New-York tribune., 1918-10-26
Teuton Agent Kept
On the Payroll of
Bridgeport Plant
Liberty Ordnance Co. Car
ried On Salary of
Carl Heynen

When the Liberty Ordnance Com
uany, Of Bridgeport. took over the fac
tory of the Bridgeport Projectile Com
pany it continued it's payments of
money to Carl Heynen, German propa-
gandist and German paymaster, due
him in consequence Of Ills connection
with the older corporation. The Lib
erty Ordnance Company is the concern
Of which Homer S. Cummings, acting
chairman of the Democratic National
Committee, is counsel and director.
This became known yesterday. when
one thoroughly familiar with the Ger
man interest in the Bridgeport Pro
jectile Company explained a check
transaction Of which Archibald Mcneil,
jr., vice-president of the company,
now secretary Of the Liberty Ordnance
Company, says he knows nothing.
There were two Of these checks,
representing salary which was due
Heynen, though he had long before
dropped out of sight so far as Bridge
port was concerned
1t also developed that it was not for
several months after the United States
declared war on Germany. whose funds
paid for the erection of the company's
plant. that any pretence was made OF
transferring the title. which George W.
Hoadley purported to have acquired
from the Germans, to the Liberty Ord
nance Company, which Mr.. Cummings
helped organize.
McNeils Played Part
The trading with the enemy act
providing for the appointment of
custodian of alien enemy property be-
came law on October 6, 1917. Three
days later the Liberty Ordnance Com
pany was organized by Archibald Nc
Neil. in. and Kenneth w. Mcneil, sons
Of Archibald Mcneil, the Democratic
leader of Connecticut, and confidential
employees of Mcneil companies. In
this, NJ. Cummings assisted, accord
ing to Carl Foster, general counsel for
the McNeils, who also assisted in the
organization of the original corpora
ton. the Bridgeport Projectile Com
nany.
subsequently, with the assistance Of
Mr.. Cummings as its counsel, the Lib
orty Ordnance Company obtained an
award Of 100000 year for the use
of the plant which was formerly owned
by the Bridgeport Projectilc Company
and which the government, it is eX-
/ pected, will try to prove is still the
property Of that corporation. This
award did not meet with the cxpccta-
! tions of the claimants TO the property
and it is still in dispute.
Factors Not Taken
As has been told in The Tribune
the initial cost Of the factories Of the
Bridgeport Proiectile Company to the
Imperial German Government was in
the vicinity of s2.700,0O0. Mr.. Pslmer's
agents have not yet seized these.
Mr.. Palmer's agents found that, in
taking over the physical property Of
the Bridgeport Projectile Company, the
Liberty Ordnance Company had asc
token over an Indebtedness, part oil
which was represented by the payments
to Heynen. whose $4,000 year con
tract as treasurer has some months
to run. There was also debt of from
S250,000 to $350.000 which is now be
ing audited by the alien enemy prop
crty custodian's experts.
A representa- of Frank P. Garvan
whose efforts were responsible for tho
nncovering of the real situation il
Bridgeport. said yesterday that il
would be some time before actual pro
ccedings looking toward the recovery
of the factory of the Bridgeport Pro
Jectile Company could be had ],
would be first. he said. necessary fo,
the government to appoint a board Of
directors. Under" whose authority sui
can be brought.