EXTRACTS FROM HIS U.S.
SECRET SERVICE FILES
SIDE REAL PRESS INTRODUCTION:
Readers of John Hirschhorn-Smiths introduction to the short story collection 'Nachtmahr' (Side Real Press 2009) will be aware that Ewers was primarily based in America during World War 1 (arriving in mid 1914) where he worked contributing articles to various newspapers and journals.
He quickly came under observation by the U.S. intelligence services for his pro-German articles written for the German language newspaper 'The New York Tribune', as well as his various friends and contacts notably George Sylvester Viereck who was editor of newspapers 'The International' and the 'The Fatherland'. The latter was specificallly funded by the German government to help disseminate pro-German propaganda in an attempt to keep the U.S. out the war.
Ewers also became involved in an episode over some fake passports, and agitated in Mexico, but sadly no official documentation seems to exist for these episodes. There are certainly a number of holes in these records- certainly others existed at some point
Those documents that are extant, run to just over 100 pages and a selection of the most interesting are given below.
As one might expect they are mainly concerned with his associates and propaganda work and detail the process that ultimately led to his internment. There are also allusions to his then unpublished novel 'Vampire' - described as a novel of Nre York society folk- a manuscript the U.S. authorities were very keen to locate. The reasons are made clear in the documents themsleves. Sadly we have no means of knowing how the version being sought differed (if at all) from that which was subsequently published in Germany.
Obviously this selection means that some items are NOT reproduced. to those that may wonder what what they are they fall into two groups:
Obviously this selection means that some items are NOT reproduced. to those that may wonder what what they are they fall into two groups:
a) virtual but less substantial repeats of those chosen, for example when two B.I. operatives submit reports of the same event or,
b) documents which relate to lines of enquiry that come to dead-ends. For example, there is a sequence of reports where agents intercept some mail written to Ewers in German, but its contents are ultimately found to be innocuous.
There are also a small number which are barely legible, and thus too poor a quality (either too faint or too dark) to stand transfer to the web.
One of these (Document 6) is thus presented in a semi-transcribed style with the most illegible parts overtyped to make them clearer. It was written by the B.I. agent C. J. Scully who seems to have been Ewers' primary investigating officer. This extensive document not only touches on 'Vampire', but it also includes the only reference to Aleister Crowley who was an associate of Ewers via Vierecks 'The International'.
For readers wishing a more, a very good overview of the Ewers/Crowley/Viereck nexus is given in Richard B. Spences book 'Secret Agent 666' (Feral House 2007), and it is he who I must thank for very kindly sending me these files.
THE DOCIMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
DOCUMENT 1: 4th September 1917
This document gives information of H. H. E. via the ex maid of his secretary.
DOCUMENT 2: 6th December 1917
An account of an interview with H. H. E. s secretary.
DOCUMENT 3: 22nd January 1918
A search for a trunk containing some documents is initiated.
DOCUMENT 4: 22nd January 1918
And concluded.
DOCUMENT 5: 12th June 1918
Ewers to be arrested.
DOCUMENT 6: 13th June 1918
This and the following (Document 7) are very interesting accounts by officers Scully and Perkins concerning the arrest of H.H.E. and detailing their interviews with him.
DOCUMENT 7: 13th June 1918
Officer Perkins' account of HHEs arrest.
DOCUMENT 8: 14th June 1918
In this report Officer Perkins' gives more background to HHEs propaganda history and quotes from an interview published in the German language paper New York Staats-Zeitung. It is obvious that quite a lot of attention had been paid to HHE and this newspaper prior to this report, but sadly nothing exists in the files I have.
DOCUMENT 9: 14th June 1918
A covering letter followed by a lengthy letter from a William Wallace which recommends Ewers' internment.
DOCUMENT 10: 14th June 1918
In which it is revealed that Ewers was a member of a secret organization for the dissemination of propaganda.
DOCUMENT 11: 27th June 1918
A summary document which recommends Ewers internment and was probably the one which achieved it.
DOCUMENT 12: 29th June 1918
Ewers handling a large amount of cash in gold.
DOCUMENT 13: 9th July 1918
It is admitted that Ewers used a false passport to travel to Europe.
DOCUMENT 14: 15th April 1919
Ewers to be released under condition he does not publish.
DOCUMENT 4:
24th January 1918
And concluded.
12th June 1918
Ewers to be arrested.
DOCUMENT 6:
13th June 1918
This and the following (Document 7) are very interesting accounts by officers Scully and Perkins concerning the arrest of H.H.E. and detailing their interviews with him.
