El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-08
IntimateS Foe
Alien Paid For
Villa Munitions
Shipments From Alton, ILL.,,
Declared to Have Been
Sent to FL Paso.


Washington. d. c, Jan. s.-Maj- z.
l. Humes. conducting the senate COM
mittee inquiry into German propa-
ganda, Tuesday presented document
airy evidence intended 70 show that
$780, 600 worth Of munitions, shipped
in 1918 TO agents Of Francisco Villa.
were paid for by F. A. Summerfeld,
now informed as an enemy alien.
The munitions were bought from
western Cartridge company, at Alton.
Ill. according to the evidence. and
were paid for through the Mississippi
Valley Trust company. Of St Louis,
from funds transferred from the Guar
anty Trust company OF New YORK
City. The first shipments were sent
TO Louis Gaxioia, Of Fl Paso. Texas,
who, il was said. dealt with the ban
dts brother. Hipolito Villa, but later
the shipments were consigned direct
TO the latter, according TO the evi-
dence.
Funds Source Not Traced.
Mai Humes told the committee he
had been una-le 20 trace the source
Of the funds. which the Guaranty
Trust company sent 10 the St Louis
bank. Summerfeld. he said, lived IN a
hotel in New York City and transact
ed his business with the St Louis
bank largely by mail and telegraph.
Mai. Humes introduced documents.
showing payments to the cartridge
company, and also letters from the
Guaranty Trust company 20 the st.
Louis bank. directing that sums be
credited in the latter bank to Sumner
feds account.
Testimony dealt also with loans to
the German government through New
York financial houses. some OF which
dealt with banks in Germany. Capt.
George 3. Lester, OF the military in
telligence bureau, produced evidence
showing that the total German loans
negotiated from early IN 1915. when
Albert began his propaganda work.
up almost 10 the time the United
states entered the war. amounted 10
S54.05O,00O This was offset in losses
amounting TO approximately S55,7I7.-
O0O, covering cargoes Of ships sunk OF
captured by the British.
Cotton Used As Security.
More than s15.0o0.O00 OF the loans
we're made on German 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 lent
100000. with cotton as security. and
the Southern Products company was
a party 10 the loan.
Another loan, Il was said. was in
the form OF a credit for 81 SOC. 600 from
the Equitable Trust company. OF New
York, TO finance cotton shipments
with two German banks and Tide
mann and company, OF Fort Worth.
Texas, as parties 10 the loan The
ship carrying the cotton was seized
by the British md the carE sold. the
proceeds being transmitted back TO
the United States.
The committee today also heard
- -
VINO at one time was employed by
Capt Boyd. former German naval
attache here Means denied any dis
loyalty to the United States
Many Shipments to Mexico.
st. Louis. No, Jan ST. ". Oiin. !
president Of the Western Cartridge
company, said he could not recall the {
shipments mentioned. but that HIS
had made many shipments of
eartridEes 10 Mexico and that this
statement probably was correct
Mr. DIN said all shipments were /
made with the consent Of the federal /
authorities and added that no ship I
ments had been made to Mexico after I
the United States entered the war.
Felix Summerfeld was well known I
IN e Paso at the time OF Villas rise &
10 power and handled big deals locally I
and IN the east as Villas purchasing
agent His transactions were under 1
stood TO be chiefly connected with 4
ammunition and ordnance Of the vsri- 1
ous kinds the revolutiouists used. The
money for these purchases, the source I
Of which, according 10 the above dis 1
patch. is a matter OF some doubt, was /
always believed here 20 have come
from Villa Summerfeld. who fire. I
quented the best hotels and otherwise !
lived well. was understood to have
made considerable money for himself
N acting as 90 between in these deals. /
re was interned last year as an enemy l