The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-03-23
VEIL OF SECRECY
At NEW ORLEANS
DEEP MYSTERY MADE OF FIVE
PRISONERS-IS SUGGESTED
THAT MEN BROUGHT FROM
SOUTH AMERICA MAY BE
DESPERATE CHARACTERS
RIGID SILENCE RULE

New Orleans, March 22.-Held in
sepa rate cells in the Orleans parish
prison tonight were five men who
classified themselves as seamen but
whom it was indicated through state
nents of Capt. j. H. B. Van Weeld-
ern of the New York and Cuba line
freighter Rushville and implications
Of department of justice officials
might be wanted in New York in
connection with the investigation of
the Wall street bomb plot of Sep
tember 16 last.
Shackled hand and foot, the men
were taken from the steamer Rush
vile today, hustled to the parish
prison, booked under the following
names, Philip Bender, Lionel Kue
breezuff, Rudolph Dorsh, Hans Ran
din and Hanrik Lipan, then held in
communicate.
After Captain Van Weeldern re-
lated the manner in which the men
: were captured and the difficulties en-
: countered in moving from Rio de ia
neiro to New Orleans, he too became
uncommunicative and tonight would
make no further statement. Depart
ment Of justice officials said they
were awaiting instructions"
Last Saturday when the Rushville
was approaching this port the master
wirelessed the department of justice
requesting that it care for five "con-
sular prisoners" Elaborate prepara-
tions were made for handling the cap
tiyes and they were treated as des-
perate men from the time federal of
ficers took them over from the ship
guard under which they were in
charge.
Orders issued by the master of the
Rushville were that no member of
the crew should discuss the prisoners
with outsiders under penalty Of sal
: ary Deductions The captain, how
yer, related the circumstances lead
ing up to his acceptance of the men
as involuntary passengers.
Late last month, according to Cap
tain Van Weelder, the United States
shipping board steamship City of AL
ton, then nearing Rio de Janeiro, re-
ceived a wireless message presum-
ably from officials of the United
States government requesting arrest
Of the five men. A fight started and,
according to Captain Van Weeldern,
it was with extreme difficulty that
the men were subdued, placed in
.rons and taken to Rio de Janeiro,
where they were imprisoned. They
were to be shipped to New York,
where they were wanted" The
American vice consul at Rio de ia
metro, according to Captain Van Weel
dern, requested the Munson liner
Yoro to take the quintet to New
York. Still heavily guarded the men
were placed aboard the Yoro and in
some manner, according to the Rush
vile captain, started a furious fight.
The Yoro's master speedily returned
them to the Rio de Janeiro Jail. A
bout that time the Rushville came in
to load coffee for New Orleans. Vice
Consul Thomas managed to persuade
the captain to attempt transporta-
tion of the prisoners. eve accepted
and here they are" the skipper con-
cluded.
The prisoners, apparently between
25 and 35 years of age, were said to
be for the most part well educated,
some speaking several languages.
The officers of the Rushville spent
the day and part Of tonight in the
Offices of the department of justice,
No indication was given as to when
the prisoners would be taken to New
York, orders apparently being await,
ed.
Aside from reporter from an
afternoon newspaper who managed to
talk to one Of the men before he was
excluded from the parish prison no
one outside of federal officials have