Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-11-12
FORMER GERMAN
spy IS ARRESTED
FOR BLACKNA|L
Accused of Attempting to
Extort Sum of Money
From Wife of the German
Ambassador.

Washington. Nov. 11.--Dr. Armgaard
Karl Graves. author of book
called 1.-THE Confessions of a German
Spy" was arrested today at the resi-
dence of Prince Hatzfeldt, counsellor
of the German embassy and charged
with attempted blackmail. He is al
legged to have tried to extort $4,000 from
Countess Won Bernstorff. This sum
was asked in return for supposed en-
barrassing letters struggled from Ger
many aboard the Oscar ii and either
stolen or otherwise obtained by Graves
in New York ten days ago.
Graves appeared in Washington a
week ago, went to the embassy, off,
Gals there say, and put this proposition
to Prince hatfield. Hatzfeldt made
another engagement with him and COM
planned to United States District At
torney Laskey. Graves, it is alleged,
then returned to New York and made
two subsequent visits to Hatzfeldt.
The fourth visit was to have been made
last night. Hatzfeldt was at that time
to have given Graves $4,000 in return
for the letters. after he had been
shown they were embarrassing" to the
countess, who is the wife of the Ger
man ambassador to the United States.
Graves missed his train. He arrived
on an early train this morning and
went to Hatzfeldts residence. The lat
ter Immediately telephoned police head
quarters and detectives were sent to
his home. While the detectives. con-
cealed in the room. listened to the
conversation. Graves, it is said, pro-
duced the letters and Hatfield the
$4,000 in cash.
CONTENTS OF LETTERS.
The detectives saw the money and
the letters and arrested Graves. Inc
embarrassing" letters were from a
cousin of the countess in Germany,
containing terms of endearment, which
the embassy officials believe, led
Graves to think they were material for
blackmail.
After his arrest Graves was taken to
the office of Chief Bielaski of the JUS
tice department bureau of investiga-
ton and questioned by Bielaski for
four hours. He was then taken before
the United States commissioner.
Graves, whose book purported to re-
veal many secrets of the methods OF
the German secret service, is said once
to have been a member of that organ
ization.
AN AMAZING PRISONER.
The most amazing prisoner they
have had to deal with in years, JUS
tice department officials who ques-
toned Graves for four hours after his
arrest It the residence of Prince HAITI
feldt, found DR.. Graves completely fas-
cinating. Debonair, attractive and
strikingly attired, in a symphony of
brown, he colly admitted his desire
TO dispose of certain letters to the
embassy, while asserting he did not
involve the countess name in the ef-
fort Il am not a saint" he said, "but
would not injure a woman.
II came here to dispose of certain
letters. They had nothing to do with
the countess. If the German embassy
persists in its course-wel, it is fool
fish,
Graves, arrested shortly before noon,
underwent an examination by detec-
tiwes and secret service agents for four
hours, Chief Bielaski of the bureau of
Investigation, directing the investiga-
ton. Later he was taken for exam
ination before United States Commits
sioner Taylor, where he pleaded not
guilty.
STATEMENT WAS CORRECT.
my statement in my book was
correct" Graves said. MY name is
not Graves. was an agent of the
German office. l was arrested, as
stated in my book. in England, and
came to this country on my release.
Chief Bielaski said Graves obtained
the letters in question in Hoboken, n
j., gettin gthem--by theft or collu-
sion, from the agent who brought
them to this country aboard the oscar
II on its trip about Oct. 81. The let
ters, Bielaski said, were private letters
to the countess-some from a cousin
and one from a son. Graves came to
Washington 10 days ago when he got
the letters, Bielaski said. and saw
Prince Hatfield. He arranged fol
another conference. which was held.
At a fourth conference.-the last
night-Graves was to have produced
the letters, Bielaski said, and Prince
HATFIELD. the $4,000 demanded for
them. Graves missed his train. He
showed up at Prince Hatzfields home
this morning. Hatfield telephoneG
for the police. AS Graves emerged
from the house. Inspector Graft ant
Detectives Hughlett and Springmar
arrested him.
The detectives took Graves to head
quarters He was searched. About
the only things on him were money
and a pistol-a pistol in a pocket knife
case. four inches long, an inch high
in the shape of a pen knife, with two
blades and a .22 caliber bullet in.
closed by a plain steel case. In one
end was a hole in which could be seer
q bullet.
Graves, released on bond, showed
the police how to shoot 1t by pressing
q small spring in its side.
His arraignment finished, Graves
sent for a professional bondsman. DC.
casionaily pulling from his sleeve al
embroidered handkerchief he alter.
nately consulted with his bondsmen
talked to reporters and laughed with