Putnam patriot., 1917-08-17
PROVED he WAS NOT
A GERMAN SPY
Man Who Aroused Suspicious of Town
Clerk Flagg and Wife Proves to
Have Been Old Athlete
rxperienced Much Difficulty in Establish.
ing Identity

Last week the PATRIOT printed an
exclusive story of the arrest of man
at sag Harbor whose suspicious ac-
tions attracted the attention of Town
Clerk David Flagg and Mrs. Flagg,
who were on a boat TO Sag Harbor,
Monday, Aug. 9Th, and who was ar
rested on suspicion of being German
spy
The man was an old athlete and
after some difficulty succeeded in
proving his identity. The sequal to
last weeks story we take from the
Sag Harbor express" of July 9th:
Old Athlete Mistaken for German Spy
&c. A. J.Queck- Berner, ex champion
hammer thrower of the world, and vet
eran member of the 18th Regiment n.
Y Militia, through a mistake, got off
the steamer Wyandotte Monday noon
when he should have remained on
board until the boat reached Green
port, where he was bound on business.
The famous OLD athlete ran into much
trouble in Sag Harbor.
Ii seems, from the stories that circu-
lated about town, that two "suspiei-
GUS ladies, who came over on the
Wyandotte on the same trip with Mr..
Queek Berner, saw him "sketching
plans and acting suspicious" and re-
ported the "factsn to the boat officers,
VINO kept a close watch on the suspect
ed man. Someone told the supposed
spy that he was arriving at Greenport
when the boat arrived at Sag Harbor
and he got off, being followed by diff
ferent people.
As his business was the looking up
of suitable tract of land, about 90
acres, close to W alter that had a depth
of % feet, he asked different people
where he could purchase chart of
local waters. The fact that he was in
terested in water fronts made his lis
teners all the more positive that he
was "spyn and it was not long be.
fore Chief of Police james Collins and
Deputy Sheriff Frank Jose had him
before Police Justice W IN. Z. Greene,
who is also a justice of the peace. Mr..
Queck- Berner answered all OF Justice
Greene's questions in Straightforward
manner and opened his satchels, ETC.,
upon request. Justice Greene found
nothing and requested that the prison
er be brought before Lieut.. j. Z. Jen-
nings, the commanding officer of the
governments torpedo-testing station,
for further examination. Lieut.. Jen-
nings asked the prisoner different
questions, bat could not make proper
connections with his employers over
the telephone, and when an old copy
of the New York World Almanac was
found showing that MI. Queek- Berner
had broken two worlds records at
throwing the hammer in 1891 and as
he answered all questions in convinc-
ing manner, he was allowed TO go free.
This was shortly after o'clock.
Next, the suspected man started for
walk through the village, feeling
that his troubles were at an end, when
"otfieer" Austin Morris stopped him
aud he had to go to the trouble of
again proving, rs best he could, his
Americanism. Next he wrote two
letters, one to his wife, telling of his
experiences in Sag Harbor, and then
engaged a room for the night at the
American Hotel.
But his troubles did not end, for rs
II was not conclusively proven that
his business was as he had explained,
and as those in authority were afraid
that there might be a possibility that
he was spy, Deputy Sheriff Jose was
ordered to take Mr.. Queck. Berner to
The county Jail at Riverhead, where he
spent the night, though not locked in
cell. Tuesday morning he proved to
the satisfaction of Sheriff Anna Biggs
That his business was all right and
that he was in reality true friend of
ncle Sam, instead of an enemy; for
he has served thirty one years in the
lth Regiment as well as representing
America in France, England and Can
ada as weight thrower and member
OF the Scottish American Tug of War
Team during the period between 1876
and 1891 during which time he won
Inc Worlds championship and made
- new records.
Throughout the day he displayed
Inc patience of job, as only military
man could, and up to the time he was
taken out Of bed for ride to River
mead did not become angry. One
Could hardly blame him for getting q
little aggravated, but he was the gen.
tieman even then. However, in times
Of war there can be no such thing as
being too lcareful, and such things as
happened to This grand old man, will
happen, we suppose.
Mr. Queck- Berner resides at 27I Av-
ehue A, New York city, and is 50
years Of age, but he still has the won
oertni physique, which made him the
greatest weight thrower of his day.
/ a n Ina all