New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-18
Consults Prominent Law
yers in Framing Reply to
Propaganda Charges.
EXPOSE DOCUMENTS
STOLEN FROM ALBERT
Leak In Embassy Under Inquiry
Hint Count Blames Official
Press Agent for Criticism.

Count Won Berrstorff, the German
Ambassador, was in conference with
several prominent attorneys yesterday
with n view to drafting a document, for
presentation TO the State Department,
which will attempt to refute the
charges made by THE New York
World" against officials Of the German
Embassy. Count Won Bernstorf, it was
saidAw will personally go to Washington
to lay his reply before administration
off Gals.
II was asserted yesterday that the
letters and other documents said to be
in the possession of 1.-THE World" were
stolen several weeks ago from DR..
Heinrich Albert. chief financial agent
of the German government In this
country, while he was riding on a
Sixth Avenue elevated train. He dis
covered his loss when he arrived at
his destination and frantic efforts
were made by private detectives to re-
cover the papers. :.
During the investigation it was dis
covered that there had been leaks in
on, of the Offices connected with the
German Embassy. Valuable informa-
ton is understood to have been given
cut. and documents also are said to
be missing. An investigation is now
being made to discover who was re-
sponsible.
Won Bernstorff Calm.
Count Won Bernstorff was an early
riser yesterday He appeared in the
lobby Of the Ritz -Carlton shortly after
2 o'clock, dapper and cool in a Palm
Beach suit. white canvas shoes and
soft collar. His appearance was that
of man at peace with all the world.
and the affairs of state" did not seem
to have deprived him of any slumber.
He crossed the lobby TO the news
stand. skinned the headlines of the
morning papers, selected two and went
to the breakfast room.
He was soon joined by .r. Heinrich
Albert. the tall, Scared German imam
cial agent, who is said to think in
logarithms and handle millions Of Ger
man gold After breakfast neither he
nor Count Won Bernstorff consented to
speak for publication, as they entered
the elevator TO be whisked TO the Am
bassador's apartments on the ninth
floor
While a group of anxious newspaper
men guarded the approach to the Ritz
elevators TO intercept callers for, or
officials OF the German Embassy, those
who had appointments with the count
were ushered 10 his apartment by a
circuiteous route. By this strategem
the identity of those who called upon
the Ambassador yesterday did not be-
come a matter of public record.
Executive Session To-day.
While Count Won Bernstortf kept
close to his apartments all day yester-
day, his secretary, DR.. Friedrich Elder,
made frequent and fearless trips down
stairs TO see persistent newspapermen
and other callers. But the most that
DR.. Elder could be induced to utter was
a polite, regretful statement about his
inability to speak for publication.
When he went to Cedarhurst, l.. l.,
last night, he carried. it was said, a
verbal order to members OF the En-
bassy staff to report to their chief for
an executive session" this morning
Over the telephone Count Won Bern
storff emphatically denied to Tribune
reporter last night that he had given
out any statement. He said:
81 neither have given out state
ment. nor do | contemplate doing so.
There is no occasion for a statement
which. il necessary. should come from
Washington"
n. B. Claussen. director of the Ger
man Information Service and official
German press agent, could not be
reached yesterday. At hi Office it was
said that he had not come to town
Count Won Bernstorff. it was intimated
is holding Mr.. Claussen partly respon-
sible for the recent adverse criticism
of the activities of the German EN-
bassy and of methods used in spread
ing German propaganda.
Contrary to his usual practice,
George Sylvester Viereck, editor of
"The Fatherland." whom "The New
York World" charges with being in the
pay of the German government, had no
statement to make yesterday. This
restraint. it was said. was in compli-
ance with request from Ambassador
Won Bernsdorff.
At the local Office of the investiga-
ton bureau of the Department of JUS
tice it was said that special men from
Washington probably would be charged
with whatever investigation the de-
partment decided to make.