VON PAPEN'S SURPRISE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 163, 7 April 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

VON PAPEN'S SURPRISE.

'LANGUAGE" WHEN THE NAVY SEIZED HIS PLOT PAPERS.

Previous reference has been made in our columns to the papers proving payments to German plot agents in America seized on Captain you Papen, the expelled German military attache, when 011 his way in a Dutch liner to Germany. Papen's "hold-up" at Falmouth very neatly managed in the Britis.i Navv's best and politest manner. I pon his arrival in British waters he received the most gentlemanly, if thorough, treatment. "Known to the police' ot the Navy, for his photograph was in cverv port, ho was instantly identified as the vessel anchored olf Falmouth. He is a young, verv smart-looking man in the middle' thirties. His command of English is perfect. There is not the slightest doubt that when he was accosted at Falmouth he was under the fond illusion that a safe-conduct" covered fully not only himself but also al! his belongings. The correspondence he carried with him \\a* not liiden away, and some of the letters were in his pockets. hen detained he flourished his safe-conduct and <.emanded to be allowed to proceed unmolested on his way. I!e was politely informed that in the present distressful circumstances of war a safe-conduct applied only to his body corporal and absolutely nothing else. The fact that lie would be allowed to ! pnoceed on his journey wearing bis ■ clothes was entirely due to the grace of the British Navy! Whereupon he I used—in the very l>est English—some ! extremely uncomplimentary language. I In a word, lie was extremely angrv, and it was with very bad grace indeed that he finally handed over the documents.