The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-05
T. s. DIPLOMAT BACK
FROM RUSSIAN CELL
Francis f. Mallctt Tells Of Ar
rest and Imprisonment
as TcutOn Spy.
SAVED BY GIRL HE AIDED

Francis T.. Mallett. the American Vice
Consul at Budapest. VIII warned the De-
partYnent OF state In March. 1914. that
war was impending between the Powers
Of Europe, arrived yesterday on the
Observation-Disclosures liner Frederik
VIII. after faving spent half a month
In n Russian prison on a charge Of being
an Austrian secret agent.
NJ. Mallett was arrested while in Rus
ola on admission for tbs Government Of
that country and Of Austria concerning
Q pfan looking to an exchange Of pris-
oners. lie was taken by the Third
Secehn, the all powerful Russian secret
police. He was spirited TO prison. un-
able to tel, his story either to the Gov
errunent or to the American Ainbassa-
dor. and only the fact hat his case was
learned Of by the daughter OF the Rus
sian General, Rurnel. whom he had be-
friended, brought about his release.
The duties OF the consulate In Buda-
pest include aking care Of the affairs
Of tho British, French Serbian. Monte
negrin and Isussiah offices. Mr.. Mallett
had been active among the military
prison cainJs OF Austria-Hungary. and
II was arranged between the Russian
and Austrian Governments that he should
visit the prison camps OF Russia with
the idea OF arranging n possible system
Of exchange. He arrived In IetruErad
on January I. 1915. according to the
Russian calendar. and went to the Hotel
do France. AZ 2 o'clock the next morn
ing elk soldiers. under two officers and
three men in civilian clothes. burst into
As room.
Rvshed 80 Prison.
They throw themselves upon me-" Mr..
Mallett said. "and ~overpowered me. Then
they ordered me to sit on the floor and
facs the stove without moving. When
they had searched my room and seized
my effects they took me TO the receiving
prison. where I stayed until some time
next day. Next / was taken to the head
QuarteN Of the police, where l was given
Q short and one sided hearing, after
which I was hustled to the Spalernaia
or prison for political offenders. ] was
CHARGED With being IN Austrian agent.
although I was In Russia on the Cars
business. found that l could not COM
nunioats with the Russian Government
- with the American Embassy.
fortunately for me. Miss Helian
Rumei. daughter of the Russian General,
whom I had helped when she was in
Hungary. learned through a roundabout
way Of my condition. She took the mat
Ter IN with friends at court and the
head Of the police was advised to re-
lAase me. Fifteen days after l had been
arrested I was released. All that time
I apent in a Russian cell, underground.
full OF vermin and filth. my papers and
money taken from me-"
Mr.. Maliett left Immediately for Scan
dinavia. He Is now in this country on
Diplomatic business n will SO to WASH
lngton early this week.
Two Others Imprisoned.
There was another passenger on the
Frederik VIII. who had tasted the
rigors Of Russian prison life in spite of
the fact that he is an American citizen.
This was John George Simon, an agent
for the Arm OF Rice & Hutchirs who
went to Russia on July Is for his firm,
On q previous trip last February he had
sold 5000, 900 pairs OF shoes for the Rus
sian army. lie had with him in Mos
COW another agent Of the company.
Frederick Keene OF Chicago. While
walking on the streets OF Moscow one
day the were stopped by a policeman.
who invited them to him 10
the station. where he said they were to
Be questioned.
thinking It was a matter Of our pass
ports We went" said Mr.. Simon, To
our surprise we were arrested as Ger
man spies and thrown into a dungeon
II was under ground, Shiny and alive
with vermin.
They refused to let US communicate
With the American Consul-General. John
H. ~Snodgrass. but finally ! managed tc
get word to him by the use OF money
And | want to pay a tribute TO Mr.
6nodgrass for the way he worked for
us. He was on the job inside OF Al
hou and he kept at It night and dan
for four days and a half. travelling bach
and forth between the Governor-Gencral
Of Moscow and our prison. Finally
through Secretary Lansing n Senator
Cabot Lodge Of Massachusetts,. we were
released. The Governor-General Of Mos.
COW apoloFized TO me In person and as
0ured me that he had not known of my
arrest until Mr.. S~nodgrass complained
4 t. was in prison eight days and
Keene nineteen days. We had been IL
prison three days before they even asked
" our names. We merely looked like
Germans to them. hat was ALL
Frank Holmes. head of a zinc oxid,
and white lead exporting firm In Bos,
con with a branch In Copenhagen. re-
turned from a business trip with the re,
port that Great Britain rs beginning ar
even stronger blockade OF contrhbsno
90 Sweden. In the case OF establLshcC
exporting firms like his. he said. tn,
customary exports are allowed to pas,
unquestioncd, but any new commodity
shipped arouses the most exacting scrut.
my.
Gustav F. o. Brock, the famous minia.
Sure and portrait painter Of Copenhagen
arrived on a years leave Of absence from
his Government to TAX some painting
commissions In this country.
The Frederik VIII. carried eixty-s.A
passengers In the first cabin, 1870 in thu
second and $50 in the storage.