The New York herald., 1922-07-01
Petersen Admits to q. s. Of
ficials He Heard Minister'S
Death Plotted.
FEARS BEING SENT BACK
German Monarchist Taken Oft
Steamship Is Detained
on Ellis Island.

Max Petersen, 90, is detained at Ellis
Island by the immigration authorities
on suspicion that he may have knowl-
edge Of the murder conspiracy which
caused the assassination of DR.. Walter
Rathenau, German Minister for For
eign Affairs. Petersen was taken from
the United States Lines steamship
President Taft yesterday when that
vessel reached her dock at Pier 1. Ho-
boken, and after being questioned by
the immigration inspectors was. sent
to Ellis Island until more information
about him could be obtained from Ger
many.
Petersen was discovered in hiding.
along with Hans Niebuhr. "a. who ap-
parently is not suspected of having
inside information about the violent
taking off of Rathenau. Capt. Frank
T. Burkhart of the President Taft
questioned the stowaways closely be-
cause word had reached his ship while
she lay at Bremen that members of
the assassination conspiracy would
probably attempt to escape from Ger
many and might be expected to make
a try for the United States. Soon after
Petersen was dragged from hiding
Capt. Burkhart got wireless message
repeating the warning conveyed to him
In Bremen and requesting him to be
especially vlgiant In looking for per-
sons who might be fleeing from arrest
in connection with the Rathenau mur-
der.
Refused to Answer Captain.
Because of this request, rather than
because Of any specific knowledge. Capt.
Burkhart thought 1t best to call the at
tention of the Immigration authorities to
the possibilities involved. Stowaways
are always corralled bys the. boarding
division of the customs service. but this
stowaway seemed to be especially in
teresting. Petersen had refused to an
swer most Of the questions that Capt.
Burkhart had put to him. He ad-
mitted that he was a Monarchist and a
member of a naval organization that
was active at the time of the German
revolution. He denied all knowledge of
the Rathenau assassination, saying that
he had fed from Germany before the as
sassination took place. He said he was
sick of life in Germany and thought he
would do well to come to the United
States and try to make fresh start.
When he was told that he was to be
detained at Ellis Island until definite in
formation could he obtained about him
from Germany he became indignant. He
told the inspectors that he was a Ger
man gentleman" and that all that
should be required of him was, his prom
Use to go along quietly. since "the word
OF a German gentleman is as good as his
bond"
Afraid to he Sent Back.
"It makes little real difference what
happens to me-" he said to the immigrn-
ton officials, but II the United States
sends me back to Germany IL will be
guilty Of murder. have enemies there,
and because I was a member OF the
Ehrhart Brigade. we'll known Monarch
list organization. / am on the black list
and marked for killing"
While denying all knowledge Of the
Rathenau assassination itself Petersen
admitted that he had heard talk before
leaving Germany that Rathenau was to
be killed
Edward J. Brennan. chief Of the De-
partment of Justice agents here. said
that the Department was not interested
In Petersen's case, having had no In
structions concerning him.