Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-28
DispIeased by Alleged Imputa-
tions Upon the Character
of Capt. Boy:Ed.
CLAIM HARSH TREATMENT
BY FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
Probable Demand for Retraction of
Language Used at Conspiracy
Trial in New York.

vigorous protest, and perhaps a
demand for an apology from an Off
cial or a department of the govern
ment, may be made by the German
embassy to the State Department at
the close of the trial. in the federal
court at New York, of officials of the
Hamburg American line. The case
which concerns a plan to provide Ger
man naval vessels with munitions, coal
and provisions at sea by ships sailing
from American ports with doctored
manifests has involved the name of
Capt Karl Boy-Ed. German naval at
tache here. and IL the German embassy
decide that the governments pros
ecutor in New York has been unduly
harsh and unfair with this represent
ative of the German empire there may
be very stiff request for retraction.
This has been learned from sources
close to the embassy. and is looked
upon in diplomatic quarters as being
authoritative.
Question as to Form.
There is some question as to the form
that the embassy will adopt in framing
the protest. Much depends on what
the stenographic copy of the trial pro-
duces, and this is being studied closely
a. the German embassy
The embassy is particularly anxious
to determine whether Capt Boy Ed
was included by inference or other
wise in the reference made by Assist
ant United States District Attorney
Wood to the defendants in the ca Sc
as riding roughshod over the laws
of the United States, treating them
as il they were scraps of paper"
1t was said by a person in close
touch with officials Of the embassy
that it was felt Capt. Boy Ed had been
very harshly treated in the circum :
stances and that too much had been
made out of his connection with the
case. The embassy was further de-
scribed as feeling that Capt Boy-Ed
had done nothing that. under the law.
and that. all things considered, he had
done no more than naval attaches of
embassies Of the entente allies.
Await Outcome of Trial.
AS to the form of the embassy's pro-
test, 1t was said, much depended on
the outcome Of the trial. Should an
acquittal result, the embassy might feel
that in making complaint 1t would
stand upon much hrmer ground, as 1t
could point out. incidentally, that the
defendants had themselves been freed
of the charges made by the govern
ment Whether they are acquitted or
not, however, the belief prevails In
German circles that Capt. Boy-Ed &
name was needlessly brought in and
that needless things were said about
him.
1t is known that Secretary Lansing
himself has for several days constd-
cred 1t probable that the German am
bassador would mako a protest The
State Department takes the position
that the disbursing Of funds did not
mean that the naval attache had done
anything illegal.
The department has complete knoWl-
edge of all the evidence procured In
the case by the Department of JUS
ttce. and tho stated position Of Secre-
tsry Lansing Is that nothing that may
be done by tho Department Of Justice
State Department to request the with
drawal of any diplomatic offer.
Puzzles the State Department.
It even has been hinted that State
Department officials are at q loss to
understand why tho German naval at
tache was brought into the case unless
there was evidence that he directed
the alleged falsifcation Of manifests
and clearance papers by officials OF the
Hamburg-American Hne.
It Is understood tho belief in Ger
man circles is that II there was any
falsification of papers 1t must have
been the result of an effort to prevent
the enemies of Germany from secur-
ing Information which might cause
harm to come to her forces and ships