The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-13
Bernstorf Reports to German
Government Theft Of Con-
tents of Sealed Package
NOTHING TO CONCEAL
ASSERTS AMBASSADOR
Says He Has Been Blackmailed
All Over Country and
Wants to Make Example of
All Future Attempts

Washington, Nov. r2.-Count Won
Bernstorff notified he German gov
ernment today that q sealed package
delivered by the Berlin foreign ottlCa
to messenger en- October 2. and
addressed TO the German embassy
here had been broken open and part
of the contents stolen,
1t was learned today that Depart
ment OF Justice agents entered Inc
safe Of a local hotel yesterday and
secured documents which had been
deposited there by Armgaard Karl
Graves, selfstyled international spy,
who was arrested here yesterday on
the charge O. Attempting TO black
mail the Countess Bernstortf.
Keen interest IS manifested in the
case here OWING to the belief that
seasa tioHal facts bearing on the Sc
cret service methods OF both Great
britain and GefniINy are likely 10
be revealed n the preliminary hear
ing on the charges against Graves
next Wednesday
There are possibilities of revelation
conceIuirg the smuggling through tho
allied naval patrols and consorsh'Ps
Of important dispatches; how the
system OF communication by letters.
evaaing allied authorities. Is main
tanned, and whether there have been
previous instances Of the disappear
ance Of cour.ers and their envelopes
knowledge l. Disc:laimed-
The German embassy d!sclaimed to-
day any knowledge Of the mum Der or
contents OF any document from the
German foreign Office which came
into the possession OF Graves except
the FIVE letters given voluntarily by
Graves TO Prince Won Hat2fe!dt. cdun-
sellor Of the embassy
Whether among the papers he pos
sessed were documents OF value to
the allied governments IS not known.
All documents taken by the Depart
ment OF Justice authorities here. winch
include those addressed TO the Coun-
tess Won Bernstcrff. are said to be of
most innocent character.
The Ecr'.n government some time
ago informed Ambassador won Bern
stoifr OF tfe delivery on October 2 Of
an envelope beariug the seal of the
foreign office 20 a person unnamed.
and addressed to the embassy here.
was named or any intimat,on given
OF the contents of the envelope.
The embassy is ignorant also Of the
manner in which the papers were OBJ
tanned by Graves, whether from the
person TO whom they had originally
beer entrusted or from other parties
who secureG possession Of theln-on
board the Scandinavian liner Oscar
II. on which they arrived in this coHn-
try. The INDICTMENT of Graves merely
asserts that the THEFT of the letters
was committed in Hoboken, y. J.
Could Not Be Blac.ma,Ied.
I'VE have no further interest in the
matter. My only object IN having
asked the assistance OF the American
authorities was that nobody could
t.a ckmail us because we had moth,
IA, 10 conceal"
It was learned that after Graves
first approached Prince Won Hatzfeldt
with the letters iast Tuesday. surrend-
erinS Ave from Count won BernstorfT' s
son and daughter in Germany with
out asking compensation for them,
the Prince hurried to New York.
where the ambassador had gone just
before,
Graves. according to embassy Of
iic.aIs. informed the Prince that he
would make the letters public or de-
liver them to the White House unless
he were paid $4,000. He Is said to
have declared his honesty. represent
ing himself as the agent Of two other
persons who, II is alleged. he said
cAme to Washington from New York
with him. 1t Is said he declared the
real holders Of the letters were to re-
cstve $1,000 Of the money demanded
he to get only 5000.
Nothing to Hide"
After consulting Count Won Bern
storfr, Prince Won Hatzfeldt returned
to Washington and informed Franz
l. Polk. counsellor OF the State De
partment Mr.. Polk suggested tina
prosecution of the case probably woult
bring publicity to 1t. Count Won Bern
storfts answer was that he did no
care, as there was nothing to hide
He had been blackmailed all ovel
the country. and desired to make al
example of attempts In the future.
Counsellor Polk turned the cas-,
over to the Department of Justice
which planted an agent behind a dool
in the homo OF Prince Won Hatzfeldt
where he overheard the conversation
CONTINUED on Second PaEa.