MORE PASSPORT FRAUDS
Attorney-General Gregory caused a thorough investigation of these documents and also of von Nuber’s office in New York. Many consular employees were taken before the Grand Jury and practically every member of the Consulate, excepting von Nuber and his immediate associates, was rounded up one night in the office of Superintendent Offley in New York. They were questioned, and they gave much information.
Baron Zwiedinek was a busy person at the summer Embassy at Manchester-by-the-Sea after the outbreak of the war. Hundreds of Austro-Hungarian reservists were bobbing up at various consulates and registering, eager for directions and for means of getting back to their country. Evidently, these matters came under his jurisdiction, for he wrote the following letter to von Nuber:
“Manchester, A. M., 24 August, 1914.
“To the Imperial and Royal Consulate-General in New York:
“On the 21st inst. the Imperial and Royal Embassy received the following telegram from the Imperial and Royal Consulate in San Francisco:
“‘Nine employees arrived here on the steamer Yokohama seek transportation New York at expense of State. Beg for telegraphic instruction whether Consulate should pay travelling expenses. Stay here would cause embarrassment.’
“The Embassy has instructed the Consular office mentioned to send these employees to New York. Thereupon the following telegram of the 22nd arrived:
“‘Attaché Hanenschild, Interpreter Nanternatz, Embassy, Tokio, as well as six employees, journeyed onward.’
“Since the Imperial and Royal Embassy is of the opinion that it is a patriotic duty of the reservists to do their utmost to reach the monarchy, will the Imperial and Royal Consulate please make all efforts in this connection to discover the proper transportation facilities for these employees who are shortly to arrive. Perhaps it would be possible also to produce suitable passports of neutral countries at comparatively slight expense.
“Concerning that which is done in this connection please report in due time.
“For the Imperial and Royal Embassy,
“Zwiedinek.”
When that letter was shown to Baron Zwiedinek by Secretary of State Lansing, he admitted the authenticity of the signature, but denied he remembered anything of its contents. He explained that it was probably dictated by a clerk, and that in his haste he signed it without reading it. He also disclaimed any responsibility for it on the ground that Dr. Dumba was at the date of the letter the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador.