
Is there, and asked for employment.
He said he had been employed as an
agent of the Britilh Secret Service and
asked the Italian Consul TO give him
employment in similar capacity.
StahI UnieI Silence Test.
He did not say anything to Consul
Simmons about his former BRUSH gov
eminent connection. but represented
himself as a former engineer OF a
! Channel steamer. At the outbreak of
hostilities, he said, he was arrested by
the British and held prisoner OF war.
Although his English is poor and ne
has a pronounced Teutonic accent, Har-
denburg told the British Consul that
/ he managed to convince the British
authorities that he was not, and had
never been, member Of the German
army. On the strength Of this state
m.nt, he said, he was released and
/ came 10 AmeriCa.
Consul Simmons sent fill report of
/ Hardenburg's visit to Wilfred Powell,
/ the British Consul General in Philadel-
phia, who last night said that he did
not place any credence in Hardenburg' S
story. Further than that the British
Consul General refused to discuss the
/ case.
The fact that A. Brice Bielaski, chief
/ of the investigation bureau of the De
partment of Justice, arrived from