New-York tribune., 1920-03-01
b ern stOrff
Denies He Left
Files i'm u. S.
If So, What Was Sealed Up
SO Carefully in the Two
Safes and the Steel Trunk
III the Swiss Consulate? {?
DE Woody Backed Story
Then Again, Why Was Mr..
Junod Anxious and Dis
tressed Over ssBurglarv''?
By William c. Drehcr
Special Gable to The Tribune

By William c. Drehcr
Special Gable to The Tribune
BERLIN. Feb. 29.--Count Won Bern
storff, former German Ambassador to
| the United States, sends me the fol-
lowing message by wire:
I'VE left no documents in America.
There must be some fake in story
whereof I know nothing"
This dispatch refers to the story by
Fred c. Kelly, published in The Tribune
February %, which told how five adven-
turous Americans, inspired by patriot
'sri, stole from the Swiss Consulate
here more than ton of important docu-
ments that had been left there by Won
Bernstorf when he sailed for Germany
! IN 1917, after the severance of diplo-
matte relations. The papers taken in
cluded files from the German Embassy
at Washington, with hundreds of let
tiers between Won Bernstorff and officials
in Berlin and both the official and per-
sonal files of DR.. Heinrich Albert. the
! German financial agent in the United
States.
The patriotic burglars had no other
purpose than to aid their country in
the war, and all of the papers taken
by them came into the possession of
United States officials, proving of ines
timable value to the government in the
task of locating and interning German
agents.
Story Authentic, DeWoody Says
! Mr.. Kelly's story set forth how these
men worked in the Swiss Consulate
! night after night until they had re-
moved more than ton of documents.
These were stored in an office in the
same building in II Broadway that
houses the Swiss Consulate Actually
! it is the former German Consulate but
fhe war as the downtown office of the
Swiss Cnsulate." When all the papers
had been taken without detection the
men took them by automobile to a
house III the Bronx. There they were
packed in pine wood boxes and team
stcr was employed to deliver them to
a government Office in downtown New
York.
Charles F. Dew oody was chief of the
special agents OF the Department of
Justice for the New York Division dur
ing the war. He was shown copy Of
Mr.. Kelly's article, and when he read
81 regard the story as an authentic
one"
Then the article was published.
1t was read by Louis Junod, Swiss
| Consul in New York, who IS charged
with the safekeeping of the now empty
German safes. Mr.. Junod was amazed
when he discovered that the elaborate
precautions of the Germans had failed
to prevent the removal of the contents
Of the safes and cabinets without detec-
ton. He was distressed for fear that
with having connived with the robbers.
Mr.. Junod said that he had objected
when the obviously valuable Ndeposi~
tories were left in his custody. He
asked the chief if he would be held re-
sponsble if mob raided the place be-
cause it was the German Consulate, and
was told that he was forgiven in ad-
vance of any such contingency Mr..
Junod said the news that tire docu-
ments had been stolen would create a
sensation in Berlin. He denied that he
knew anything about the contents. But
he did say that he knew Bernstorff and
that Bernstorff would say it was hell
of a mess"
Here's One of the Letters
Count Won Bernstorff's statement
that no documents were left in America
is discounted by the records of the
finger, clerk in the Postal Telegraph
and Cable Company Offices, was trapped
in an effort to convey information to
German agents after the attention of
Depar tment of Justice agents had been
directed to her by one of the lettc RS
taken from those tape-bound cabinets
in the consulate. This was q letter
Grom Won haiswitz, of the German Con-
sulate in Chicago, to Won he>nstortf.
Der found in the captured German corr
resp pondence, and which led to the ar
rest of a great many of them. The
letter was as follows:
"Impcrial German Consulate,
"Chicago, H., Sept. 8, 1915.
according to confidential com
mrnication just received by me, an
order for 100000 rifles for The London
armory was received by wire by the
pany, Of New Haven. on August 5 last
from London.
"a woman who is in the service of
the Postal Telegraph and Cable Com
pany, in New York, is said to have
given out the telegram in question.
Her name is Wanda Kreutzinger (Postal
Telegraph Company, New York City
If the occasion should arise she would
be ready to give further verbal infor-
nation My confidential man asks that
this matter be treated strictly as a
secret, so that the said lady may not
lose her position.
1.-THE Administrator Of the Imperial
Consulate.
(signed) "VON RAISWITZ."
"To the Imperial Ambassador,
"Count Won Bernstorff, Excellency,
"Washington, D. c."
A note in pencil on this letter says