New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-02
Charlotte Says Question
of Marriage TOO Del
icate to Answer"
KATHERINE INDIGNANT
AT THE DISCOVERY
Alleged Spy Was Supposed To
Be Too Poor to Pay
Hotel Bills.

Raymond Ralph Swoboda, the re-
puted German spy, lived when he first
came to New York last January in the
Riverside Drive apartment Of Charlotte
and Katherine Poillon.
The sisters admitted this last night.
Neither would affirm nor deny that
Charlotte Poillon is the mysterious
Nine. Preischleo, an actress, with
whom Swoboda is described in cable
dispatches as having been friendly, and
who disappeared from Paris about the
time he left the French capital for
New York.
at is too delicate a matter to dis
cuss," said the sisters Poillon one after
the other. "Come tomorrow. We can
not talk tonight"
Swoboda's residence in the Poillon
apartment, and the fact that when on
February "a he had his photograph
taken for passport purposes by Brown
Brothers, of los Fulton Street, he took
the negative with him, were the two
interesting developments locally in his
case yesterday. He took the negative,
according to William Hooper, his
friend and business associate, that he
might have other prints made, and
gave him one.
Swoboda Kept Pictures.
Hooper has not yet received the
print, and at last accounts the mega
tive was in Swoboda's possession.
Hooper and William F. Mohr, Of II
Battery Place, who were associated
with Swoboda in his mercantile enter
prises, said yesterday that when the
latter first came to this city he lived
in lodging house up Riverside
Drive" Where, they did not know. The
reason for this, as they understood it,
was that he had no funds with which
to pay the charges Of such hotel as
the Manhattan, which he had desig-
mated as his stopping place, and where
he later resided at the expense OF
Hooper.
Another acquaintance, however, fur
nished an address and telephone num-
Der which Swoboda had given as being
the one to always reach hir. when
wanted. The address was the River
side Drive house where the Poillon
sister, now live under the names of
Poillon and Smith. There the hallboy
knew no one by the name of Swoboda.
He did. however, know Mrs. Smith.
Then he announced the reporter and
was told to have the latter use the
house phone.
The voice of he woman at the other
end of the wire was full of annoyance.
"Yes, know Mr.. Swoboda," it de-
clared, "but how did you know that
Who are you, anyway? Yes, he lived
here. But | cannot tell you anything
about him n W. It's too delicate.
Come tomorrow, any time after H."
"Who is this talking"
"Miss Poillon."
"The Miss Poillon I've seen often in
print?"
Charlotte Poillon Annoyed.
"Ye.. this is Charlotte. live here
with my sister. | cannot talk with
you about Mr.. Swoboda. III see you
tomorrow. It's too delicate matter"
"Are you the Nine. Preischleo men
toned in the cables?"
"Come tomorrow"
"Are you Mrs. Swoboda ?"
ut is too delicate a matter to talk
about See me after II o'clock to-
morrow"
Later the reporter called up the
telephone number Swoboda's acquaint
ance had given him. Again Charlotte
answered, but Immediately gave the in
st 'ument ov.r to voice that said:
"This is Katherine"
She, like Charlotte previously, was
most anxious to learn where Swoboda's
addrets had been obtained, and, like
Charlotte, refused to answer a:.y ques-
tions.
81 don't know how you got my pri-
vate telephone" she insisted. Any
Continued on page 4. column