Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-02
.SWObODA Man
OF MYSTERY
Facts Brought Out Indicate
Actions Were Very
Suspicious.
FRIENDS DEFEND,
OTHERS ACCUSE
Latest Announced Venture Was Sale Of
American Goods TO Warning Nations
- incidents Related to Police Tend
to substantiats Claim That swoboda
10 Not What He Claims to ee-ones
Before Arrested on Suspicion.

Paris, April 2.-Altho the police in
vestigation of the history OF Raymond
Swoboda. charged with being RESPONSE
BILE for the fire on the French steamer
La Touraine, has brought out addi.
tional facts, he remains something OF
mystery. Several of his friends pro-
fess to consider the charges against
him entirely unfounded.
NJ. Trescatt stock broker, says he
can see no possible motive for the act
of which he is accused. After hostili-
ties began and the bourse was closed,
Swoboda sought some other occupa-
ton. One of the plans he considered
was to go to the United States and OBJ
tain samples of military clothing, am
munition and tools, which the ministry
of war would be likely to purchase.
Secured American Samples.
Trescatt aserts Swoboda finally de-
cided upon this venture. He visited
many factories In Amarica, giving as
best known merchants uf Paris. Upon
the strength Of this reference he OBJ
tanned the samples he sought.
He pOl1Cc CEcul( IAC SLusOAAOAS "a
NJ. Trescatt, for when they searched
the small partment in the Avenue de
LOpera, where five trunks belonging
to Swoboda were stored, they found
that two Of them had been opened and
the contents displayed in an adjoining
room. The display consisted Of cloth,
socks, gloves, metal TASKS. canned
goods, entrenching tools and even a
complete French uniform.
Friends of Swoboda explained the
photograph Of Swoboda in a German
uniform by saying he spent two yeags
at Heidelberg. Ss4 rIssFv ;;
8 plans found in HIS onice which the
police regard as Suspicious. his friends
say. probably were left there by an
uncle. who is an architect at Van
couyer.
Tried 70 Hide Knowledge Of German.
NJ. Mommeja. q the Boulevard
Haussman. banker who employed
Swoboda in 1912, declared to reporters,
on the other hand, that Swoboda rep
resented himself as d Canadian and did
not know word of German. Later.
however, he heard iSwoboda talking
German fuently over the telephone.
Mommeja became suspicious and dis,
charged SWobOda IN 1913.
Three days ago NJ. Mommeja heard
that his former employe had been in
Paris cafe in company with sus-
picious persons.
According to statements made to
newspaper reporters BY residents in
the suburb of Viroflay, where Swoboda
lived at one time, the mar had long
been regarded with suspicion. He was
intimate with the Austro- German col
ony and spent much time with an Aus
trian named Padouk.
Once Arrested on Suspicion.
A few days after the outbreak Of
hostilities, Swoboda vas discovered
late at night near a defense work. On
being arrested he explained he was
an American and pleaded ignorance.
On production of satisfactory papers
he was allowed to go.
The incident, however, according to
the people of Viroflay, made strong
impression upon Swoboda's neighbors
and they decided to watch him. One
night he was seen to go to the house of
man named Prust. Shortly after
ward the two emerged and made their
way cautiously to the local defense
works. looking around meanwhile to
see if they were observed. It was
known that Prust was an Austrian.
born in Vienna. Some time later
Swoboda, disguised as mason, Vas
seen coming from the defenses. The
police were informed Of this but for
some reason they took no action.
Weeks passed, and finally on Jan. Is,
they arrested Prust and sent him to
q concentration camp. BY this time
Swoboda had left for America.