New-York tribune., 1918-08-08
Evidence Against
Propaganda Chiefs
Sought in 6 Raids
Home and Offices of Ru-
dolph Pagenstecher and
Others Searched

New York Federal agents. acting un-
der instructions from Chief Charles F.
De Woody and armed with search war
rants, raided the Offices Of five indvid-
uals and corporations yesterday in an
effort to locate documentary evidence
against persons suspected of being the
directors Of German propaganda in
America.
Chief De Woodys agents visited the
office of Rudolph Pagenstecher, so
East Forty-second Street, and also his
home. 50 West Fortieth Street; the
office of William kaupe, 1T Madison
Avenue; the office of c. H. Unversagt,
405 Lexington Avenue; the office of
Issues and Events" 25 West Broad
way, and the offices of the Berkshire
knitting Mills, at 1 Madison Avenue.
Details regarding the books and rec
ords seized in the raids are withheld.
The scope of the inve stigation will be
broadened this week and more raids
are expected. Those on the suspect
lists arc being watched by De Woody's
men and any attempt by them to run
away will result in immediate drastic
action against the whole propaganda
ring.
Lent Publisher $4,000
Pagenstecher has been known to the
Federal authorities for some time. In
1915, while in Boston. he and Frederick
Stallforth, who now is interned, are
said to have attempted to get control of
"The Boston Journal" with the alleged
intention of using it for spreading the
German thought. He made loan of
$4,000 to Charles L. Ware, jr., the
owner. This debt later was repaid
1t was intimated last night that fu-
ture developments will show that
Count Won Bernstoff was anxious to
purchase paper in Boston about the
Evening Mail' for the German govern
ment. The negotiations for the pur-
chase of the Boston paper we're
dropped because Stallforth attracted
the attentions of the Federal authori-
ties because of his pro- German activi-
ties.
At the same time the Offices of the
Berkshire Knitting Mills were raided
IN New York the offices of the mills at
Reading, Penn, were searched by
agents from the Philadelphia Office OF
the Department of Justice. The Tex
tile Machine Works and the Narrow
Fabric Company, at Reading. also we're
searched and the books and files taken.
According to the authorities, Ferdinand
Thun and Harry X. Jansen, two Ger
man Americans, control the above men,
toned properties.
Bought German War Bonds
Thun is president of the Berkshire
concern, and prior TO the time Hugo
Schmidt was interned he was asso-
clated with him. it is alleged. Thun
carried an account in fhe Deu+sche
Bank and is said to have been heavy
depositor in the Deutsche Bank of Ber
lin. He subscribed 100000 marks to
the German war loans before we en-
tered the war, it is said.
Issues and Events" has had q
stormy career. Prior to our entrance
into the war it was operated as mo-
German weekly In 1917 some issues
OF the paper were barred from the
mails. It's editor and founder. Franz
Dorl, has been interned. A few weeks
ago the publication resumed under
the name of "Thc Liberal American !"
with Frederick Schraeder, former cor
respondent for George Sylvester Vie
reck's "Fatherland" in WASHINGTON "a
editor 90
After few issues the paper was
again denied the use of the mail. and
the raiders yesterday found only a few
copies of recent issues.
According to Federal authorities 3
some of the mon connected with the
concerns ralded yesterday are sus-
pccted of having control of the fund
left by Won Bernstein. This money. it
Is SAID, was turned over to Professor
X. c. Scheidt, of Lancaster. penn.
whose home was searched Yesterday
Similar raids were made throughout
pennsylvania. where persons were sus
pccted of having a knowledge of the
propaganda fund lived.