Evening star., 1939-03-30
German Who Helped
U.S.. Find Nazi Opium
Faces Deportation
Fearful of Execution if
Sent Home, He Pleads
To Stoy in America

Fearful Of execution at the hands
Of the Nazis, Kurt Kuhl, %, German
citizen languishing in Miami, Fla,
Jail. today asked the Board of Re-
view of the Bureau of immigration
and Naturalization, Labor Depart
ment, to stay his deportation to his
homeland.
Kuhl's most valuable ally is Stuart
Fuller. assistant chief of the Divi-
sion of Far Eastern Affairs. State
Department. Two years ago Kuhl
helped Mr.. Fuller spike the efforts
Of German smugglers to ship large
quantities Of opium from Hamburg
to the United States. Shortly after
Mr.. Fuller left Hamburg, Kuhl was
arrested and placed in Nazi con-
centration camp.
The time relation of the assistance
rendered by Kuhl to the American
diplomat and Kuhl's apprehension
by the Brown Shirt police was more
than coincidence" the record being
studied by the Board of Review
states. Mr.. Fuller was portrayed
as being vitality interested in Kuhl's
welfare and grateful for his aid in
Hamburg.
Love Also a Factor.
Love as we'll as diplomatic graft
tude is on Kuhl's side. The German
arrived in the United States last
July, when he jumped ship at New
Orleans after a voyage in which
he said many bitter things against
the Hitler regime Within a few
months he was engaged to Mary
Wells of Tuscaloosa, Ala. In jan
uary Kuhl was arrested and Jailed
in Miami for deportation proceed
ings. Since then his fiance has
been working night and day to have
him freed.
Kuhl seeks the cooperation of
the Labor Department in permitting
him to leave the United States for
some country other than Germany,
some country where he will feel safe
and where he can marry Miss Wells.
The girl apparently is convinced
that her fiance's outspoken anti
Nazi sentiments will mean quick
death before a firing squad imme-
diately upon his return to the Reich.
The story, which was presented to
the board of review this morning by
an unnamed intermediary for the
jailed alien, opens two years ago.
MIR. Fuller arrived in Hamburg, the
great German port at the mouth of
the Elbe, from Geneva, where an
nually he attends the League Of Ma
tions' conference on narcotics. He
Is in charge in this country of the
diplomatic aspects of the narcotic
trade
Detective for U. S.
Hamburg was center point for
illegal shipments of opium to the
United States. Mr.. Fuller was in
terested in spiking this commerce at
its source He made known his
purpose to the Germans, who offered
him the services of Nazi police in
his search for opium caches. For
an unstated reason, he turned down
this offer, and took on as his de-
tective associate instead an English
speaking German sailor thoroughly
familiar with the criminal recesses
of Hamburg.
This seaman was Kurt Kuhl. For
three weeks Kuhl and Fuller worked
together. AS a result of their activi-
ties, great cargoes of opium meant
for the United States were never
shipped. Mr.. Fuller, his mission
completed. returned to Washington.
Within a short period Kuhl was ar
rested. After more than a year in
the concentration camp he was re-
leased on probation. He went to
sea and debarked at New Orleans.
The decision of the Board of
Review in the case is not expected
Tor several days. It will make
recommendation to the Secretary of
Labor.