Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-19
ABSOLUTE DENIAL
BY bERNST0RFF
Gives His Word of Honor There
Is No Truth in Reported
Meyer-Gerhard Dupe.
NEVER HEARD OF DR.. MEYER
otate Department Is Thoroughly
Satisfied and Considers
Incident Closed.
NEVER HEARD OF DR.. MEYER
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.]


Bernstorff, the German ambassador. to-
day gave his word OF honor 10 Score
tary OF State Lansing that the envoy
he sent to Berlin, for whom the State
Department obtained safe passage. was
Dr. Meyer-Gcrhard. an official of the
German Colonial Office, who had been
In this country on behalf of the Ger
man Red Cross.
The ambassador told tho secretary
that neither he nor any member of the
embassy staff had ever heard OF DR.
Alfred Meyer. said TO he the head OF
inc supply division Of the German
army. Charges to which publicity has
been given accused the ambassador of
duping this government into providing
safe passage for Or. Meyer under the
name OF DR.. Meycr-Gerhard
The ambassador reiterated his state
ment. tclcGraphed to the dcpa artmcnt
Yesterday. that the publication OF the
charges would likely operate Injurious
ly against his efforts to bring about
an amicable settlement OF the issues
between the United States and Ger
many over the sinking of the Lusi-
tania.
Secretary Lansing assured the am
bassador that this government accepted
without reservation his denial of the
charges. The secretary said later that
he was thoroughly satisfied with the
ambassadors statement. and. on the
facts as far as he knows them, he con-
siders the incident closed.
WILL SEEK FURTHER
FACTS On INCIDENT
The State Department. however. has
not given UP its efforts 10 obtain fur
thcr facts on the incident. The matter
OF greatest intercs; to this government
now in connection with the incident
is 10 discover the identity Of the per-
son or interests responsible for this
latest effort to create bitter feeling
between the two governments
The state Department is acquainted
with the view of the German govern
ment that these charges AS well as
others which have appeared recently,
aimed at the German ambassador had
their origin In the activities Of de-
Elective agency employed by Germany's
+ enemies.
The belief is that the State Depart
ment VIII take the matter up inform
ally with the government referred to
and ask for statement OF the facts
in the case. The amba ssador to-day
made no request along this line. !eav-
ing II TO the State Department to de-
SlHe cl lls OWN NDIi.oD "ndl ought to
be done In tho matter.
The ambassador, however. asked the
Secretary OF State to-day 10 use The in
fuence OF the department to prevent
misrepresentation OF the embassy and
ITS stan. II is understood the depart
ment has not yet decided what IL can
do in that direction.
The ambassador told the secretary
also that the story containing the
charges was shown TO him a week ago
Just as he was leaving Washington
for New York. and he said /, was not
true. on his arrival in New York, h.
said. he sent his military attache to
find if the story was 10 be published
TIE attachc reported that he had been
told that the charges had not been sub
lstantiated. and the story would not be
I published.
Five days later it was printed
IN SOUTH ON DAY HE WAS
REPORTED IN NEW YORK
The attention of Ambassador Bern
storff was called to-day to the letter
written by DR.. Meyer Gerhard to Cap
tain Ewald Becker. OF the German Red
Cross dated Jacksonville. Fla, March
S. This letter was given out by Cap-
tain Becker to show that Meyer-Ger-
!. hard was in Jacksonville on the aav
Mrs. Selma Lewis says he was in New
York. and signed contract with her
for 350,000 rifles. The ambassador said
that DR.. Meyer-C;erhard was in the
|, South about that time. but he could
not say that he was in Jacksonville on
the day in question.
Secretary Lansing issued this state
ment this afternoon:
The German amba ssador called on
me to-day and said that the stories
published in the newspapers as to
Meyer-Gerhard and DIR. Meyer were not
true, and were embarrassing TO him.
The ambassador said that he had no
knowledge of any DR.. Meyer nor did
any member of the embassy know any
such person as the DR.. Meyer re-
ferred to.
The ambassador made this statement
on his word of honor, and said that
the stories were a criticism of his own
personal character. He said that
Meyer Gerhard had never entered into
any contract In this country, nor had
anything to do here except with the
Red Cross.
80 far as anything that has been
brought to his attention is concerned,
the incident is regarded by the State
Department a S closed