New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-10
u. S. Decides Won Wedel,
Seized by British, Went
Down on Cruiser.
GAVE PURSUERS SLIP
AT QUARANTINE HERE
Late James Creelman. Fellow
Noyager, Tried to Save Him
from English Officers.

Hans Adam Won Wedel. q nsturalized
American. one OF the most important
LINKS in the governments chain Of evi-
Gence against the procurers Of frsudu-
lent American passports in this coun-
try. has been given up as dead by the
Department OF Justice.
1t is practically conceded that he per
i'hed on the British converted cruiser
iicknor, which struck a mine on her
Way from the Orkney islands TO Liver
pool, whittier she was conveying Won
Wodel prisoner OF war.
He fed from this country January .,
1915, on the Norpegisn-American liner
Bergensfjord under the assumed name
o, Roberto (. Spiro, and, aided By q
Mexican passport, escaped detection
when the vessel was held up and
searched at Quarantine By Secret Ser
vice men a few hours after she left her
berth in Brooklyn on her way TO Ber-
gen, Norway.
Lost When Cruiser Sank.
For more than 8 year the Depart
mcut of Justice has been trying TO get
information from London about Won
Wedel, but without success. All efforts
10 find out from the British govern
mcnt whether he Is dead or alive have
been futile, and il is now the belief Of
officials here that he persisted on the
Vicknor, which left no survivors TO tell
Of the disaster. Wreckage only sup
piled the British with information that
she had struck a mine on her way down
the Scotch coast 10 Liverpool.
The story Of Won Wedel and the mass
OF information accumulated about him
by the government has been carefully
guarded.
But now. with his death practical
certainty, the details Of his fight from
this country, his seclusion and nervous
breakdown on the journey Of the Ber-
gensfjord, and his dramatic end dsy
after his capture have become known.
Won Wedel, who was thirty-seven
when he left this country on the Ber-
gensfjord, came 20 New York from
Germany fifteen years ago. He was
known as the baron" and was en-
ployed as a reporter on a German
newspaper. He vas assigned to the
work Of dramatic criticism, and wrote
society notes as we'll. He had access
TO practically all the German clubs and
societies in this city, and because Of
his connections was readily accepted
for propaganda work By the imperial
German government.
Wanted in Passport Frauds.
Won Wedel was regarded By the De-
partment OF Justice as the predecessor
OF Ruroede in fraudulent passport work
in this city. and Secret Service men
were put upon his trail in December,
1914. II is said that he and his sssoci-
stes were able 20 supply any sort Of
passport for Germans who wished 20
get back 10 Germany. He was watched
for several months. but no particular
notice was taken Of him or his work
until ne began 20 traffic in American
passports.
As soon as the officials sought him
Won Wedel fed 20 Cuba. He returned
suddenly TO New York. however, on
January /, 1915, and sailed on the
Bergensfjord on the following day.
lie escaped detection By the govern
ment searchers 81 the pier and few
hours later blufed them during sec
ondary search a. Quarantine, showing
his Mexican passport and maintaining
yigorously that he was Roberto Spiro,
q citizen OF Mexico.
He booked in the second cabin, and
by chance was assigned 10 room oc-
cupied by another German, who had
passed muster, and for the first three
days az sea kept TO himself.
Won Creelman's Friendship.
The late James Creelmsn, broken in
health. was q passenger on the Ber-
gensfjord a. that time, and Won Nedel
worked up friendship with him that
caused the correspondent 10 intercede
foi him with British naval officers who
sought his arrest of the Scotch coast.
Won Wedel became almost nervous
wreck on the third day out, when Cap
tam lrCens refused 20 tell tne pAssen-
gers the position OF his ship. The
skipper from the very start OF the
voyage refused 10 post his latitude,
explaining that the line mad ordered
him 10 take a special course.
On the morning of the third day Won
Wedel observed that the Bergensfjord R
was steaming within sight Of land and
punching her way through thick ice
fields. He knew this was not her regu-
lar course and in his dilemma confided
20 his room mate that the vessel was
heading in for Newfoundland. The
wireless towers az Cape Race were
plainly visible and the fugitive was
that the British authorities .
hr u,ireless had ordered the vessel into |