New-York tribune., 1918-04-22
Prisoner Tells Why He
Sought His Help in Ex-
tradition Battle
Appealed for Help
To High Officials
Godsol Declares Foes of
Clemenceau Seek Power
by His Conviction
[Stof Correspondence

WASHINGTON, April 21.-In the
brownstone district Jail. where Guiteau
expiated the murder of President Gar.
field, Frank j. Godsol, ex-American, ex.
soldier of France and the multi-mil
honaire vivant whom Broadway knows
as "Joe," is completing plans for the
legal battle in which he hopes to de-
feat the effort to extradite him to the
sister republic across the sea, anc
thereby avoid becoming the principa,
IN what his friends believe may easily
develop into another Dreyfus case.
His hearing is set for Thursday. BY
the end of the week decision may
be reached. But as the time ap.
proaches it becomes increasingly evi.
dent that there is vastly more too the
case than simple effort to have re-
turned torParis for punishment mar
who is alleged to have mulcted France
of about s5,o00000 through deception
relative to commissions on contracts
for the sale Of army motor trucks.
Bryan Interested in Prisoner
William J. Bryan is or has been in
terested in the fate of Godsol, who
in the twenty years since he was
twenty-four. has made more than S1O,-
100000. The former Secretary of State
has visited the State Department more
than once in connection with the case,
not as an attorney but apparently as
friendly adviser of the formed French
soldier, for he refused a check for 81
600 offered him by Godsol as an hon
orarium.
Interviews with Secretary Lansing
have been sought. Appeals to be i'm
partial and to look under the surface
of things have been made to the At
torney General of New York State by
Senators, even judges of high courts,
who have been friends of Godsol for
years and are fearful of his fate.
Godsol himself is apprehensive. He
frankly admitted to-day that he had
interested Mr.. Bryan in his case.
"Why shouldn't II" he demanded.
II would ask President Wilson to help
me if 1 thought it would do me any
good"
Says He Is Political Pawn
And he told why. He said there was
every indication that few French
politicians, here and in Paris, had
seized upon his supposed connection
with M. Thomas. former Socialist Min
ister of Munitions. and the fact that
he drew commissions on army motor
trucks as vehicles to ride them into
newspapers Of London, Paris. Rome
and other cities in Europe and Amer
ica to support his declaration that a
deliberate press campaign was launched
last November as preliminary move
of the political game. in which he in
sists he is only pawn to be sacri-
feed ruthlessly by the foes of M.
Thomas to gain their own ends.
These clippings contained statements
such as that Godsol had been arrested
thirteen times in New York, an asser-
ton since dsproved; that he had mur-
dered his wife, whereas he says he was
married for the first time last Decem-
ber in Newark, N. j., and that his con-
tracts with motor manufacturers in
America were illegal.
Answering the latter, he produced
documents to show that France is now
buying motor tBucks through his agen-
cy in Paris, although aware that he is
receiving commissions, and that the
army is atill using his repair shops, as
it always did, despite the charges pend
ing here and in Paris.
Was Exonerated of Charges
The clippings also included reports
of debates in the Paris Chamber of
Deputies, attacks upon M. Thomas as
his sponsor and upon members of the
present Clemenceau government and
editorials devoted to "L'Affaire Godsol, /"
one of which-in "L'Eveil" for Decem-
Der 14-concluded with the statement
that GAS fast as the government clears
Godsol, Tardieu (thc present High
Commissioner Of France in the United
States) accuses him."
"Facing a situation like that" COM
mcntcd Godsol, "you could hardly
blame man for not wanting to go to
France. whether guilty or innocent.
only saw M. Thomas twice in my life"
Then he produced further clippings
and documents to show that he had
gone to France from New York in No
vember, 1915, when Lieutenant Nit.
tainc, a member of the French pur-
chasing mission in that city, first mads
the charge which finally resulted in
his arrest sixteen months later.
Ic underwent an investigation by 4
military tribunal at that time and was
cxoncrated. He also showed his pass
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