The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-11-16
BLACKMAIL OF
COUNTESS FAILS
..FE OF Won BERNsToRFF VIC.
TIM OF ATTEMPT BY GRAVES
LETTERS ARE EMBARRASSING
Question in Washington Now Is "Now
That They Have Got Him What
viii They Do With Him."
City Seldom. GO Thrilled.


Washington, Nov. 13.-The case of
DE-. Armgaard Karl Graves, the spy,
under band since Saturday charged
with attempting to black mail Count
ess Won Bernstorf, to-day brought
forth the question: Now they got him
what will they do with him. Wash
ington, has seldom been so thrilled,
Is anxiouGly awaiting Wednesdays
preliminary hearing. The revelation
OF some national secrets may be
made, particularly since 1t became
known that Count Won Bernstorff had
notified his government that the seal
of package directed to him had
been broken open and part of the
contents stolen.
Graves himself limited these letters
were of the highesS importance to
The German government and that
these letters he tried to sell Bern.
storff and were not the letters ad-
dressed to the Countess Won Bern.
storff.
The Countess will not be witness
Wednesday nor any member of the
embassy staff. Chief witnesses will be
Washington detectives and members
of justice department investigation
bureau who participated in the arrest
1t is limited that they saw enough
at the time of the arrest to prove the
charge Graves sought to blackmail
the Countess.
Accused by Envoy.
Washington, Nov. 13.-Armgaard
Karl Graves, professed former Ger
man and British spy, was arrested at
the home of Prince Won Hatzfeldt-
Trachenberg, in this city, charged with
attempting to blackmail Countess Won
BernstOrff, wife of the German ambas-
sadOr.
A. Bruce Bielaski, chief of the bu-
reau of investigation, stated that
Graves had attempted to obtain $1,000
from Prince from Hatzfeldt, counselor
of the German embassy, for the sur
Countess Won Bernstorff.
The letters, Mr.. Bielaski asserted
We're from q cousin of the countess in
Germany, and the fact that they con-
tained endearlng terms probably moved
Graves to believe they would en-
barrass her if made public.
Mr.. BielaSki said Graves came to
Washington several days ago and ap-
preached Prince Won Hatzfeldt, inform
Ing him that he was in possession OF
the letters and desired to know what
he could get for them.
Prince Won Hatzfeldt arranged with
Graves, Mr.. Bielaski stated, for the
delivery of the letters Friday night at
the home of the prince.
Graves did not appear, however, I'M
til Saturday morning. He brought the
letters with him, but the money for
them did not pass, as the prince
ushered Graves out of the house and
into the arms of the police.
Mr. Bielaski asserted that Graves OBJ
tanned the letters from one or more
PNATShS " hO SuluSSltu DuSt
the British censor.
Graves was taken from the police
authorities and delivered to the depart
ment of justice.
Graves was held for a preliminary
hearing next week, his bail being fixed
at $1,000, which was furnished by
professional bondsman.
Doctor Graves denied emphatically
that there Is any basis for a charge of
blackmail. He declared positively the
letters contain nothing rejecting In
any way upon the Countess Won Bern
storff, wife of the German ambassador.
Those addressed to her, he said, were
from woman well known in court
circles in Berlin. They were not In
code, but, according to Doctor Graces,
were so wOrded as to convey secret in.
formation of political nature to the
ambassador.