The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-07-08
SEIZE GERMAN
GIVING MAIL TO
STEWARD
Federal Officials Detain
Berg Won Linde and Eric
LindstrOm, Steward.
21 LETTERS IN PARCEL
Purely Business Correspond
ence, Says Suspect in Won
Papen's Old Office
21 LETTERS IN PARCEL

A liner was on the point of sailing
yesterday for a foreign port when Fed
eral officials, assisted by Police Lieu
tenant Busby Of the local bomb squad,
all Of whom were acting under instruc-
tions that had Just been received from
Washington, walked on the pier and per-
suaded Berg Won Linde, who described
himself as an importer and exporter OF
chemicals at so Wall street, and Eric
Lindstrom. a steward on the liner, TO ac-
company the officials to the Federal
Building in Brooklyn for an examination
regarding the alleged efforts OF Won
Iinde to have the steward take mailable
matter abroad which had not passed
through the proper postal channels.
Thereafter Won Linde and Steward
Iindstrom were subjected to an exam
nation at the hands of United States
Marshal Power, Assistant United states
Attorney Beer of Brooklyn and Lieut..
Busby. This examination was continued
for four hours in the Brooklyn Federal
Building and last night was resumed at
Won Lindes Office at so Wall street. The
Wall street address Is the one from
which Franz Won Papen and, after Won
Papen's departure, Kari Heynen, Who
was arrested and interned last Friday
here, conducted German propaganda to
which the Government objected. Among
the passengers aboard the liner which
sailed without Steward Lindstrom was
Heinrich Schafrhausen. who was re-
Gently deposed as an attache OF the
Swiss legation at Washington.
4 Won Linde watched.
Marshal Power, Mr.. Beer and Police
Lieut., Busby. following out their orders
from Washington, stationed themselves
at the pier yesterday some time before
| the hour scheduled for the departure OF
the liner. To the pier came Won Lnde.
whereupon the watchers saw Won Linde
walk up to various members Of the crew
of the liner and converse with the
sailors. Won Linde finally approached
the steward, Lndstrom, and the TWO
! mon talked together several minutes.
Then Won LAnde, the watchers say
handed a package and some money to
| the steward. Marshal Power, Mr. Beer
! and Lieut. Busby decided It was time
! then also for them to take part IN the
conference with the result that Won
| Iinde and Lndstrom were detained and
induced 10 20 TO the Federal Building.
Won Linde freely confessed, Federal
| authorities say, that the package con-
| tained "twenty-one letters. all OF purely
| business character" destined for COM
nercial agents at Gothenburg. Sweden
and other cities in the Scandinavian
reninsula. He had arrived here, Won
| Linde continued. two weeks ago on the
same liner that sailed yesterday, and or
that trip from Europe to this country
added Won Linde, he had brought severa
letters that never had gone through the
mails.
Feared Mail Holdup.
He had brought the letters over per
sonally, he said, because to send tht
letters through the regular postal chan
nels would mean that the British censor
officials would hold up the letters for
month or a month and half, which
would be detrimental to his business
Won Linde insisted that the letters whicf
lie brought here two weeks ago had beer
passed by the British authorities a
Halifax.
| Assistant United States Attorney Beei
and Lieut.. Busby took Won Linde ant
TJndstrom by automobile to Won Linde's
wall street office last night, where Al
hour was spent going over various pa
pers in the office.
| with tho exception OF the examination
CT Won Linde and Lindstrom, who wer'
| not arrested but merely 'detalneu Iol
examination. there were no signs OF fur
ther activity on the part Of local Fedora
officials or departmental heads at Wash
inKton so far as Manhattan and vicin
ity were concerned in the matter OF th'
expected general roundup OF Teutoni'
agents hereabout
Special agents OF the Department o
Justice here who had detained New
ark suspect In Capt. Ofiey's office unit
a late hour Friday night admitted yes
terday that a long examination had un
covered nothing OF a suspicious natur
against the suspect. who was released.
The status of certain citizens of Aus
tria-Hungary who are being watched b!
local Federal agents is giving the offi
cials some concern. 1t Is believed tina
of late much spy work and other pro
German activities here have been takei
over by Austro-Hungarian agents. Blu
as this country has not declared wa
against tho Dual Monarchy the Fedora
officials have no way of interfering will
Austro- -Hungarians unless such foreign
ers are detected In the commission of I
criminal act Not being "alien enemies
they cannot be picked up on mere sus
picion, as in the case OF suspected Ger