OCR Text |
Show GERMANY DENIES ATTACHE'S GUILT Von Papen Letters and Bank Books Seized by British No Evidence of Bad Faith. DENY CRIMINAL ACTS Never Paid Money to Cause Destruction of American Munition Plants. Berlin, Jan. IS, by wireless to Sayville. Say-ville. A denial that Captain Franz von Papen, recalled military attache at Washington, paid money to individuals individ-uals in tho United States in connection connec-tion with attempts to blow up munition muni-tion factories or bridges was made today by tho semi-official Overseas News Agency. The agency's statement follows: "British press reports state that the former military attache- at Washington, Washing-ton, Captain von Papen, had in his possession letters and bank books, seized by the British at Falmouth, which contained evidence that he paid money to persons connected with explosions ex-plosions In munitions' factories in the United States and to other criminals. The Overseas News Agency hears from competent authorities that these assertions aro not correct. , , Von Papen Not Guilty. "Captain von Papen's letters and bank books which were seized in violation vio-lation of the safe conduct guaranteed to him. are of a purely personal character char-acter or have todo with usual business busi-ness affairs. Captain von Papon nev- ' er paid money connected with attempts, at-tempts, or alleged attempts, against munition plants, bridges or against any other American property. No check was over paid to Werner Horn, who is accused of an attempt to blow up a Canadian railway bridge. "It Is evident that the German military mili-tary attache never lived on money that he borrowed. Therefore the payments pay-ments he received from Ambassador von Bernstorff were for 'expenses in connection with conducting his office. The letters and check book stubs, if reproduced In facsimile would prove nothing in the way of illegal regulations regula-tions was established between tho dates of such payments and of criminal crim-inal attempts. "The British press reports evidently evident-ly aro Intended to counter balance the bad impression created by the publication publi-cation of the letters concerning Greece -which, -were, seized from. Col onel II. D. Napier, former British military mil-itary attache at Sofia. It evidently is hoped to stir ill-feeling against Germany Ger-many at a time when Great Britain Is observing with regret the improvement improve-ment in German-American relations." on |