New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-06
u. S. SEXES Teuton
Mail Struggled In
On Danish Liner
Hundreds of Letters Deliv-
cred Here Tuesday by
Member Of Crew

An example OF how easily letters can
be struggled from Germany and Aus
tria-Hungary into this country is no"
engaging the attention of the Federal
authorities. AS a corollary, this exam
pie shows how equally easy it is TO
convey information from this country
to Germany and her allies.
The letters in question, said to con-
sist of several hundred, were taken to
the Office of the Transatlantic Trust
Company. once the unofficial fiscal
agent in this country Of a Teutonic
country. by a member of the crew OF
the Danish liner United States on Tues
day. Shortly after the mail arrived at
the Offices Of the trust company, 81
William Street, a man telephoned the
Office of United States Attorney Caffey,
who said he represented the company.
He told of the arrival of the struggled
letters.
Some Addressed 10 Spies
Some of these letters were addressed
TO the Transatlantic Trust Company
Others were addressed to Germans and
in this city and IN
other parts of the United States. Ac-
cording to a high Federal official, some
Of the letters were to be forwarded to
Germans who have been active IN leu
tonic propaganda. =,
None OF the letters were stamped. a
government official said that the send
crs assumed that stamps would be al
fixed here and the letters dropped IN a
mail box i'm this city. and that the whole
batch would be delivered as innocent
domestic mail by United States letter
carriers.
"This incident emphasizes the need
not only OF censoring all foreign mail,
but q censorship on domestic mail ad-
dressed TO Germans who are known TO
have been active in propaganda work,
said a Federal official. Likewise, 1t
embassies the need OF keeping a sharp
watch on all ships arriving in this
country from European ports. Not only
has mail been Struggled in on Scandl-
navian liners, but on Spanish and Dutcn
liners There arc now awaiting trial
four men for smuggling mail from TINS
country to Germany by way OF sweden
Three Danish Sailors Held
Acting on information received from
tho trust company and from other
sources the Secret Service men visited
the Danish liner on Wednesday and
took three members of the crew TO
United States Attorney Cafey's Office,
where they were Intercepted Tor sew
Cral hours.
Information as TO what was learned
from the sailors or what disposition
was made of them was refused yester-
day. The belief is that they are still
icing detained" and that an arralgn-
ment of one or more prisoners before
3 United States Commissioner may be
expected within a day or two.
From a government official 1t was
learned that the Secret Service has
known for nearly two years that
letters were being struggled from
Germany and Austrla-Hunagry TO
three banking houses in this city with
German affiliations and to an official OF
the German Chamber OF Commerce,
with offices in the Hamburg American
Line Building.
Trust Company Head Silent
julius Printer, president of the
Transatlantic Trust Company, refused
60 discuss the case yesterday. He was
on at least one occasion a witness be-
fore the Federal Grand Jury which was
investigating the activities of German
plotters. It was Mr.. Printers com
pany which acted as the American
agent of the two U-boat liners, tho
Bremen and the Deutschland.