Norwich bulletin., 1915-11-09
German Reply on
 Misuse Passports
DOUBTS TRUTH OF TESTIMONY
 IN BRITISH COURTS
DURING TRIAL OF SPIES
Denies That German Government of- fieials Had Prepared Fake Ameri- can Passports to Agents.

Washington, Nov. s.-Germany, in note which reached the state depart ment today. in reply to Secretary Lansings representations on the mis- doubt as to the truth of testimony be- fore British courts during trials of spies and empbatically denies that "Gerpan government officials had pre- pared false American passports and handed them to agents"
 Text of the Note.
 The text of the note, signed by Herr Zimmerman under secretary of state for foreign affairs and transmitted through i, Ambassador Gerard, follows: The undersigned has the honor to state the following to His Excellency, the >~n. James w. Gerard, in reply to the letter of July 31, last, concern ing the alleged issuing of false Ameri- can passports by the German authori- ties:
 False Testimony Charged.
 "The assertions made by Robert Rosenthal, who was shot in England as spy, that a false passport had been offered to him in the offices of the German admiralty staff that Corvetionkaptain Prieger held a stock of falsified American passport blanks in the admiralty staff offices; and that the latter has shown him the water marks in them as well as rubber stamps for the legalization of false passports, one and all are not true.
 Individuals Issue Fake Passports. With reference to the fact that one George T. Breckow, who was arrested n England as a spy, had been SUD- | piled with a false passport, the in- vestigations started have borne no re. | suit. It is an established fact, how. ever, that during the present situa. tion of the war, certain individuals iI | the occupied enemy territory and alsC :n neutral countries endeavored tC | make a trade of issuing false papers O. | legitimation and of selling them fo a good price. In this way a passpor | falsiflers den was raided in Antwerp | which was already in existence whel Antwerp was occupied by German troops. It may well be assumed tha l the passport found on Breckow orig mated from such plant,
 Accused Intimidated by Threats.
 "As far as the alleged testimon. | given by RosenthaI and Breckow be fore the English law is concerned, ac cording to which German officers pre- pared false passports and handed then to agents-if such testimony shoul | actually have, been given-it must b assumed that the accused were induc ed by threats, promises or other mean 1 of pressure during the examination t invent these statements in the belle that they might be of interest for th enemy state.
 Doubt Such Testimony Was Given. | There may have hoped to obtai a mitigation of the impending sever punishment by placing the responsi bility for the false passports on tn authorities and not on themselve! Strong doubts exist here, however, a to whether the alleged testimony wa actually given. In any case. the as sumption that German government of ficials, with the knowledge of Germa government authorities, had prepare false American passports and hande the mtoagents, must be energeticall refuted.
 "The undersigned avails himself ( the oppodtunity to renew to the am bassador the assurances of his high est esteem"