The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-01

Known Him For Two Years
 In his affidavit sent to6ay to the state department Hooper says he had known Swoboda for two years and had business
 dealings with him in Paris in July 19l4 T entered into an agreement to pur-
 chase supplies with Swoboda when he
 came here" the affidavit continues. and
 during hs stay was constantly with him
 night and day travelling to Montreal, Toronto. Chicago and Cleveland to get
 details of materials from the leading firms of these cities X full duplicate
 set of letters, correspondence, contracts.
 etc. are here subject to any inVestiga-
 tion to show what our business relation
 were.
 Mi Swoboda is well known in Paris
 and has sufficient credentials to warrant the greatest confidence. I am enclosing
 few copies of letters of introduction from prominent men and officials of my
 country and can establish my responsl- billy and standing at any moment you
 desire. My connections with Mir. Swo-
 boda were entirely commercial and l | found him a trustworthy ana responsible
 man in all my previous ana present deal
 ings. The present charges must unques- i tionably be unfoundeS. as l have still
 the highest regard and confidence in him.
 Any further information l shall be glad
 to give you and hold myself in readiness l to supply you with any data you may desire. As matter of fact, all the trunks l sent aboard the ship were packed by me.
 or under my supervision, and I know
 that only such samples were included as
 were absolutely harmless"
 l Hooper added that Swoboda's trunks
 contained nothing but samples of textiles,
 army shoes. military cloth and the like
 and in his statement he was supported | by Davis, MasLea x Monr. He denied
 that Sworoda had taken gasoline or other
 ihflammable material with him.
 l He intended to take some gasoline l samples Hooper said. put was unable
 to get permission of the French line to
 put them aboard the ship. The cases are
 now in my room in my hotel" l It was Davis who furnished Swo- boda with the shoe and army cloth samples He sent to Secretary Bryan today the following telegram
 | Raymond R. Swoboda. whom I sec by today's papers has been arrested | in Paris under suspicion of having set I fire to the steamship Touraine. sailed on that boat at my personal request. 1 l know that he had intended going to London before going to Paris. I am personally acquainted with the busi-
 ness that he had in hand. That he is guilty of the charge made Is prepos- 1 terous and unthnlSable, and since he | Is an American citizen l appeal | to you to see that he is afforded such protection as may be In your power 1 to give until full and complete in- vestigation can be made to satisfy | the French authorities of his inno- cence of the charge made"
 In explaining Swoboda's conference with the United States commercial at l tache in Paris, Davis said that he had | been informed that Swoboda was en- gagged in furthering a plan for the re- | duction of foreign tariffs, especially l in France, on American textiles and l that his plans were known to this gov ernment.
 MacLea announced tonight that he would leave immediately for Washing 1 ton to intercede in Swobodas behalf with President Wilson, if necessary.