The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-02-04
ASK EXTRAD|TI
Of INTER-
VAN HORNE
Formal Application Made 10 State
Department
STATE OFFICIALS Puzzled
asatt 1g -l.
Bridge Wreeker Wires Request for
Protection to German Embassy
at Washington.
STATE OFFICIALS puzzled

Washington, Feb. 4---Formal apph
cation for the extradition to Canada
OF Werner Van Horn, charged with
"attempted destruction of human life
was made at the state department yes
terday by Sir Cecil Spring Rice, the
British ambassador. The ambassador
called at the state department and
presented brief note to Secretary
Bryan, based upon communication
from the Canadian minister OF justice
at Ottawa, informing the embassy
that Van Horn was wanted on the
charge of attempting to destroy hum
an life, through the wilful and unlaw-
ful destruction, of the st. Croix river
bridge at Vanceboro, Me.
Secretary Bryan referred the com
municalon to the solicitor of the de-
partment for examination as TO its
form. If the application is found to
be regular, Van Horn will be ordered
before United States commissioner
nearest to Eanaeboro. where he is
now under detention, and the Canad-
ian authorities will be allowed the
privilege. al appearing BY eauDsel to
make out a; prima faeie case sufficient
to justify the demand fogathe ssnrsend-
er OF the prisoner u se ie
The machinery in such cases up to
a certain point works almost automat
ically, and there will be little for the
state department 10 do involving tn
exercise of as sshSlssseson until the
commissioner has passed upon the
case. Should he decide that there Is
no case against Van Horn, the prison.
er may be discharged without further
proceedings. If he holds the man for
eXtradiuon. then it is competent 70,
Van Horn or his friends 10 make an
appeal TO the state department. 1t is
even possible in extreme cases for the
United States courts to- be invoked
in the prisoners behalf, though this
is n rare occurrance
Van Horn already has indicated his
purpose of fighting extradition. in
telegram yesterday he appealed to the
German ambassador to look after his
interests, decla ing he was German
subject and did not put foot on Can
adian soil His telegram was. as fol
lows
Il was arrested here for blowing up
end OF bridge at Vancelbora.
between Maine and Canada. am
held here BY Encouragement of
Maine at the request Of Canadian
authorities. who are trying to get ex,
tradition papers for me from Wash
ington. Please look after my inter
ests in this matter as am German
subject and did not put foot on Canad-
ian soil Answer.
The prisoner signed the messag,
Verne Horn" instead OF with the
name OF Werner Van Horn. by which
he has been known at Vanceboro. His
statement that he had not been on
Canadian soil is in contradiction to
earlier statements which he is alleg
cd 70 have made to the police. Ac-
cordlng to the latter he not oiily ex
ploded the dynamite on the Canadiah
side, but also received the explosive
rom man who met him on the east
pt the tiver AS boundary between
he United States and Canada follows
he middle line of the ST. Croix river,
and tho piers of the bridge rest on
Canadian soil at the end where Van
Horn is said TO have placed his
sharge of dynamite. the officials at
attached no importance
% his plea that he did not touch Can
ldian soil
Officials OF the state department at
his stage positively decline TO ex.
press any opinion publicly in regard
% the sufiiciency of Van Horns con
-ention that his offense was "politi
al" that 1t was an act of war direct
hat his intention was TO prevent the
continued transportation across this
bridge OF troops and munitions of wal
going to Europe to be used against
Germany. 1t was pointed out, howev'
er, that in order to prove his act was
an act of war, Van Horn must pro-
luce evidence that he was acting un-
Ter higher authority and by direct o.
lers The act of an individual on his
own responsibility usually is not ac.
an act of war. On the other
band, if the prisoner should produce
evidence to show that he was acting
inder explicit direction and authority
1f the German government, it is said
1 violation of the neutrality OF the