New-York tribune., 1918-03-02
Count, Packers Son-in-
Law, Awaits Inquiry in
German Associations
Was Italian Reservist
He Was Suspected as Intimate
=
Of Luxburg and Caillaux
in South America

w -ASIlAN VI YIN, MarcN III ne De-
partmcnt of Labor to-day refused to
deport Count James Minotto, son-in-
law OF Louis Swift, Chicago packer, on
charges preferred by the Director of
Naval Intelligence. Because of sus-
picions aroused by his German birth
and associations, however, dismissal of
,he arrest warrant was postponed un-
I'll the Department of Justice decides
whether the count should be interned
as an enemy alien.
fendlng action by the Attorney Gen
eral, the count will remain at liberty
on $4,000 bail furnished by his father
law.
Mlnotto. who claims Italian citizen
ship and has taken out first papers for
American naturalization, was arrested
under authority Of the immigration
act OF 1917, the warrant alleging that
he was likely to become a public charge
at the time of his entry imto the United
states. Because ne was we'll supplied
win money, was a lava abiding citizen
as regards civil statutes and came to
the United States before thi, country
was belligerent the department. held
that the only basis for deportation
would be to prove an intention. TO v;o-
late the neutrality laws.
German Birth Inspires SUSPICION
None of the suspicious upon which
TINS proceeding rests" the decision
says. rs sufficiently supported by
pEoof TO sustain q warrant OF dcpor-
tation under the immigration law. In
i%S'huch, however, as suspicious have
been aroused, as the country would be
exposed to danger if those suspicious
were true, and as the alien a German
ny birth, has lived in Germany from
Urn 10 majority and never been for
many t naJufalized In any other coun-
try, prudence might dictate intern
ment as an alien enemy"
summarizing the evidence aooi,s+
Mlnotto, Assistant Secretary Post. who
rendered the decision, said that he was
intimate at the German Embassy in
England prior to the European war. ana
lett England for the United States in
August, 1914. under circumstances
raising suspicious that he did so as a
secret agent Of Germany. The count
l.aa ni peeh porn IN Berlin of an Italian
lacher and German mother, who was
a famous actress, and worked in Berlin
aor the Deutsche Bank which later
sent him to London. When the bank
was closed by the war he came to the
united States and obtained emplov-
ment in New York with a large bank
whlch WI sent him to South America
lhere he and his father who, the re-
port says, accompanied him, and who
IS also under suspicon." were osso-
Grated closely with German officials.
Intimate of Luxburg and CailIaux
The sons familiarity with Count
hl,uNburg,, the German Minister at
buenos Ayrcs, who sent the notorious
SINK without q trace" message to his
government, caused him to be sus-
pected as a German agent, and he as
soclated intimately with the formor
French Premier Caillaux, now under
arrest in Paris, charged with treason.
"icn the latter was in South America.
All tins time Minotto was represent
ing American financial interests. Ar
parehtly 1T was in this connection that
ne entertained Secretary McAdoo DIV
ing the lattcr's visit to Bucnos Avres
lie was alleged to have boasted that he
was able to get wireless messages in
and out of Germany Mt will.
When the United States entered the
war he offered his services to tho ;n-
tcllgence bureaus Of both the War ond
the Navy departments his led to tho
charges by naval officers.
Wh!le Mlnottos sympathics were
with Germany at the outbreak of the
war, the record shows that he respond
ed as an Italian reservist when Italv
became involved. On physical examin-
alton he was rejected.
"Whllc the record would make n
prlma facie case Of pro- German sym-
pathy prior to the entrance of Italv
INTO the war; the decision adds, at
disc!oses nothing indicative of a dis
position to subserve any pro- German
sympathy he may have had by v;olat-
ing our neutrality laws"