Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-01-08
EVIDENCE
 VILLA GOT
 MUNITIONS
Alleged $38O,000 Worth Shipped From U. S.. In 1915 to Bandit Leader.

Washington, Jan. 7.-Documentary evidence intended to show that $780, s00 worth of munitions, shipped in l9lo to agents of Francisco Villa, the Mexican bandit leader were paid for by F. A. Sommerfeld. now interned as an enemy alien, was presented today to the Senate committee investigating German propaganda, by Major E. Lowry Humes, who is conducting the inquiry.
 The munitions were bought from the Western Cartridge Company at AL ton, Ills. according to the evidence, and were paid for through the Missis- sippi Valley Trust Company, of St. Louis, from funds transferred from the Guaranty Trust Company, of New York City. The first shipments were sent to Louis Goxiola, of Fl Paso, Texas, who, it was alleged, dealt with the bandits brother, Hipilito Villa, but later the shipments were consign- ed direct to the latter, according to the evidence.
 Major Humes told the committee he had been unable to trace the source of the funds which the Guaranty Trust Company sent to the St. Louis Bank, Sommerfeld, he said. lived in a hotel in New York City, and transacted his business with the St. Louis Bank largely by mail and telegraph. Major Humes introduced documents show. ing payments to the Cartridge Con- pany and also letters from the Guar anty Trust Company, to the St. Louis Bank directing that sums be credited in the latter bank to Commercials ac. count
 Today's testimony dealt also with loans to the German government, through New York financial houses, some of which dealt with banks in Germany Captain George B. Lester, of the military intelligence bureau, produced evidence showing that the total German loans negotiated from early in 1915. when Dr. Albert began his propaganda work, up almost to the time the United States entered the war, amounted to $34 O50,CO0. This was offset in losses amounting to approximately $33,777,00, covering cargOes on ships sunk or captured by the British.
 More than $15000,000 of the loans were made on erman Treasury notes and remittances from the Reichsbank. but two of the loans were on, ship ments of cotton According to the de- ponents, the Chase National Bank loaned $3,OO0,O00, with cotton as se- curity, and the Southern Products Company, was a party to the loan.
 Another loan, it was said was in the form of a credit for $1,80O,0O0 from the Equitable Trust Company of New York, to finance cotton shipments with two German banks and lidemann and Company, of Fort Worth, Texas, as parties to the loan. The ship carrying the cotton was seized by the British and the cargo sold, the proceeds being transmitted back to the United States.
 The committee today also heard Gaston B. Means, of Concord, N. C., who at one time was employed by Captain Boy Ed, former German Naval attache here.
 Means denied any disloyalty to the United States. He said he left Boy- Eds employ in the fall of 1916, and that whenever he heard any reports Of German activities, detrimental to the United States, he reported them to the proper authorities.
 At the request of Means, the com mittee went into executive session to hear his testimony concerning the To- cation of some papers of Boy-Ed. which, he said, the government might desire. After two hour executive ses- sion. Chairman Overman announced that the committee had concluded that the papers were not important to the presen investigation.