Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-23
Declares DR.. Dumba's Letter
Was Carried by Him AS a
Matter of Friendship and
without Secrecy.
IGNORANT OF CONTENTS
Letter Was Handed to Him at
Steamer in Plain Sight of Hun
dreds of People-Correspond.
ent Had Several Letters Of
Introduction. in German.

New York, Sept. oo-James b. J. Archi-
bald. the American correspondent, who
carried official papers for DR.. Constatin
T. Dumba- Hungarian ambassa-
dor. issued formal statement here to-
night in which he denied he had con.
nlved in any way to break the neutrality
laws Of the United States OF was an
official dispatch-bearer.
A request for DR.. Dumba's recall was
made by the United States after the am
bassadors letter was seized by British
authorities when Archibald was inter-
cepted at Falmouth. Archibald returned
here to-day on the steamship Rotter.
dam.
DIR. Dumba's letter." said Archibald,
was given to me most openly at the
steamers gang-plank just before SAIL
ing. Hundreds OF persons were about
and there was not the slightest sug-
gestion OF secrecy. OF its contents
had absolutely no knowledge. I sup
posed. Of course, that It simply referred
TO my work. I feel that the very open
manner in which the letter was given me
shows that DR.. Dumba had no intention
of using me or my passport as a shield
for tho transmission Of any improper
letters.
IT did not consciously break either the
spirit or the letter of my passport or Of
any law. but merely did what every
traveller crossing the ocean does by
carrying notes or small packages as an
accommodation to friends, just as I did
when I returned from Germany last
year, when I carried several letters and
official dispatches to our state depart
ment for Ambassador Gerard and pack.
ages for Mrs. Gerard and others. OF
course, in doing this for Ambassador
and Mrs Gerard I did It simply as
matter Of friendship. precisely as I car
ried the letters In this case
Archibald stated that before leaving
for belligerent territory ito do field
work with armies engaged in the war
he sought letters of Introduction and
recommendation. These letters. most OF
which were in German. he said. were de-
livered to him at his hotel in New York.
Feeling that there might be "anti-
American sentiment in German" Arch
ihald declared. land not knowing to
what extent that might Inconvenience
those travelling with me. I asked
Prince Hatzfeldt to prepare me an
open letter stating that was friend
ly to their cause"
According to Archibald he suggest.
ed. almost word for word the letter
Prince hatfield wrote. which, he
said. he intended to use only in the
event we We're subjected to any local
hostile demonstration" Archibald as
serted he did not know the contents
of the other letters. Ambassador
Dumbas letter. he said. was delivered
to him at the steamer by the ambas-
sador's secretary. while the packages
he carried for Count Won Bernstorff,
Won Papen, German military attache
at Washington. were delivered at his
hotel
Secret service men who interviewed
him aboard the Rotterdam at Quaran-
tine, according to Archibald. merely
asked II he had been presented with a
gold headed cane or had been asked
to deliver cane to anyone in Eu
rope before his departure. Upon his
assurance he said that he had not.
the officers asked no further ques-
lions
DUMBA SAILS THE 2sTH.
Pittsheld. Mass. Sept. 20.-At the
Austrian embassy in Lenox 1t was
stated DR.. Dumba had asked for res
ervations or he Rotterdam for the
2Sth. 1t is not certain he would sail
AS to safe conduct, 1t was asserted
that the fact Of asking for the reserva-