DOCUMENT 7:
13th June 1918
Officer Perkins' account of H. H. E.s arrest.
DOCUMENT 8:
14th June 1918
In this report Officer Perkins' gives more background to HHEs propaganda history and quotes from an interview published in the German language paper New York Staats-Zeitung. It is obvious that quite a lot of attention had been paid to HHE and this newspaper prior to this report, but sadly nothing exists in the files I have.
DOCUMENT 9:
14th June 1918
A covering letter followed by a lengthy letter from a William Wallace which recommends Ewers' internment.
DOCUMENT 10:
14th June 1918
In which it is revealed that Ewers was a member of a secret organization for the dissemination of propaganda.
DOCUMENT 11:
27th June 1918
A summary document which recommends Ewers internment and was probably the one which achieved it.
DOCUMENT 12:
29th June 1918
Ewers handling a large amount of cash in gold.
THE DOCIMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
DOCUMENT 1: 4th September 1917
This document gives information of H. H. E. via the ex maid of his secretary.
DOCUMENT 2: 6th December 1917
An account of an interview with H. H. E. s secretary.
DOCUMENT 3: 22nd January 1918
A search for a trunk containing some documents is initiated.
DOCUMENT 4: 22nd January 1918
And concluded.
DOCUMENT 5: 12th June 1918
Ewers to be arrested.
DOCUMENT 6: 13th June 1918
This and the following (Document 7) are very interesting accounts by officers Scully and Perkins concerning the arrest of H.H.E. and detailing their interviews with him.
DOCUMENT 7: 13th June 1918
Officer Perkins' account of HHEs arrest.
DOCUMENT 8: 14th June 1918
In this report Officer Perkins' gives more background to HHEs propaganda history and quotes from an interview published in the German language paper New York Staats-Zeitung. It is obvious that quite a lot of attention had been paid to HHE and this newspaper prior to this report, but sadly nothing exists in the files I have.
DOCUMENT 9: 14th June 1918
A covering letter followed by a lengthy letter from a William Wallace which recommends Ewers' internment.
DOCUMENT 10: 14th June 1918
In which it is revealed that Ewers was a member of a secret organization for the dissemination of propaganda.
DOCUMENT 11: 27th June 1918
A summary document which recommends Ewers internment and was probably the one which achieved it.
DOCUMENT 12: 29th June 1918
Ewers handling a large amount of cash in gold.
DOCUMENT 13: 9th July 1918
It is admitted that Ewers used a false passport to travel to Europe.
DOCUMENT 14: 15th April 1919
Ewers to be released under condition he does not publish.
DOCUMENT 1:
4th September 1917
This document gives information of H. H. E. via the ex maid of his secretary.
6th December 1917
An account of an interview with H. H. E. s secretary.
DOCUMENT 3:
22nd January 1918
A search for a trunk containing some documents is initiated.
This document gives information of H. H. E. via the ex maid of his secretary.
DOCUMENT 2:
6th December 1917
An account of an interview with H. H. E. s secretary.
DOCUMENT 3:
22nd January 1918
A search for a trunk containing some documents is initiated.
DOCUMENT 4:
24th January 1918
And concluded.
DOCUMENT 5:
12th June 1918
Ewers to be arrested.
DOCUMENT 6:
13th June 1918
This and the following (Document 7) are very interesting accounts by officers Scully and Perkins concerning the arrest of H.H.E. and detailing their interviews with him.
DOCUMENT 7:
13th June 1918
Officer Perkins' account of H. H. E.s arrest.
DOCUMENT 8:
14th June 1918
In this report Officer Perkins' gives more background to HHEs propaganda history and quotes from an interview published in the German language paper New York Staats-Zeitung. It is obvious that quite a lot of attention had been paid to HHE and this newspaper prior to this report, but sadly nothing exists in the files I have.
DOCUMENT 9:
14th June 1918
A covering letter followed by a lengthy letter from a William Wallace which recommends Ewers' internment.
DOCUMENT 10:
14th June 1918
In which it is revealed that Ewers was a member of a secret organization for the dissemination of propaganda.
DOCUMENT 11:
27th June 1918
A summary document which recommends Ewers internment and was probably the one which achieved it.
DOCUMENT 12:
29th June 1918
Ewers handling a large amount of cash in gold.
DOCUMENT 13:
9th July 1918
It is admitted that Ewers used a false passport to travel to Europe.
DOCUMENT 14:
15th April 1919
Ewers to be released under condition he does not publish.
