The New York herald., 1922-03-21
Says Her Fiance Threatened
Him With Gun Before
Pittsburgh kidnapping
YARN RIDICULED AT CLUB
Former Employers Tell of
'Queerness'; Capital Says
He's Ship Deserter.

August Probst, Swiss waiter butler
and yodler, who says he was kidnapped
on February % from the Rolling Rock
Club near Ligonier. Pa, and is being
railroaded out of the country because
lie and the daughter Of well known
Pittsburgh man fell in love at the
club, will try to prove before. Judge
Knox In the United States District
Court this afternoon that he is not
insane. as contended by Ellis Island
doctors, and should be released in $500
bail until his status as an immigrant
is determined
His deportation has already been or
dered by the Secretary of Labor on
the ground that he is a deserter from
British ship, the. Olympic; that he is
insane, and that he is likely to become
public charge If allowed to stay here.
The Government will resist demand
for freedom when he appears before
Judge Knox on a writ OF habeas corpus
obtained on Saturday by his attorneys,
Bernard Sander and David Steinhardt
Probst will try to tell in court the full
story of his kidnapping forcible removal
to New York and Imprisonment by pri-
street.
A Terrible Injustice.
Lawyer Sander visited his client for
fifteen minutes in the psychopathic ward
a IS1o
The man is as rational as you or I
and a terrible injustice has been done.
The Rolling Rock Club is not a club
n the ordinary sense but partly de-
veloped tract of several thousand acres
IN the Allegheny Mountains. Richard
=. Mellon. president or the Mellon Ma
tional Bank of Pittsburgh and brother
of Andrew w. Mellon, Secretary of the
Treasury. owns it and limits membership
70 a dozen OF his close friends and fam
lilies. AS quoted by Sander, Probst
yesterday named Pittsburgh girl. 22
wears old, as the one with whom vows
os affection had been exchanged in the
course OF what Probst called a "tryst."
lie said he tramped with her through
the woods and they amused themselves
with player piano in the clubhouse.
In his last pleasant hour" with her
the piano records she chose were "E,ron,
You" His selection was "The Heart OF
a Rose"
The young woman's fance visited the
club, according to Probst. and, appar-
tntly getting n hint OF the situation.
appeared at the breakfast table with a
40 automatic pistol and said to Probst.
who was the clubs butler. Get a move
on. you Alpine climber" On Washing
toms birthday a socially prominent
Pittsburgh woman called Probst aside
and said to him. so he says. Archie.
] understand you are in love with one
Of the young ladies. Tell me which one
Il is." He told her. Whereupon says
Frobst. she appeared much refieved, as
she had thought the girl might be her
daughter.
The next morning. Probst says. Mr..
Thompson, an officer of the club. hold
ing revolver. and assisted by Mr.. Gale.
the manager. and Mr.. Evans, an archi-
tect, entered his room, marched him to
The stable and put him on train for
New York. guarded by Gale. After the
train reached Philadelphia. he says, he
vas guarded by two private detectives.
He asserts that the detectives kept him
shut up in West 18th street fiat
three days, and upon his release he
was arrested in Trenton and taken TO
Ellis Island.