WW1 Internee - Louis von Horst

Several file in TNA FO 383/144 relate to Baron von Horst

The Police Report dated 7th September 1914 by Metropolitan Police CID New Scotland Yard and marked Confidential explains the reasons why the UK Government refused to accede to the numerous requests for his release.

The following account of this person has been compiled from the statements of trustworthy individuals, from the man's own admissions, and from Documents. He was born at Coburg about 1862 and is entitled to bear the title of Baron. With his two brothers he emigrated to America some years ago, and he seems to have been engaged in business in America and this Country for the past twenty years, keeping up his connection with Coburg by occasional visits. He married the daughter of the American Vice-Consul at Coburg. The marriage has not been a happy one, and there is evidence among the von Horst papers that he has been keeping her under observation by a private detective.

Some years ago he founded the Horst Company, of 26 Derman Street, London Bridge, for dealing in hops. He was apparently the cause of an agitation a few years ago about "Dumped German Hops". He first came under notice of the Police in 1912 by his association with strike leaders of the Transport Workers; he is now in correspondence with Mr. Ben Tillet. During the Strike he attended the Tower Hill meetings and he is alleged to have given away free meals to the children of the strikers. In August 1912, he wanted to subsidise the "Daily Herald" to the extent of £1,000.

At the beginning of 1913, when the Suffragette movement was causing difficulty, he was found to be mixed up with some of the leaders, particularly Mrs. Drummond and Miss Annie Kenney. He attended the Police Court proceedings, and on one occasion bailed out Mrs Drummond. At that time he began to associated with Miss Lilian Troy, who was a subscriber to suffragette funds, and is an Irish-American. His association with Miss Troy seems to be rather closer than that of ordinary friendship, He was staying at the same hotel with her at the time of his arrest, and passed among the hotel employees as her secretary. He had a bedroom of his own, but they shared the same sitting room.

For the past two years he has been paying special attention to Ireland, ostensibly to foster hop-growing. At first, it is said that he showed much sympathy with the Ulster leaders on the religious side of the question, and was conversant with every detail of the Ulster volunteer movement.

Next, we find him claiming friendship with Jim Larkin, whom he visited in Dublin while the Transport Strike was going on. Early this year he appeared as a sympathizer
with the Nationalists. He accompanied Miss Troy to South Ireland and procured for her a Mauser rifle, which was presented publicly by Miss Troy to Mr. Joyce, M.P. In his statement to the Home Office, he says that when questioned at Scotland Yard about this transaction, he was accused of having bought 500 Mauser rifles from Mr. Whistler, of
11 Strand, W. C. (this is quite untrue). What was said was that he had enquired the price of 500 rifles with ammunition and bayonets and this is supported by the statement of Mr.
William Langford, who says that on the 29th July, the Baron asked for a definite quotation for 500. This s confirmed by the statement of Mr. Frank Andrew, of the same firm.

As soon as war was declared, the Baron associated himself with the Committee formed at the American Consulate to assist distressed Germans. He was elected chairman and
in this capacity he paid several visits to the Home Office. Letters passed, and just before his arrest, the Baron used to produce this correspondence in order to show his friends the high esteem in which he was held by the Authorities.

On August 18th he was invited to come to Scotland Yard and to account for his transaction with Mr. William Whistler. He was seen by Major Fergusson of the War Office and myself. His manner and statements were very unsatisfactory; he having first declared that he had not re-visited Germany for several years. He admitted, on being confronted with a document, that he had been at Coburg within the last two years. He denied altogether having asked Mr. Whistler for a quotation for rifles, but subsequently admitted having done so, but,
as we gathered that the rifles were intended for the Irish Nationalists, no action was taken at that time. Steps were, however, taken to keep observation on his movements, and it was then found that he spent his evenings in Miss Troy's room at the hotel. Conversation was overheard which made it perfectly clear that they were plotting to discourage recruiting in South Ireland, and that a letter was being drafted purporting to be signed by the German. Emperor for circulation among Nationalists.

If a British subject had attached himself to all these different movements, it might have been ascribed to a restless sympathy with all who believe themselves to be oppressed, but when it is found that a person with his excessively large heart is a German who pays occasional visits to his native country and denies having done so, who takes up cause after cause which seem to promise embarrassment to the British Government, one can come to no other conclusion than that the Baron is a German agent of a very dangerous type. Whether he was actually in the pay of the German Government, or whether he was pursuing his intrigues from a feeling of pure patriotism, there is nothing, at present to show; but it is perfectly clear that he is hostile to this Country; that he is quite unscrupulous, and that he is of sufficient ability to carry his hostility into action. His correspondence and cablegrams reported by the Censor show that great efforts have been made by his friends in America and in this Country to obtain his release. (Initlialed.) B. T. 7. 9. 1914 [?probably Basil Thomson].

P.S. - Mr. Paul R. G. Horst, brother of "Baron" von Horst called here to-day, and stated that he and his brother were born in America, and that their parents afterwards returned to Germany. His brother, so far as he knew, had no right to the title of "Baron".

He had not seen or heard of his brother since 1896, when they separated owing to a business quarrel. He believed that his brother had since then been admitted to German citizenship.

He had heard to- day of the detention of his brother and called here to enquire into the facts of the case, as he was naturally anxious as to the present position of his brother.

Mr. Paul R. G. Horst arrived in London from Wimereux, France, this morning.

This report was included in the final file with the comment that it would be best not to enter into details with the American Embassy, at that period in the war representing the interests of the German Government in the UK - the file dated 17 May 1916 notes that the case of the "Baron" had been considered more than once at the request of the Embassy, and it was suspected that the person at the back of these appeals was Miss Troy. The latest appeal had claimed Horst was in poor health and ought to be released on these grounds but a report by the Embassy had indicated that the was being well looked after at the German Hospital at Dalston though it noted he was using two sticks whilst moving around the hospital and grounds. The writer, Herbert Samuel, continues by noting "The strange connection of Horst with all manner of agitation in this Country lent colour to the suspicion that he was acting in German interests, and in any case his behaviour made it plain that he was a most undesirable person to be at liberty during the war, especially in association with a woman of so doubtful a character. If he were released to go to America, he would almost certainly make outrageous statements there in regard to his treatment in this Country, and as he is a plausible person his statements would probably receive a good deal of public attention."

He is noted in Col Madoc's daily log as being transferred from Alexandra Palace on special transfer by boat on 7th July 1917 and has been placed in the hospital - thus he must have been discharged from Dalston - Horst was transferred back to Alexandra Palace on 29th October 1917 but returns to Douglas Camp on the 5th December 1917 where he remains until finally transferred back to Alexandra Palace on 22nd January 1919 for repatriation.

Dunbar records meeting him, probably towards the end of August 1917, when he created somewhat of a stir by being carried on the shoulders of a tall sailor all the way across the camp from the hospital and that he spoke a non-stop combination of nasal German and English.

There is an account that Horst had initially been held on the Royal Edward where he had suffered some form of nevous breakdown after which he was transferred to Lofthouse Park and thence to Dalston Hospital in 1915.

References

Claudia Sternberg and David Stowe (eds) Pleasure, Privilege, Privations: Lofthouse Park near Wakefield Leeds 2018

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2019