New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-02

with my plan, single handed. wa
never fearful for a minute. And that
is all. and now ] am here
The part Of the story Hudson liked
best. and told best, was what he said
befell him when he was in possession
Of the Matoppo three hours. This is
about how he told II minus the
dramatic gestures and postures:
There was considerable whistling OF
vessels sirens. II was not yet dawn.
In the distance | saw the lights OF a
steamer. II seemed to be coming tow
ard US. felt il was British cruiser.
Said | 10 Captain Bergner: Clear the
decks for action and ram that vessel
If she is British cruiser! But II
turned out TO be only freighter OF the
United Fruit Company, and so l let
her go
appeared TO Hudson. No one doubted
the story. for with all due allowances
for mis- embellishments, the fact stood
out that single-handed, after he had
finished the last of his bottle Of
whiskev. he had captured steamer
with a crew Of ffty-siX, disarmed the
officers OF the five revolvers they car
ried and kept them in perfect sub
lection 70. the better part OF day,
and then left the vessel with the aid
Of the crew, without any effort being
made TO harm him.
"Were you connected with any Ger
man societies here in New YORK! = Hud-
son was asked.
81 tried to get in with several, but
they would have nothing 70 do with
me-" was the reply.
Hudson then lit the fortieth or
fftieth cigarette and told again o.
meeting Captain Bergner OF the Ma
toppo. -,
him to throw up his hands" said hud-
son. There was cake on the table.
| asked him what that was for lie SAID
10 celebrate a British victory. Then
said: You damn , were gong
TO celebrate my German victory with
that cake And then we cut u and
ate il TO the German victory. They
were all frightened. Only the Chinese
cook saw the huge joke OF 1t. besides
myself. And he laughed all the time.
Investigate Pannonia Tale.
While there is much OF the romancer
about Hudson, the police are inclined
10 take his story of the attempt TO
capture the Pannonia seriously. Cap
tain Tunney sent out several or MS
men last night TO check up his story.
"On March IL" said Captain Tunney,
eve received a message from Chiet OF
Police Pelletier. of Salem, that Hudson
was dangerous man and might com
NIT any crime TO further the German
cause. Hudson was in Salem prior TO
that time, and was known there under
that name and also as c. Robinson. Be
l.. ~ ri q
when he came TO this city, he also used
the aliases +. Robertson and Adolph
Henry"
One part of Hudson's story that
could not be verified last night was his
story of the plot to capture the III
Sparto. None of the shipping registers
lists such a vessel.
Another part Of Hudson's story that
is not believed is that he remained for
nearly week in the lifeboat Of the
Matoppo. with nothing 70 sustain him
but a bottle of whiskey and four sand
witches. The police believe he was IN
the lifeboat little more than day-lf
that long as there was no need of his
secreting himself for a week.
Hudson arrived at Police Headquar-
tiers a little before & o'clock yesterday
morning. He smiled as moving picture
cameras clicked He posed and pulled
his thin blond mustache, and seemed
perfectly at ease. lie was closeted for
a time with Deputy Commissioner Scuil.
Welcomes Capture.
Captain Tunney went down 10 the
Office Of United States District Attorney
Marshall little before 3 o'clock, but
returned without seeing any one. A
little before 6 o'clock Mr.. Knox, in
charge Of the bomb-plot Investigations,
telephoned Captain Tunney that the
United States authorities were not IN
terested in Hudson. Then Captain
Tunnev decided 10 hold Hudson pris-
oner for the night in Police Head
quarters and arraign him in the Jeh-
erson Market Court to-day.
Hudson was more than willing that
the police hold him He would much
sooner be dealt with by the state or
Federal authorities than be turned
over 70 the British, who would, he feels
sure, hang him TO yardarm as com
mon garden variety Of pirate.
Hudson said he was in Cumberland
England. working as textile engl-
neer" when the war started. Ihen ne
went TO work in a submarine works, ne
said, and stole some plans, which ne
sent 10 the herman government ne
was arrested with a companion. who
was caught signalling to Zeppellns so
he says. His companion was shot and
he was deported And since then-so
he saws he has been q German spy on
his own initiative.
Two men who had listened 10 Hudson
tell his story were discussing later
what a textile engineer" might mean.
One Of them said: "A textile engineer
is one who has TO DO with the spinning