New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-09
Was Victim of Cunning
Device in Bearing Let
ter, Journalist Asserts.
NEVER SUSPECTED
SECRETS IN NOTE
Was Simply Asked to Hand II to
Burian-IS American and
Not PrO.German.
LBy Gable to The Thhune J

/ London. Sept S.-The "Chronicle"
publishes a Central News dispatch from
Rotterdam quoting James F. J. Archi-
bald. he American war correspondent,
as saying just before his departure on
the Holland America liner Rotterdam
for New York:
81 assur, you ! am perfectly innocent
of al have been charged with in the
papers. ! know nothing of and never
spoke to an! body about plans 70 him
der the Manufacture Of war materials
or to cause unrest among Austrian
worKnen IN America. | am an English
American and not Of German or Aus
triar origin, as has been stated. ! as
sure you the contents of this letter
were absolutely unknown to me and
that l am iHnccent in regard to any
plan mentioned in it.
Shortly before the Rotterdam left
New York for Europe q member Of the
Austrian Embassy came to shakc
hands with me and bid me farewell.
lie casually asked, viii you obliee me
so far as to hand this note to Baron
Burian in Vienna"
81 had no reason for suspecting what
important and base secrets were con-
cealod i'm the small. simple letter, which
bore no seal. put the letter which
looked like an ordinary note, among my
other papers. and only became aware of
the grave nature of its contents after
the authorities had taken 1t from me
with all my other papers. You may
guess that if ! ad known its contents
would certainly have destroyed or
burned the letter before my arrest.
Moreover. u had not been urged on me
al New York that it was necessary TO
observe any special secrecy in regard
10 the letter Consequently, | did not
hesitate for a moment in handing 1t
over al Falmouth. Can you desire bet
ter proof that ! was ignorant Of its
contents ?'
Archibald Knew Dumba Well.
Were you personally acquainted
with Ambassador Dumba or Count Won
BernstorT?" Mr.. Archibald was asked.
81 knew both Of them very we'll he
replied. 81 frequently visited the Ger
man and Austrian embassies, and Tor
some years past had been on very good
terms with them. ! am speaking of
dates back some ten years. | made the
acquaintance of many of the gentle
men now at the embassy in Vienna
"You $50 knew Captain Won Papen.
the German military attache?' ne was
asked.
"Why should deny it? met him
very often. As a journalist travelling
to the theatre Of war and as a repre-
sentative of about forty American pa
pers, ! needed their recommendation
and help very badly. Thus it vas
and here Mr.. Archibald smiled grimly
and bitterly that the British au-
thorities found upon me the very UNI
fortunate letter from Bernstorf. Bern
storff asked me whether II would not
be we'll TO give me some kind OF
recommendation, and in this way ] re-
ceived a letter signed by the German
Ambassador, wherein he declares that
James Archibald is an American jour
nalist, extremely well disposed toward
the German cause, and may be con-
sidered a friend Of the central powers.
received this letter chiefly because,
travelling with my wife in Germany
and Austria and speaking English, we
should be enabled. if troubled in the
street or in tram car or train, to
Justify ourselves Immediately by show
ing Bernstorff's statement"
Have you been in Europe before"
ayes, at the beginning of the war,
about eleven months ago"
Victim OF Cunning Device.
"When you left again for America
did you have any commission from
Vienna or Berlin
To this pointed query Mr.. Archibald
answered: 81 declare to you and TO my
American compatriots that have
nothing whatever to do with the Ger
man and Austrian plans. ! was made
q victim of a cunning device TO use me
as n bearer of compromising docu-
ment As a consequence ! abandoned
all intention of going 10 the Austrian,
or any other front. For the rest had
only some private business TO transact
with the German Legation at The
Hague on behalf of the German mald
servant who accompanies US and who 10
of German nationality. l. have
worked on the Austrian and German
..N