New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-25
"Bribe" Offered
To the Leader of
Friends of Peace"
Check for $4,000 Tossed
on Desk Of Chicago Law
School Head
ESPECIAL CUTcspondsncel

CHICAGO, Sept. "a. j. TOBIAS
chancellor Of the Chicago Law School
and practical head Of "Thc Friends o.
Peace" was offered $4,000 last july
the purpose Of which was to procure
an embargo on munitions and freedom
OF the seas. The money also was used
20 influence sentiment in this country
in favor of peace with Germany.
This statement was made by Dr.
Tobias to-day. following the expose Of
the German peace plots in Washington.
The offer came from man VINO gave
the name Of +. j. Thyme, who claimed
10 be a banker from Stockholm, Swc-
den.
Not only was this big sum offered
but the $1,000 with which the big con-
vention Of the Friends Of Peace" Sep
tcmber g. 1915. was financed was raised
by twenty-five local Germans and Ger
man-Americans, according to Dr. To-
bins. and the thousands Of dollars
which supplied funds for the organlza-
tons enormous mail propaganda came
from German committee in New YORK.
IL was this cumulative evidence thaS
the money for the organization was
coming only from German sources
which finally induced DR.. Tobias to
{ withdraw from the movement.
81 was visited one day by g. F. Hum
mel, chairman OF the arrangement COM
uittee OF the Friends of Peace. and
!. New York GermanAmerlcan whos"
name I do not recall, but which Mr..
Vummel can doubtless furnish" said
DR.. Tobias. "They appointed me chair
man Of the committee Of yIce-preSi-
dents.
/ 81 then aided in the activity aimed
Mt the prevention of the shipment OF
munitions TO combatant nations ana
the establishment of the freedom OF
the seas The last phrase was my
own. Shortly after that, against my
objections, the Friends Of Peace held
a national convention Of 5000 delegates
on Sunday, September ), and Labor
i Day, September 8, 1915.
The Doctor Retires
"Mr. HummeI. Karl Eitel, Paul Mucl-
lsr. editor Of the 'Abendpost,' OF Chi
cago, and other leading Germans, who
had arranged TO finance the move
ment here out of private contribu-
tions, all opposed the meeting. 1t was
held contrary 10 our wishes. ne
funds were furnished by committee
from New York, which accompanied
John Brisben Walker to Chicago. The
movement then took on such sharp
pro- German tinge that, although | did
not resign, | retired from active par
ticipation in il.
"Mr Bryan and others made speeches
voicing the sentiment of the Americans
in the movement. ! began TO suspect
{ at that time there was an Interior mo-
tive behind the whole campaign, and
withdrew from il.
"The movement passed out Of my ex-
istence except as memory until the
middle Of July. 1917. when tall, blond
young man entered my Office and intro
duced himself as l.. j. Thyme, a friend
of AN alumnus Of the Chicago Law
School, who resided in Stockholm. He
E said that he had brother-in-law IN
Detroit. This statement aroused my
suspicious, as he had no letter from the
alumnus. He said he was banker IN
Stockholm; that he had made 100000
that year. lie had this sum with him
in two checks, he said, one for S3O,OOo
and another for $4,000. lie took out
the check for $4,000 and tossed it on
my desk
"WhaU can you DO with that" he
said. He saw that his remark puzzled
me, and added, i cant cash 1t. Maybe
you can do something with it,
II told him / could get a banker to
cash it for him. He put it back in his
pocket. but came again several times
and renewed the subject of the check
until began to understand that he in
tended to leave il with me. Then my
suspicious that il was German bride
became aroused at once.
ITO note the effect on him, | said:
IF you left Sweden under the circum-
stances you say, no doubt every move
ment you make in this country has
been watched by detectives He gave
me a quick look, took up the check, put
il in his pocket, made some excuse
about having an engagement and
walked out OF my Office.
Believes Check Was Bride
From that day | have not seen or
heard from him. 1t was my intention
TO make an appointment with him and
have the chief Of the Bureau Of lnvesti-
CATION for the government be present
unseen to hear what transpired. | now
believe the check was intended as q
bride TO be used for pro-German propa-
ganda."
Jasper T. Darling, head of the Ameri-
can Embargo Conference, which has its
Headquarters here, to-day sent Tele-
grams to President Wilson, Secretary
Lansing and Chairman Flood repudi-
ating connection with any German
propaganda.
Had known at the time | was head
OF the conference that il was connected
in any way with German propaganda in
this country I would have withdrawn
from it and denounced the connection
as now do" the telegram read in part
H..