The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-03
SWOB0DA WAS DOING
LEGITIMATE BUSINESS
New York Business Associated Give
Accused Man Clean Bill of
Health.
WAS STRAPPED FOR MONEY
Fair Inference IL That IL He Had
Been In Gcrmany's Employ He
Would Have Been Wcll-Healed.
Citizenship Being Proiped.

IdIiS Aprii G.-Raymond SWoboda,
under arrest charged with setting fire
To the French steamship La Touraine
at sea, wrote long letter to AM
bassador Sharp today. The letter was
written In French, as required by
the prison regulations.
Swoboda demanded the protection
and assistance of the American Am
bassador. and said that he expected
: to be transferred to Havre tonight.
lie told the story of his recent trip to
America In detail. saying that he was
after government contract for steel
and iron. and that ne was handling
the business on his own responsibility.
He said that he went to Chicago and
Montreal.
The letter appeared to be straight
forward
The En- bassy will start an investiga-
ton of the case tomorrow.
New York, April Word came
from Washington to-day that the State
department has instructed William @.
sharpe. American ambassador at
Paris. To follow closely the arrest of
Raymond Swohoda. accused of caus-
ing fire on the steamship La Touraine.
The state Departments instructions
to Ambassador Sharp are that he Is
10 see to II that Swoboda is not rail-
rVaded in any way. Washinst on acts
one the presumption that Swoboda is
american bt IN, as he swears The
state Department Will make a
thorough invt stigation Of tho case. and
If Swoboda is native OF this coun-
try will see that his rights are pro-
tected, 1t is understood that this gov
eminent deprecates any summary dis
position on the case until is can sat
lsfF Itself AS to the facts by its own
Investigation.
As for the cable dispatches from
Paris telling OF the suspicion that a
woman with whom Swoboda lived In
a villa outside OF Paris was a Ger
man spy, Eugene Davis, one Of Swo-
beda - business associates here. said
at the Hotel Manhattan:
The woman with whom Swoboda
wed outside Paris was his wife And
that is all there Is to that
Il. Is, McLea who was a textile
expert for the Federal Tariff Board,
went to Washington today to present
to the State Department afrtGavits
made by Thomas Hooper, OF Victoria.
c. British subject and w p
Mohr. Of New York editor OF the New
YorF who Who" and OF severa,
financial publications. These aTida-
Fiis certify to Hooper's and Mohr's
acquaintance with Swoboda, and their
kHowledge that he was travelling on
business entirely free OF suspicion
I, at business was selling supplies to
the French government II was cor
duet, d through Morrison. ~ Rue de
la Nicterre. Paris, a bourse broker of
repu.e.
Displays Letters.
Mr.. Auhr displayed tcdav letter
after letter and dozens Of cnble9rams
axFNarraH with Nsnrpicnn tv, rpa ~
petedly mentioning swoboda as his
representative. and ali concerned with
very large orders for pain. minerals,
clothing materials ana food supplies,
10 be brought here
The matter O. Swoboda's passport
a peared TO he satisfa ctorily cleared
Up ~wohoda came here on the Ro-
chanheau. of the French line. arriv
ing January is lie brought with him
q passport issued by the American EN-
bassy in Paris This he had vised
at the French consulate on February
~. He then expected to take the
LLsitania back Mr. Davis and the
others Of the group handling supplies
in this city-Mr. Hooper, Mr. McI1ea
and Mr. Mohr--asked Swoboda to
delay sailing and take the Toura!ae
on February -. In the meantime.
they made Inquiry and were told that
port directly from Washington. This
was granted him on February % as
the records OF the department show.
-, passport was mailed TO my
office from Washington and reached
me the next morning, February O the
day Swoboda sailed said Mr.. Mohr.
who was Swoboda IS witness in apply
ing for he passport. That IL the ex-
PLANTATION of the whole business
Doing legitimate Business
"Swonoda had letters from Moifr-
son and from Maurice Ducios, a
broker on the Paris bourse with an
office In tho Rue R!cheleu. These he
presented to NJ. Faguet. general agent
of the French line. and secured
permission % take all his samples in
four trunks aboard La Touraine with
him excepting sample cans of-gas-
/ oline and other oils, These he left
! behind. Anu Mr.. Mohr led the way
to the next room and pointed out
what he said were the very cans OF
/ oil that Swoboda had been unable to
take with him.
! Mr.. Hooper said ne had known
Swoboda about three years. Il first
met him in Paris" said the Canadian.
who Is by profession an architect. His
( ia puSatan and his mot her s,