The Washington times., 1915-09-17
BernStOrH Denies He
Gave archibald PaperS|
Asserts Only Letter of Introduction and Gift for
Countess Were Entrusted to Him-Sees Early
Settlement of Arabic Controversy

NEW YORK. Sept. 17.-Count Won
Bernstorff. the German ambassador
last night declared HIS innocence OF
having done anything unneutral or com.
promising in the Archibald case by
stating explicitly that he had given mo
papers OF any kind" into Archibald q
keeping. He said. furthermore, that II
any papers signed by him we're reported
found among the Archibald documents.
that they were forged.
The ambassador, at the Ritz.Carlton
last night. was told Of q dispatch from
London which asserted on good authori-
ty that papers had been found on the
American correspondent, James ]. r.
Archibald. which were signed by Count
Won Bernstorff and contained state
ments rejecting on the conduct of the
United States Government and making
It seem ridiculous. Tho ambassador
listened attentively. laughed heartily.
and then declared:
II have said over and over ana will
now say again that l gave Archibald
no papers OF any kind. The only
things did give him were a letter OF
accommodation to the German foreign
office and q little gift for my wife.
think you will agree with me that
neither Of these things could by any
possibility be accounted unneutral bur-
dens.
Gave Letters to Another.
I'm regard to the letter, I treated
Archibald as l have treated hundreds
Of others. knew he wished to go
through the German lines and wanted
to help him out l have given another
correspondent exactly the same sort OF
letter when he applied to me before
leaving for Germany. This talk Of my
doing anything unneutral in this re-
gard Is absurd
But apparently this dispatch comes
from a credible source. " the ambassa-
dor was told. "and Furthermore. the in
timation that papers OF a corresponding
nature signed by you will yet be dis
closed have been heard often
Count Won Bernstorff laughed again
good naturedly and said:
We'll. I'll tell you this: II any papers
Of that nature are produced, they will
be forged. They couldn't get them in
any other way. But I'd just like to see
them try to forge papers like that on
me-" added the ambassador.
What would you do?" he was asked.
We'll. what could I do?" he replied.
There Is no doubt but that they would
very much like to get hold Of papers
Of this sort signed by me: but they
won't. ] think I'm wise enough to know
better than to make such a thing pos
sible. I repeat that / did not think
1t safe to trust Archibald with state
papers. He asked me II l did not care
to send something by him. but l told
him no."
Archibald, then, came to you and
asked you II you did not want to send
messages by him. rather than you to
him. the ambassador was asked, to
make certain Of the point.
Archibald Came to Him.
Yes. he came to me. but was wise
enough not to trust him. Why do you
ask this question ?" the Count countered.
II merely thought of the possibility
OF Archibald deliberately endeavoring to
try to compromise you by getting docu-
ments from you which he might use
for this purpose" replied his questioner.
The ambassador made no reply to this.
Did you ever investigate Archibald?'
he was asked.
mo simply knew him as a corre-
spondent who had been to Germany and
who had returned and written things,