New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-01
GERMAN ENVOY
SEES BLACKMAIL
In BOY-ED CASE
Count Won Bernstorff
Calls Stegler Charges
Pathological"
DECLARES FALSITY
Is MULTIPLYING
Prisoners Bride Denies Atlanta
Story-Alleged Spy May Be
Released on Bail To-day.
from The Tribune Bureau J

from The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Feb. Coupling the
intimstion that the Stegler charges
against Captain Boyd, naval attach6
of the German Embassy. had basis
pathological in character, with the
suggestion that the whole matter
looked like an attempt st blackmail
which had failed Count Johann Won
BernstorS the German Ambassador,
authorized to-day statement de
signed 20 dispose Of the embassy's
views on the situation, in which he
said:
"The main facts Of the Stegler al
fair. as far as the naval sttRche is
concerned, have been communicated by
me TO the State Department
81 must refrain from dealing in any
detail with all the false statements
and fantastic allegations of Stegler
and his wife, which are multiplying
from day to day and are Of patho-
logical character.
There may be other motives In
question, but in any case the whole
matter looks very much like an at
tempt at blackmail which failed
at is up TO the judges and public
opinion 10 form their own judgment of
the reliability Of Stegler."
New evidence uncovered by the De
partment Of Justice is said TO involve
Captain Franz Won Papen. military at
tache of the German Embassy. His
name, II was said by a federal official
to-day, is mentioned in two new con
LESSONS obtained by the department
The oh ~oroipc+ Dapar 81
believed TO be as sensational rs those
made against Boy-Ed. Like the latter,
Won Papen, though attached to the en-
bassy at Washington, has spent most of
his time in New York since the war
began.
The presentation OF the embGssy's
information 10 the State Department
10 not accepted here as ending the
case. The Department of Justice. al
though silent, has an air of confidence
that the outcome Of the trials in New
York will tend TO show that the rami-
fications of the fraudulent passport
plot were exceedingly Widespread. The
officials have not submitted all their
information to the State Department,
much of il being held back for future
use and to better develop the general
case in the trial.
1t is persistently asserted in Wash
ington that the disclosures in open
court tomorrow and Tuesday will
make evident the participation in the
passport traffic of another member of
The embassy staff, but the Department
Of Justice is alsc silent on this point.
At the German Embassy it was
stated that Captain Boyd was not
IN Washington. The ambassador has
again gone to New York and Counsel
Tor Haniel Won Haimhausen is out Of
town.
The international spy case took an
other turn yesterday, when Mrs. Ann
cite Pope Stepler. the Southern rose
bride" of Richard Peter Stegler. the
chief actor in the case, Indignantly de
MED that she was the Annette Pope
Of Atlanta. whom dispatches from that
CITY described as the wife of one Harry
Dottenheim. a bartender Of that city
There must be some mistake she
said. "They have confused me with
some other Annette Pope.
"I have been in Atlanta but two or
three days in three years. Prior to my
coming here | was engaged as nurse
in various parts of the South. ! am
sure was never married before
Surely ] would know if | had been,
would not?
AZ have been unable 70 see my hus-
band to-day on account Of tho IomDS
rule of no visitors on Sunday. and |
have Just been simply distracted over
this story, for | don't know what he
will think of it, ] know | can explain
IL all right TO him and that he will be
lieve me, but Just now ] know that If
he has heard the story he ID doing
some Worrying.
az have been awfully worried by the
whole thing, by many things; but my
father and mother will be here to-mor-
row, and then things will be better, for
expect my husband home
"Did you ever hear of this other
Annette Pope in Atlanta" she was
asked.
"No, ] never did, and it seems funny
that | should not; but you must re
member that there are a lot of Popes
in the South. II is good old Southern
name, you know"
Another effort was made late last
night TO submit the full story tele-
rraphed from Atlanta TO Mrs. Stegler
but the woman who answered the tele-
'phone In her apartment she has
a ordered the ianitor 20 permit no re
Y ,orters TO call-declsred; "Mrs. Stegler
out"
"When will she return
al don't know; she may not come
homo tonight" explained the voice
az really do not know where she is.
Information for President.
The results Of the inquiry being CON
ducted under German auspices into the
charges made by Stegler against Cap
ain Boy-Ed. the German naval attache,
iii be submitted TO the State Depart
ont and to the President for his in
; i,rmation and such action as he may
Those making the inquiry do not
I,ect that the President will do much
Nora than read the papers submitted