The New York herald., 1921-06-17
us. WARRANTSOU
ATTEMPTED RUNNING
OF GUNS TO IRELAND
Three Persons Sought as
Seized Arms, Removed to
New York, Are Guarded.
MYSTERY Is INCREASED
Williams, Who Fights for
Munitions, Ably COnceals
His Identity.
105 GUNS STILL MISSING
Irish Republican Army Force
Believed to Have Posed as
Ships Engine Crew.
l05 GUNS STILL MISSING


yesterday enough of the history OF the
495 machine guns found Wednesday
in the bunkers OF the Cosmopolitan
Line freighter East Side TO cause 1t to
procure at least three warrants that
will be served upon persons already
identified with the mystery just as
soon as they are located.
Some of the mystery was dispelled
yesterday. But the whole story Of the
machine guns-how they were accu-
mulated, whose money betrayed the
expense of buying them at s22o apiece
and who is Frank Williams. the man
who asserts he owns them-was al
most as much a secret last night as
II was twelve hours before. How the
machine guns got into the hold OF the
East Side was learned by men to
whom the Government looked for just
such information.
The weapons were hauled over the
side Of the ship from launches I'm broad
daylight while that portion Of the crew
not In on the plot watched. The De-
partment of Justice men are seeking
the man who signed up last Saturday
night as chief engineer. 1t is their
theory that he and his engine room
crew that he fetched with him hauled
the stuff aboard.
Subsequently one of the mystified
members Of the crew, being strike
breaker and fearing bomb plot, in
spected one Of the bags. He found
machine gun. He notified George
Bartlett, general superintendent for
the Cosmopolitan Shipping Company,
and the raid took place. But the new
\ chief engineer and his crew disap-
peared just before the customs raiders
appeared.
Guns Held by Government.
The contest between the city OF Hooo-
kan and the United States Government
for the custody of the weapons revealed
nothing except that the latter was en-
titled to them pending the decision OF the
United States Circuit Court. The arms
are now in the customs storehouse In
West street, having been brought 10
New York in motor truck under
heavier guard than usually is placed
,,pon gold shipments to the Assay once
or the sub-Treasury in Wall street.
At the Custom House 1t was said that
because OF developments the investiga-
lion had been taken over by the Depart
menr of Justice. II was learned that
operatives for tho department had
tho destiration of the guns, but that
there was no proof that Williams was a
marty to n deal that was to transfer the
little weapons 20 the Irish Republican
army Never was the identity OF a man
so closely concealed.
John II. Fallon. Corporation Counsel
for Hoboken, who appeared In Recorder
Carsten'r court with Williams's personal
attorney. Thomas J. O'Nenl. 25s Broad
way. New York. declared that Williams
was a contractor with offices or Broad
way
.'where on Broadway" vas asked.
"rre,s not listed as Williams in the dir6c-
tory"
.T won't tell you. He's not TO be
worried" replied Fallon.
Williams Is Kept Secret.
And all questions concerning Williams
went unanswered Agents or the De-
partment OF Justice said that they did not
need much further Information to make
possible TIE investigation about to he
launched But why Williams did not
notify the police when the guns were
stolen from him on June II was not dis
covered. Fallon said that williams had
hired private detectives 20 find the cul-
prits and avoided the police because he
did not desire publicity.
At one stage of the proceedings in
Hoboken reporters approached Williams,
calling him by name.
"Williams?' he repeated. I'm not
Williams My names Frank Herman
well. you're Interested IN this affair,
aren't your
sure Tn interested ne replied. "1d
like 20 sec tho people who own these
guns get them. That's how much Tn
Interested"
And that's all he would say.
o'Neill explained that Judge Charles
r. Lynch of the United States District
Court had merely issued writ OF de-
tention against the weapons.
There's no mystery about this - ex-
claimed o'Neiil ''Feilon has all the In
voices. There's no deep secret about
how my client came by the guns. And
there's no law that prevents him from
selling them 10 anybody. anywhere. just
so long az he does not sell them 20 an
enemy country. lie could sell them 60
James o'Brion Of Dublin as legally as
he couid 10 Juan do Ia Flores or some
BODY Of Mexico city.
rItbusterfnr Decision Cited.
There Is decision by Supreme Court
Justice Storey In flibustering case
where arms were carried 10 Trinidad
and Cuba against the protest Of the
Spa nish Government This decision said
that there WAC no violation OF interna-
tional law 10 land the stun IN Cuba,
even by stealth. Tho only thing wss
that the nIbuster was running personal
risk and risk Of onfscation---confsca
tion not IN his country but In the coun.
try into which tho arms had been snug
gled. But there was no breach Of law
in so smuggling the guns In that case"
"As a matter OF fact. then" inter-
Continued or Seventh PoD