Evening star., 1939-05-26
Kuhn, Bund Leader,
Pleads Innocent
10 Fraud Charges
Denies Misopproprioting
Funds; Dewey Asks
Boil Set at $4,000


Bail Set at $4,000
The German-American Bund
ts estimated to haze 100000 to
100000 members in its IS posts
throughout the United States.
The bund publishes newspapers
tn Neto York, Philadelphia, Chi
edgo and Los Angeles, a national
- young peoples magazine. and
- maintains a score of summer
=. - camps.
Dy the Associated Press.
81 NEW YORK, May 90 Fritz
: Kuhn, national leader of the pro-
Nazi German American Bund,
stood stiffy erect today in court
and pleaded innocent to charges
of forgery and grand larceny of
S14,548 of bund funds.
Eealier, he replied mo" in the
same emphatic tone in the police
lineup, when asked if he had mis-
appropriated bund money and made
false entries in the books.
Then why were you arrested2"
Acting 1t. James Pyke asked.
Il don't know yet" replied the
43-year- -old bund leader.
Kuhn was held in 5000 bail, a
figure recommended by the district
attorneys Office because Kuhn
waived eXtradition and voluntarily
returned from Pennsylvania, where
he was arrested yesterday.
II think the district attorney is
very modest in asking that amount
OF ball." said Judge Cornelius F.
Collins. ''If it had been up to me
I would not have been so modest.
But if the district attorney is salts
fed, it is all right with me-"
Brought in Patrol Wagon.
Kuhn, wearing a double-breasted
gray suit, was brought to the
Criminal Courts Building from police
headquarters IN patrol wagon,
accompanied by the three arresting
detectives.
In the police lineup, he said he
was president of the German
American Bund, native of Munich,
Germany, had been in this country
IA years, and never was arrested
before.
Kuhn, motoring with three COM
panions to Chicago and Milwaukee,
where he was scheduled to speak
today and tomorrow, was arrested
yesterday afternoon in a roadside
lunchroom at KrlImsville, Pa, %
miles northeast of Reading, by de-
tectives who trailed him from New
York.
Kuhn was accompanied by Gus
tav Elmar, national organizer of
the Bund. of Hoboken, N j.; Thom-
as Dixon Of New York, and Gerhard
Wilhelm Kunze of Astoria, Long
Island.
Kuhn waived extradition before a
Reading justice of the peace and
was returned to New York by the
detectives in an automobile. Elmar
accompanied him as far as New
ark, N. j.
Aids Continue Trip West.
Kunze and Dixon continued their
trip, one purpose of which they said
was to open bund camp at Mil
waukee.
The bulky. vociferous bundsfueh-
rer was indicted late yesterday on
- counts. District Attorney Thorn
az z. Dewey said conviction could
result In prison terms totaling SO
years.
1t. William Grafnecker of the
grand jury squad said Kuhn had
been watched more than a week
and that the three detectives who
arrested him-James eastman,
James Canovan and Joseph Nor
bury of Dewey's staff-had been
under orders mot to let him get
far from New York"
When Kuhn and his companions
halted for lunch the three tele-
phoned New York and were told
the indictment had been returned.
Kuhn never had an opportunity
to eat his lunch, for the return trip
started almost at once.
Fingerprinted Early Today.
Wearing the same torn trousers as
when he was arrested-they were
held together by a safety pin
Kuhn was booked at 1:25 am.
today, then taken Immediately to
police headquarters, where he was
photographed, f1ngerprinted and
lodged IN cell to await appearance
before a magistrate.
At the Beach street police station
where he was booked, Kuhn ap-
peared cheerful and disclaimed
knowledge that he was to be ar
rested.
''Of course it was surprise" he
remarked, but I'll take care of
that"
What about that $14,589 you are
accused of taking?" he was asked.
TITS all nonsense" replied Kuhn.
The indictment alleges theft of
S8.90735 from the Bund and charges
misappropriation of funds from the
Washington's Birthday rally which
Kuhn led at Madison Square Gar
den.
Two counts accuse him of the
theft Of s4,42422 from funds raised
10 defend Bund members convicted
at Riverhead, N. Y; of neglect to
file with the State records of official
personnel, and four counts detail
the alleged theft of $565.76 in Bund
funds set aside supposedly for
transportation of furniture for a
Mrs. Florence Camp from Los
Angeles to New York, and charge
theft of $151.26 for bringing her
furniture from Cleveland.
Mrs. Camp was described as a
friend of Kuhn's.
The grand jury investigation of
the Bund grew out of an inquiry
instigated by Mayor La Guardia and
carried out by Investigation Com
missioner William Herlands.
The first overt development came
two weeks ago, when the Mayor
asked the State Department to hold