The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-21

what svsry travSlsr crossine the ocean
doeA By carryinG notes OK small
packages ~ m accommodation to
friends just ~ did whom I return
ed from Germany last year, when ]
carried several lettsrs and omciAl dis
patches to our state Department from
Ambassador Gerard and packages for
Mrs. Gerard and others. OF course !
did II simply as a matter OF frtend-
ship, precisely as l carried the letters
In this case.
! regret this affair, not SO much on
my own account as on account OF the
lfar-reAching consequences to friends,
especially Or. Dumba.
JAMES ], ARCHIBALD.
| My counsel. Frank J. Hogan, OF
Washington, has called my attention
to an interview autographed from
Rotterdam via London The major
portion Of the interview Is quite cor
| rect. but the last paragraph has been
added to and manufactured out OF
whole cloth.
| the dispatch Gays:
II am the victim OF the cunning
method Of the Austrian and German
ofi1cials in making me the bearer OF
an discriminating document. and
quoted me as saying that l had been
| tricked into carrying this letter by
| these officials.
AS have never had any reason to
suspect any such thing and have never
for a moment harbored any such
! thought ! wish emphatically to deny
the use Of any expression Of that kind
/ I do not think that ! was the victim
| of any trickery. nor do I believe tnat
! any official OF either embassy act ID
| in any way except In the best OF faith.
Tells of Falmouth Trouble.
After this statement had heen passed
around the reporters were invited into
Mr. Archihalds office. He greeted
everybody cordially. Mr.. Hogan sat
near him and directed the interview.
| At the start someone asked the war
| correspondent TO tell just what hap
pened a. Falmouth when he was taken
from the steamer.
"At Falmouth" said Mr.. Archibald,
the military authorities boarded the
steamer and asked me and others II
we had any dispatches for Germany.
/ said did not They asked me II
had given anything TO the purser TO
keep for me. again answered no.
Then they asked me II had a safe
deposit box, and l said had. They
asked me for the key, and having got
it, they first searched my cabin and
then the box. I had hid nothing. The
Dumba letter and the others were put
in the safe deposit box for the reason
have given in my statement.
The four officers took the letters
ashore and came back in about two
hours They told me l was under ar
rest and that J would have to go
ashore with them. They were very po-
lite. and told me to take anything with
me | cared to- took a suitcase and
we were landed. was taken to the
police station in Falmouth. and spent
that night In a cell. Meanwhile the
Rotterdam had sailed. / wish to make
a point OF the fact that every courtesy
was extended to me by the authorities
Phoned Ambassador Page.
IT telephoned to Ambassador Page
In London the next morning and to
Consul General Skinner at Plymouth.
When was released. few hours later.
an officer apoiogixed for the error made
in placing me in a cell. He said that
an order had come for my release In
stantly.' and he commented on the word
instantly My journey to Ramsgate.
where the Rotterdam was being held
/ for me. was facilitated passed
| through London at in the morning,
and when I arrived at Ramsgate a
young naval reserve. who was MEM
Der of Parliament. took me out to the
ship in a fast launch. He also apollo
| gized for the inconvenience l had SUI
| fered Up to that time no one had
told me what the trouble was.
/ When / arrived at the Hague Am
bassador Van Dyke sent for He
/ said he had been advised to take UP
my passport and to issue a return.
1 This return passport was for a direct
return. 1t did not say ! must return
1 directly In other words. l could have
remained in Holland had l wanted to.
Naturally / wanted to return imme-
ately to straighten out this matter"
| Turning then to the matter Of the
/ Dumba letter, Mr. Archibald said that
1t was a secretary Of the ambassador
| who handed him the letter as he was
boarding the ship in Hoboken. He de-
! clared that II was sealed letter and
not an open letter, as has been re-
/ ported.
DID Not Know Contents.
II would not have carried 1t had
known Its contents" he added. Nat
urally would not do anything detri-
mental to my own country. Had
known it's contents, and had still been
willing to carry IT, l certainly would
have destroyed IL when ! saw the mill
| tary authorities coming aboard"
He said that on the night of the an
/ niversary of the birth OF Emperor
Franz Joseph he had dined with Count
Won Rernstorn and Others and that he