[Letters from Roger Casement, Berlin to Captain Hans Boehm, referring to Irish corporals at the Limburg camp willing to form the Irish Brigade under certain conditions; they include a transcription of a letter by Joe McGarrity on Irish pro-German events i

Berlin 10.4.15.

Dear Captain Boehm,

After a further talk today with the Corporals here I am convinced that there is no doubt the Brigade can be formed if you are firm over on the lines we talked. Without you I should not go on with you I may if I am convinced on the two points I raised yesterday in our conversation. In all cases a decision should be come to at once as the matter loses by delay.

If you can get permission to make the attempt I think I am quite safe in assuring you it will succeed - but it must be conducted by you, and on the lines we discussed yesterday.

Yours sincerely, Roger Casement

I will send you the long letter today - too busy now.

Eden Hotel 15.4.15

Dear Captain Boehm,

I send you herewith a copy of the (essential) conditions stated by the three Corporals now in Berlin. These requests of theirs should be complied with.

You will start for Limburg, I hope, very soon and take Kehoe with you to help in evicting the 66 undesirables.

There is I know a 67th to go a sergeant named MacMorrough. Kehoe knows him.

Time is important. Everything points to a need for getting "A Company" started with out a day's delay.

The three men in uniform will make things go quickly - so order the uniforms now.

I asked Meyer to have a copy of the Agreement (28 Decr last) made for you.

Please let me know as soon as you are ready.

If we can get Father Crotty to say anything openly in favour of the Brigade - he could do that I think - it would have an enormous effect. The men all love him and follow him like sheep.

The idea of a band too will take tremendously.

I think there is a good man for Colour Sergeant - Kehoe tells me.

I believe things will go quickly once a start is made - but the three corporals must have the freedom they insist on for interviewing all likely men outside the prison lager. And you must have carte blanche and no restrictions on you. I await word of you going with impatience. Yours sincerely,

Roger Casement.

Philadelphia

May 13 1915

Extract from letter to Sir R Casement from an Irish friend in Philadelphia.

"[Kimo?] Meyer was here May 6th and lectured to a full house.

Father Coghlan introduced him with a splendid speech. He got a wonderful reception and when your name was mentioned you got rousing cheers.

Three Catholic Pastors were on the stage and many priests in the audience. The stage was decked with Irish, German and American colours, the whole thing was something to be pround of.

The climax was reached on the evening of the 7th with a banquet of 110 covers at the Irish-American Club in honour of Dr Meyer.

The German Consul, the AustroHungarian Consul, Vice Consul and military attaches; the Captain and Officers of the Austrian

2.

Steamship, now interned at Philadelphia; Dr Hexamer, the President of the German-American Alliance, Mr Neumann a staunch German patriot and John Devoy.

The news of the sinking of the "Lusitania" was received the same day, so the banquet was timely.

The health of the Captain of the submarine was the first toast drunk."

"The Press of the country is damnable to say the least. I fear it would be God help the Germans in some places were it not for the Irish and the stand they have taken.

Come what may we will stand by them, no matter what the consequences." . . . . . . . .

"Doyle says, and he is in a position to know, that the Catholic Church, from the Papacy down is on the side of Germany. "America", the Catholic weekly here sneers at Dublin and