Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-01
AMERICAN IS ACCUSED
OF FIRING LA TOURA|NE
raymond Swob0da Under Arrest I'm
faris' Charged With Attempt
to Destroy Vessel.
EVIDENCE APPARENTLY STRONG
correspondence Found In His Rooms
indicates That He Had Been En-
trusted by Enemy" With Task OF
blowing Up French Ship.

fARlS. March 31.-Raymond Swo-
nou" on" OF the passengers aboard the
iehch line steamship La Touraine.
"h'ch was imperiled by fire at sea
on March 6, has been arrested. charged
with setting fire TO tho vessel, accord
ing 10 the Matin
o"oboda. the paper asserts is SUI
Hpectcd OF having close relations with
The enemy" and correspondence found
IN his rooms Is said to indicate he had
bceh charged with the task of blowing
up the Tourainc. lie has been taken
TO Havre
investigation by exports appointed
oy Admiral Charller. who Is conducting
the Inquiry into the steamship fire. has
eh'abiished. IT Is said, tEat the blaze
ABOARD the Touraine must have been
caused by the explosion Of some de-
tonating device. Statements made bv
passengers and members of the crew
support this theory. The explosion was
sufficiently violent to wrench loose the
doors OF cabins nearby. The authori-
ties believe the explosive had been
placed with criminal intent in Il trunk
stored with the baggage OF nrst-class
passengers In No. 9 hold.
Passengers examined by the States
attorney Mt Havre are said to have tcs-
titled that they had been amazed at n
statement made one night during the
voyage by fellow passenger when
they wore discussing German threats to
torpedo ships in the war zone This
passenger is quoted as having re-
marked:
oh. that isn't tho only war zone
that would be dangerous: Germany Ia
strong enough to do what she wants
This ship herself. even before che
reaches tho war zone. might be Obliged
to have recourse 10 the doctors and
nurses aboard to care for the passcn-
sers."
Only passing need was given this MS :
nertion, but In Wow OF subsequent
events II appeared to have considerable
Importance The passenger quoted as
bonsting OF Gcrmany's power was listed
on the ships records as Raymond
Swoboda, thirty-cight years old, an
American subject; profession. Anancier:
destination. Paris
Cornrnissary Dubert. attached TO the
secret service. undertook the task OF
tracing Swoboda He found III. man
was fairly well known In Paris finnn
c!al circles. and had been connected
with several more or less important
transactions. He was supposed 20 bc
n Russian. for he often spoke OF his
family connections nj petrograd ana
Moscow. He had served as foreign
representative for n broker named Nor
rison, who conducts one of the large
brokerage houses In Paris Non. of
Swoboda's business associates had seen
him after the arrival OF the Toura!ne
Mt iiavre. March s, but Dubert traced
him to hotel In the Avenue Klebcr
only TO find that he had left ten DAYS
before after brief stay. He regis
tered there rs Raymond Swoboda. an
American. and told the story of the
Touraine fire In the hotel drawing
room His manner. however. aroused
some suspicion. and the other guests
kept aloof from him
He was traced TO another hotel in
tho Place de Rivoli. where he was ar
rested. When his room was searched.
the police declare. number of letters
written In German were found which
seemed to point strongly to his guilt.
lie was turned over to the Navrc police
by the Paris authorities.
Mr.. Morrison, the broker. when told
OF Swohoda's arrest, expressed amaze
mcnt II had business relations with
Swoboda." he said. but he always was
perfectly honorable in his dealings
with me. | knew that ne formerly was
employed In large Paris bank and
] was not aston!shcd at his wide knowl-
edge OF finance. knew also that his
business brought him q large income"