Evening star., 1942-02-12
Laura ingalls,
Pictured Self
As 'Mati Hari'
Letters to Nozi Envoy
Were Only to Win His
Confidence, She Says
Earlier Story on Page A-1.)

Laura ingalls,, the flyer, de-
Tending herself on the witness
stand in District Court this after
noon against the charge that she
was an unregistered Nazi agent
said that in trying to win the
confidence of German diplomatic
representatives in this country
so that she could learn their
secrets, she saw herself as "a
Matt Hari, an international spy
Miss .Ingalls said she thought ev-
cry woman at some time longed to
play such an exciting role.
The accused aviatrix admitted she
wrote letters to Dr. Hans Thomson,
then Cherge d'Affaires of the Ger
man Embassy, which were intro
duced in evidence by the Govern
ment. The adulation for the Ger
man cause which she expressed in
these letters, she told the jury, was
actuated by her desire to ingratiate
herself with the envoy so that he
would trust her
Describing one of her visits to
Mr. Thomson, Miss ingalls, recalled ::
Il said I was very sympathetic, I
thought they were doing wonderful
things and would like to bring the
picture back to America"
Tried to Make peace Flight"
At that time, she explained, she
was trying to promote a peace
fight to England, France and
Germany in March, 194l: to drop
peace pamphlets and to interview
Adolf Hitler and ask him to renew
his offer Of peace. The Hearst news
papers, she said. agreed to buy ar
ticles she intended to write during
the trip, but the State Department
refused to give her a passport.
The explanation of one letter to
DR.. Thomson, In which she had
written that she could tear the
skies apart in triumph" at the Ger
man victory in Crete and the sink
ing of the battleship Hood, Miss
ingalls, said:
II was enraged when I wrote that
letter. The lease-lend bill had Just
passed and / was enraged when
thought what the British were doing
to this country. 1t was an express
sion of my feeling at the time, and
at the same time an effort to square
myself solidly with the Germans. "
Thomson Seemed Bored.
DR.. Thomson, Miss ingalls, ad-
mitted, seemed to regard her as a
nuisance and did not reply to her
letters. At her personal interviews
with him, she said, he was noncom-
initial, and, while courteous. said
there was no work he could give her.
The day the German consulates
in the United States were ordered
closed, Miss Ingalls, related, she went
to see Capt. Fritz Weidemann, Ger
man consul general at San Francis
CO, and found him more communica-
tive than DR.. Thomson, but still un-
willing to further her project. She
said she had been trying to sell her
property at Burbank, Calf, and she
asked Capt. Weidemann if he could
use the house. since his consulate
was being closed. But he did moth
ing about 1t, she added.
Made Contact at Last.
Next Miss ingalls, came to her
successful contacts with a German
Embassy official. She told of ar
ranging through friend she had
met here. Miss Julia Kraus, for an
interview with the official, who
turned out to be Baron Ulrich Won
Gienanth, second secretary of the
embassy. The Governments case
against Miss ingalls, is based on
payments which she admittedly re-
ceived from the baron, supposedly
for carrying on anti-war propa-
ganda in this country.
Discussing her denunciation OF
Prime Minister Churchill in one OF
the letters introduced by the Gov
ernment, Miss ingalls, said: Il have
admired Churchill. I have greatly
admired the British because they
have character, but like that char
acter where it belongs-on the Brit
ish Isles"
Admitting she had signed letters
to Dr. Thomson Hell Hitler" Miss
ingalls, said: What else could you
say to the German Minister"
Although Miss ingalls, denied she
had ever said I'VE should have a
Hitler in this country" she said
later she had expressed the belief
that I'VE ought to have some one like
Hitler or Churchill who cared as
much about Americans as Hitler
and Churchill cared about Germans
and Englishmen."
Tells of Receiving Money.
Miss ingalls, described receiving
$3.50 from Baron Won Geinanth in
New York, s10o which Miss Kraus
telegraphed in Colorado Springs and
$50 telegraphed by the intermediary
to Chicago.
Asked by her attorney, James
Reilly, what she did with the money
Miss ingalls, said she carried II
around in her wallet along with her
(See INGALLS,, Page 2-X.)
fon.{o Iln;& Ado E6n(1 MN