The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-12-02
GERMAN EMBASSY TAKES
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
IN CONSPIRACY TRIAL

Hamburg American line. DR.. Buenz
took the witness stand late today in
the trial of himself and other line
officials and employees for conspiracy
TO defraud the United States.
DR.. Buenz, elderly and somewhat
intirm, was assisted to the witness
chair soon after William Rand, Jr.,
had concluded the opening address
to the jury on behalf of the defense.
Previously Federal Judge Howe had
heard protracted arguments upon a
motion by Mr. Rand 10 dismiss the
indictments. This motion was de-
MED and Dr. Buenz was the second
witness for his own cause, the first
being a local customs house employe,
who identified certain clearance pa
pers in the case.
agreement Was Sealed.
In the fall of 1913, DR.. Buenz tes-
titled, Inc received from the head of
flee of the line in Hamburg a letter
which notified him that his superior
Officers and the German government
had signed and sealed an agreement
Which would become operative in
time of war-of which there was not
then whisper-and that an abb
stract of this agreement would be
sent shortly to the German consul
general IN New York, where he might
see it, The letter then outlined the
salient points which We're, as recalled
by DIR. Buentz, about as follows:
That the Hampurg-Ameriean line
would undertake to send coal and
suppliIt to any German warsh3ps
needing them in the Atlantic ocean,
should Germany engage in war and
should there be such warships in the
Atlantic at that time.
That certain methods of COM
munication would be used by the
home office of the line in Hamburg
to advise the lines officials in New
ork where to send the supply
ships
In due time the abstract of this
ment came to the German consul gen
eral here, as promised, was eX-
amined by DIR. Buenz and found to be
as outlined in his letter. There the
matter rested until the 31st day of
July, 1914. On the morning of that
day, when the shadows of war rested
over Europe. DR.. Buenze received
cablegram from Hamburg which
read about as follows:
Are you prepared to carry out our
agreement with the German govern
ment?"
Said Would Help.
L,
;he wire, "I es.' And chen feeling
that German ships We're soon to be
swept by allied warships from the
sea, he set in motion the machinery
to provide neutral vessels to carry
his carsoes of coal and supplies to his
compatriots afioat in the south At
latic.
I'VE make no secret of this. We
mack no secret OF this fact that this
money came originally from the
German government. When it did
come it came in large chunks. With
Il few days we received three re-
mittances of 100000 each from Ger
many and those we deposited in New
York banks to the credit of the line
Nor do we make a secret of the fact
that the Hamburg American line act
ed as banker for Captain X. Boy-Ed.
lie is the German naval attache at
WASHINGTON and had to spend large
sums of money.
we knowing nothing whatever of
the S750.000 that came from Ger
many to Kulenkanpff, the German
exporter who testified that he receiv-
ed this sum and was told it was for
Captain Boy-Ed. But we do contend
that we committed no unlawful act
in thus seeking to supply German
ships at sea-
"The government charges us with
four lies. II charges that we lied in
giving orders to the shippers ofthe
supplies, that we lied in stating false
iy the destinations of the cargoes;
that We lied in stating incorrectly the
cargoes; and finally that we lied in
giving the Naluaio of the cargoes.
ut simn'y charges these things it has
not adduced one whit of evidence to
prove them.
DIR. BuenZ apparently had hardly
started to tell his story when the ad-
lournment hour was reached and the
+i11 to-