New-York tribune., 1918-03-07
French Interpreter Accused
of Making Fortune in
Army Contracts
High Paris Officials
Declared Implicated
Papers Seized Here Being
Examined by State
Attorney

Attorney
Arrest by Fedora authorities at
Washington yesterday brought to
climax the spectacular career OF Frank
!. Goldsoll, former private in the avia
ton corps of the French army and
later interpreter to the French pur
chasing commission in this country.
The warrant on which the arrest was
made, sworn out by Counsellor Ber
ceron. Of the French Embassy, charges
Goldsoll with the larceny of between
sS.5Oo.o0o and s6,O0o,0o0 from the
French government in connection with
motor truck and automobile contracts
which Goldsoll was handling here for
the French army.
At the same time d raid was made,
under direction Of Deputy Attorney
General Alfred l.. Becker, on the Of
fees Of the Alliance Motors Corpora
ton, at West Fortieth Street, the ad
dress in this city from which Goldsoll
directed the negotiations in which he
Is alleged 10 have cleaned UP a fortune.
van and a taxicab were necessary
to transport the mass Of seized docu-
ments 20 the New York bureau of the
Attorney Generals Office, at 299 Broad
way.
Subp1nas Served
Mr. Becker also went armed with
subpnnas for the registered officers of
the poration-Abrahsm Goldberg,
president; Charles Etinger, vice-presi-
dert. and Louis J. Rossett, secretary.
These officials, however. were not found
at the threc-room suite the Alliance
corporation occupies, and the Deputy
Attorney General had to be content
with serving q stenographer and n
messenger boy.
Got6sut', meanwhile, was appearing
before United States Commissioner
Isaac T. Hit at Washington for pre-
liminary hearing. By consent of at
torneys on both sides, however, the
case was continued until March 20.
The accusations against this man"
said Deputy Attorney General Becker
yesterday, las they have come to us
through official channels, charge com
Ylcity with officials Of the French gov
e~rment"
Mr.. Becker declined to elaborate on
the details of this completely He ad-
mtted. however, that the trail leads
high into French official circles, and
lntlrnated that examination of the pa
pers seized is expected 10 throw much
light upon systems through which that
government has been extensively
muicted.
Plot Called Extensive
"Goldsoll operated on an elaborate
scale" he said. There was nothing of
the piker about him. It has been said
that he has made between $500, ,0O0
and Se,000,000 from the commissions he
got from automobile concerns here
Personally should say that Sc 0OO, ,0OC
was nearer TO the minimum He was
also Interested in Russian Alliance
Motors Company; and his brother
Lonis II. Goldsoll, went TO Russia some
ilne ago. presumably to manipulate
there just such a system as Frank j
has put into effect in the United States
The Russian revolution, however, put z
stop TO that"
Mr. Becker emphasized tho point
though, shat the Attorney General:
once is IN TO sense conducting a prose
cution Of Goldsou- II is merely investi
eating his case in q judicial spirit,
acting on direct request from th'
French authorities. Very quietly i
mas been going about this WORK for thu
last two months, taking the deposi
tons Of various people familiar Will
me French emissary's activities here
nese it has duly forwarded TO Paris
and it is OF the basis Of these findings
MI Becker said, that the presen
enarges have been launched, following
Indictment proceedings already takel
againat Goidsoll IN France
Liable to Army Service
Another phase OF the case that dis
,lnctly interests the authorities an
mas caused France to demand GoldsolP
extradltlon, concerns his liability t.
serYe IN -he French army.
Gofssoll first came to this country
following the outbreak Of var, wit
me artillery commission, headed b
sear Leclerc Sc Pulligny. That was il
September 1916. Prior to that. at tn
beginning Of hostilitics. he had be
come naturalzed French citizci
Eprn o. Russian parents in CLEVELAND
Vhio, Goldsoil had apcnt most Of hi
ne abroad He vas Interested in a
zee palace" IN Berlin, in u motto
NH8N 7'pDTatioN IN itdly, ana 10
fweiyc sears rad been head Of Il jc~
eiry house IN paris. where ne alao REP
resented Tecla, Of New York HI
financial interests and list Of ,nnuer
'.al friends in France we're consider
able before he formally took up cit
zenship there.
For fifteen months he ecrycd in IN
ffenca army. Then he iyas appointe
~ interpreter u the de Pulligny mil
A;oh. This post, il has been learne
was obtained through the good Office
"l Albert Thomas, al that time Mini.
ter of Munitions.
No word has been spoken againgt tn
honesty III 81. Thomas, even in Franc
#hffe goesip il always notoriouzl
b7zy but il was recalled here ye
@Fday that The Thomas ministry va
commonly referred n AZ thc "ambust
ihinistsy" meaning that any one VII
~as good &ocialigt, or in any wa
S'f@1na Rrata 70 the powers, could ca
" seegre immunity from army acryis
~ physical Yrouuds'
fsas broadway spenaer
H.F'az tis ztay mere he put 80
~ h1te! Vanderbilt, and IL s elaine
tt@l ne sDGna nj least n xnn 0ffn Alan