Evening star., 1915-04-02
Friends Defend Him, But
Former Neighbors Suspect
Him as Spy.
CHEMISTS SAY SHIP BLAZE
STARTED IN TWO TRUNKS
Prisoner and an Austrian, Now IN
Prison. Discovered About French
Defensive Works.

PARIS. April Although the police
investigation of the history Oh ray
nond Swoboda. charged with being re
sponsible for the fire ABOARD tne
steamship La Touraine, has brousht
ont additional facts regarding MIN. ne
renaips something of mystery sew
eral OF his friends profess to consioer
he charges against him entirels ui
founded. while former neighbors oe-
.larr he long was under suspicion as
4 spy.
N Trescat stock broker, VINO
knew Swoboda well. says he can see no
possible motive for the act or "hicn
he is accused. After hostilities oesah
ard business was suspended OH 'ne
nourse. according to Trescat. Swooooa
sought some other occupation one u
the plans he considered was 10 go 70
the United States and OBTAIN sanhpies
Of military clothing equipment anu
tcols which the ministry OF war "ouiu
be likely to purchase. Trescat asserts
Swoboda finally decided upon this ven
rure. and visited many factories in the
Tnited States.
Photo Explained.
Friends of Swoboda explain the
,botosraph in which he appears IN .he
Uniform Of a German officer oy s'aeihs
that he spent two years AT heioeloe.e
TO perfect himself in German. ana 'ns
picture probably was taken whiie ne
was wearing his student aniao,M hic, M
Plans found in Swoboda's once, "H,Gn ~:
the police regarded as suspicious, his
friends say, probably were ieit .he.
by an uncle. who is an afchitecl a.
Vancouver and who recently Nisieeo
him in Paris.
NJ. Mommeja OF the Boulevard Hauss-
man. banker, who employed S"o
boda in 1912. declared to reporters, Oh
the other hand. that Swopooa .epEe.
.ented himself as Canadian, and saio
he did not know a word of German: put
some time later he overheard Swopoda
talking German fuently over the teie-
phone. When the banker caileo sne at
teution of his emp1oye to the conflicting
statments he had made Swoooda e1-
planned that he had studied at Heioei-
berg Moruneja became SUSPICIOUS
however, and discharged SwoDooa IN
1913.
Three days ago NJ. Mommeja heard
that his former employe had been seen
in Paris cafe in company with very
suspicious persons. He at once re-
swoboda Suspected.
According to statements made to
pewspaper reporters by residents of
the suburb of virof1ay, where Swoboda
lived at one time, the man had long
been REGARDED with suspicion. He was
v.ry intimate in the Austrian German
colony. and spent much of bis time
with an Austrian named Padouk. A
,.w days after the outbreak Of hostili-
,,.. Swoboda was diScovered at q late
hour one night close to where some
,nnortapt defense work was beln
c.rrted ont Upon being arrested ne
.~n,ained he was an American and
nIeaded Ignorance. Upon the pIoouS-
tion of satisfactory papers no
This incident, however. according 10
the recitals of the people OF Vitoay,
made a strong impression upon oWooLa 90
neighbors. and they decided 70 "atch LII. amn.
If man named Prusst shorty aIter
th. two men emerged and made tneif way
cautiously in the direction OF tne ioc1i
defense works. looking around meaI"nie 70
no .ee il they were being observed II
was known thaf frusst was o.
Some time later Swoboda. disguised ~
a mason was seen coming from tne 40
fenses The police were inIorlhea l =, .,in- '
weeks passed, and. finally, January 10
thew arrested Prusst and sent MN 70
concentration camp. By this time oWo-
boda had lett NlTOildy dho " - "
way to America
Trunk Fire, Chemists Say.
HAyRE, April Expert chemists
who are investigating the causes OF
the fre aboard the steamship La Tou-
raine now express the belief that II
was not the result of an explosion, but
originated in three large cases OF tex
tiles which were stored in the bag
gage hold
Examining Magistrate Barnaud VIII
examine all the passengers and mem
hers OF the crew he can reach ne
has requested the Paris police to ques-
tion several persons no" IN thal eii'
and search certain houses
RAYMOND Swoboda, who Is under ar
rest on a charge of being responsive
for the steamship FIRE. has not ye'
been transferred to this city. but u
expected to arrive tomorrow Tns
trunks and other property OF Swoboda
will be opened only in the presence o'
the prisoner.