The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-09-05
An Atlanta Man Gives Out Some
State Secrets.
He WORKED FOR The KAISER
Never Knew DreyfuS in Capac-
ity of Spy.
SAYS EsTERHAzY SENT DOCUMENT
American Consulate Was Also Used
to Further the Ends of Spies
of the Emperor-The
Full Story.
SAYS EsTERHAzY SENT DOCUMENT

Atlanta, Ca, September 4.-The gentle
], war office secrets reached Germany and
the names of those instrumental in their
transfer from France, was seen today by
the Atlanta representative of the Associat-
ed Press All the matter given in the
Jewish Sentiment story sent out in these
dispatches Thursday night was gone over
and substantiated as far possible, and
much information tending to amplify and
elucidate statements there made was OBJ
tanned.
Used as a Safeguard
The additional and highly interesting in
formation was elected that the letter.
heads, envelopes and consular seals of the
United States government were used as a
safeguard in transmitting the French war
Office documents from that country to
Germany, and also that one of the chief
actors in the Underground" system at the
time the traffic in French war office mer-
chandise was going on, held the position of
United States vice-eonsul in a little Ger
man city. The informant gives his name
as Charles f. Bentheim, and his discharge
papers, which are regular and duly signed,
show that he was private in Company NJ,
2O2d New York volunteers during the war
with Spain. He was, he says, not in
company drill over ten times but was put
in the commissary department, and later
transferred to headquarters division,
where he became brigade clerk.
Stenograp.er at CourtmartiaIs
He accompanied the 2O2d New York to
Cuba, and in addition to duty as brigade
clerk was called upon to perform the
duties of stenographer at the courtmar-
martials held from time to time at Pinar
del Rio where the New York regiment
was stationed. The paper to the adjutant-
generals office in Washington recommend
ing his discharge is signed by VIM. q.
Horton, assistant Acknowledgements, First
brigade. Third division, Second army corps,
and came from General William c. Oates,
brigade commander. The stamps of diff
ferent railroad companies from which he
obtained half rate transportation on his
discharge papers is plain, Bentheim is an
artist, and this is the vocation given in his
discharge papers, and at the time of his
discharge his regiment was in Cuba Since
he left the service of the United States he
has been travelling over the south, and, IS
at present on his way from Montgomery to
Washington, where he says he will visit
the sculptor, Trentanove.
Wishes No Notoriety
Bentheim says he has no interest in the
matter and wishes no notoriety. His name
was given only at the last minute and I'M
der pressure. His story was not told with
that eyeness denoting rehearsal but came
in snatches, and much that had no direct
bearing on the subject was given, showing
him to be fully acquainted with the cities
of Germany and the French capital. He
says that although he has known these
things for long time, he has never made
public the information of which he is pos
sessed.
This is his story:
81 was born in Denver, Colo, and am
nearly So years of age. When quite young
I was sent to Paris to be educated. L went
to several countries on the continent pur-
suing my studies, and finally to Germany
Here was employed for about four hours
each day as translator of documents and
map engraver by the government, and was
in the headquarters of the great staff at
Koniggratzer Strasse, Berlin.
Translated Important Papers
During my service there I several times
translated papers bearing information con-
corning French fortifications, arsenals war
supplies and land plans, and knew all those
concerned in the purchase of this informa-
tion The obtaining of intelligence regard
ing the French army and navy was oper-
ated by the secret service department of
the imperial ministry of marine. This bu-
reau was at one time under the control of
Prince Bismarck and Herr Won Moltke.
The Germans in Paris were always ON the
alert for information. When document
was obtained from the office of the min
iste' of marine or the war department in
Paris 1t was taken to Prince Heinrich
Hans Pless, the German representative in
Paris. Through him 1t went to the house
of one of his sweethearts, where a copy