Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-29
GERMAN SETTLERS
Seeing Things"
They Are Excited by Reports of
American Spies Among
Them.
FEAR MILITARY MEASURES
Hear Soldiers Will Be Landed to
Attack Colonists in
Brazil.

RIO DE JANEIRO. July 2s.-rierman
Santa Catharina are seeing things"
Recently the newspaper inward
bote. Of Blumenau. caused excitement
among the colonists by issuing warn
ing against alleged American spies"
Tho warning was based on a report of
tho Brazilian paper. A Noite. stating
that an American naval officer. under
tn. assumed name of Connolly. was
travelling along the coast from Santos
TO Rio Grande to select suitable points
ct support for the American squadron
now cruising in Brazilian waters to
hunt for German sea raiders.
SELECTING LANDING
PLACES FOR SOLDIERS
Although this explanation was plain
enough. the Urwaldhote boldly claimed
that the American officer was selecting
landing places for United States troops
which would be sent against the Ger
man colonists TO drive them from Bra
lillian SOIL because the government in
Rio de Janeiro could not be induced
to make war on the German citizens
Of the republic.
few days later the paper threw
another scare into its readers by pub
fishing the following new warning:
The American emissary. Mr.. Con-
nelly. has been followed by another
spy who calls himself Or. Ernest Brecht
and claims to be travelling for an
American scientific institute. This al
legged GermanAmer,can shows sus-
picious Interest for ,he German colo
MES in the Southern Brazilian prov
inccs. In Joinvi,le and also here In
Blumenau n has repeatedly tried to
induce prominent citizens to make
reasonable utterances by proposing
secession and the raising OF the Ger
man flag to them. The man is a spy
and stoolpigeon. Beware Of him."
DR.. Brccht promptly demanded re-
traction OF this accusation. with the
result that the editor of the Urwald-
hote published the following state
ment:
"Dr. Ernest Brecht whom we charg-
ed with being an American spy and
stoolpigeon. called at our ONCE to
show us his passports and to demand
"A retraction. He confessed. however.
that he had made some "imprudent" ut
terances and tried to explain them by
stating that he acted from ignorance
OF the conditions and meant no harm.
The gentleman assured us very vo!u-
bly, that he has ONLY the most friendly
feeling for the German colonists. but
do not believe him.
EITHER HIGH TREASON
OR ATTEMPTED TRAP
ITO ask a Brazilian citizen whether
Il would not be better to break away
from the republic and to become "en-
tirely German" is either an attempt
TO instigate high treason. or Il trap.
DR.. Brech. Is n man Of education and
must have known what he did. We
have personally interviewed many Of
the citizens approached by him and as
certained that he always used the same
words. here as we'll as in Jonville.
That is strange. to say the least An
other strange fact is that the doctor
photographed hundreds of German
stores, factories and residences, while
he paid no attention to the Portuguese
business places and houses. In view OF
all we learned about the activities of
this alleged German American we can
not retract our charges against him.
nor even modify them. and we repeat
our warning"