New Britain herald., 1918-01-07
PR0-GERMAN MADE
 TO KISS THE FLAG
New Haven Man Caught by Party
 Of Disguised Men

New Haven, Jan. "A party of men disguised with masks, soft hats pulled low and long overcoats, paid a visit late last night to the. handsome home, on Prospect Hill, of Maximilian von Hoegen, a young lawyer here and an American citizen, but who, since America declared war upon Germany, has been consistent and insultingly pro- German in his conduct and utter ances.
 The leader of the group, which numbered about a dozen, rang the doorbeIl and then brushed by Miss Polly von Hoegen. the young mans sister. "Is it true that you wrote across the face of your draft questionnaire Deutschland ueber alles?'' the lead CT demanded of von Hoegen when he found the lawyer sitting in his li- brary.
 "Yes, I did" replied the pro-Ger- man.
 And that you wrote you had the 1 doubtful honor of being an American 1 citizen, and that you had an over whelming desire to see Germany vic- l torious in this war?'''
 1 Won Hoegen admitted all the 1 charges. There was no denying them, 1 for the questionnaire had been for warled to. Washington with these 1 phrases written on it for official ac- l ton, and the story was well known in l this city. l >That was enough for the leader of l the visitors. He swung a blow to von
 Hoegen's face, and the young man
 struck the floor. Then the other mem l y-l,o s,,4~ | house. lifted von Hoegen to his feet 1 and carried him outside. There they
 pummelled him until both his eyes
 were blackened, his nose was broken 1 and his face was cut and bleeding. 1 Now say: God bless the United l States and Old Glory.'" he was or l dered. He did so.
 Say Uncle Sam is fine fellow,'" 1 He did this, too. revolver was held close to him as ] he went through his enforced patriotic
 performance. a@s1
 , Get down on your knees and kiss
 the fiag!" was the next command giv- l en to him. A silk flag was produced,
 and von Hoegen, weeping with pain
 and terror, pressed it to his lips.
 Now sing the Star Spangled Ban
 ner.. y he was ordered.
 | " HIIH pSIlnS StilI, tlLS pIO-ISIHloll
 endeavored to sing the anthem but | his voice was too weak, and with a
 few parting punches he was allowed l to depart, after he had been obliged to cry: America, first, last and all the time!"
 By this time a, considerable crowd
 had gathered, and when the police
 arrived. half hour later, there were
 still 100 men standing outside the
 house into which von Hoegen had fled.
 But none of the hazers were in this as-
 sem blaze.
 Won Hoegen's family reported the
 matter to Police Headquarters today
 and demanded a rigid investigation,
 hut several police officials smiled when
 they discussed the matter privately
 afterward and said the young lawyer
 had received exactly what he de- 1 served. Late last night von Hoegen ! was reported as still in bed, suffering
 from the results of the manhandling.
 Won Hoegen admitted recently he was on the payroll of Capt. von Pa , pen one of Bernstorff's chief spy di- , rectors, and that he did secret service 7 work for von Papen in the Remington f Arms plant. One day recently he ap- . peared in the Superior Court wearing t the German colors in his lapel, and I Judge Case made him discard them before stating his business t Upon receiving the questionnaire l 1 with the insulting lines written upon e it, Special Agent Woodell of the De- n partment of Justice forwarded the e document to Attorney General Greg a ory in Washington, but apparently = the Attorney General decided the mat
 ter was not seditious, although his of- I hat y won Hoegen is skating on thin ice. ''