Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-04
ASKS FOR EXTRADIT|ON
OF VAN HORN TO CANADA
British Ambassador at Washington
Files Request With State
Department
IsoNER WILL RESIST
In Telegram, Appeals to German
Ambassador to Safeguard His In
terests-No Action Pending Re
port on His Citizenship.

WASHINGTON. February 3-The
British ambassador filed with tho State
Department request for extradition
from Maine tes Canada;.o OF Werner van
Horn. on charges of ATTEMPTED de-
struction of human life" In connection
with the dynamiting OF the St Croix
international railway bridge. The am
bassador's note stated the request was
based on an application from the Ca
madam Minister OF Justice.
II the application is found regular
In form. Van Horn will be brought be-
fore United States commissioner and
Canadian attorneys allowed to appear
against him.
Should the commissioner decide there
is no case, the man might be dis
charged without further proceedings
should eNtradition bo obtained how
| ever, an appeal to the State Depart
ment would be admissible. Van Horn
already has indicated his determination
! to fight cNtradition
a telegram from the prisoner to-day,
asking the German ambassador to sa fe-
guard his interests here. as he was a
German subject. declares he did not
set foot on Canadian soil"
That was taken here to mean TINT
though he was on the bridge. he did
not actually stand on Canadian soil.
officials attach no Importance to this
plea.
DELAYS PASSING UPON
VAN JfORN'S REQUEST
Ihe German embassy delayed pass
ing upon Van Horns request, pending
report on his citizenship from the
German consulgeneral in New York.
State Department officials declined to
express any opinion as to Van Horns
contention that his offensc was .politi-
car; that II was an act Of war di-
rected against his country's enemy
ana that IT was his intention to prevent
continued transportation across this
pridse or troops and munitions of war
going to Europe to be used against
Wei i'''ny. III was pointed out, how
ever that to prove his act was an act
OF war. Van Horn must produce evi-
oence that he WAS acting under higher
authority and by direct orders.
On the other hand, if the prisoner
should produce evidence that nc was
acting under direction OF the German
government, ii is said. Il violation OF
lhe neutrality of the United States by
''crmany might be involved
me Canadian government, in making
Application, referred TO the man as an
ordinary civil engineer.
CASE IN SOME RESPECTS
Is WITHOUT PRECEDENT
Ihe case presents some novel fe,-
. lures. and in some respects is without
precedent. In time OF peace and under
normal conditions the matter would h..
simple. for the crime is covered in
paragraph IL, article 1, of the supnIc-
mentary extradltion treaty OF 1sOo no
tween the United States and r;reot
Britain. That article adds to tho list
Of crimes for which extradition may h.,
demanded, included in the original
treaty OF 1883. the following:
"Willful and unlawful destruction or
obstruction or railroads endangers
human life"
Hut Van Horn is reported to have
set up the plea that his ofrense was no
litical, and article of the treaty of
1889 reads:
fugitive criminal shall not bc
surrendered IL the offcnse in respect
OF which his surrender tx demanded hc
one OF n political character, or IL h,
proves that the requisition for his sur
render has In fact been made with a
view to try and punish him for an
ofrcnse OF n political character"
SO tho question undoubtedly will be
whether Van Horns effort TO cut n
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