Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-09-07

GAINS " hlbN ~" viz NiiNA
mar office secrets reached Germany and
me names OF those instrumental in
E.fr transfer from France, was seen
nT,n5ay by an Associated Press re-
,,rtar All the matter given in Jewish
sentiments story was gone over and
concentrated, much of the information
tsoding to amplify the statements
therein. The additional information
was elected that letter heads, envel-
amos and consular seals of the United
statas government was used as a safe
Guard in transmitting the French war
oHce documents from that country to
Germany; 'aiso' o49es@es IKE chs@f -!s5toF"
I'm the under GROUND" system at the
time traffic in the French war office
merchandise was going on held the po-
sition of United States vice consul in a
little German city Bentheim's dis
charge Qapers show he was a private
i'm company NJ 22d New York volun
tears during the war with Spain, en-
listing August 3, SO, and accompany
ing the regiment to Cuba. Bentheim
ia an artist and since he left the service
or me lIUlLSu DldltS has ptNAI tlttN Nllh9
over the south, and at present is on
his way from Montgomery to Washing
ton. to visit Sculptor Trentanoye.
Bentheim says he has no interest in
the matter and dislikes notoriety. His
name was given only under pressure.
He said:
The obtaining of intelligence re-
gardiag the French army and navy
was operated by the secret service de-
qartmeut of the imperial ministry
of marine this bureau at one time be-
ing under the control of Prince Bis
marck and Herr Won Molke. When
document was obtained from the Office
of minister of marine or the war de-
partment in Paris it was taken to
Prince Heinrich Hans Pless, German
representative in Paris Through him
It went to the house of one of his
sweethearts where a copy was made.
A few hours later the original paper
was returned to the office from whence
it came
Bentheim reiterated his statement
about the sending of documents
through the medium of dolls dressed
in Paris. He continued: about this
time Herr FlorschuetZ was recommend
cd by the German government to the
United States as consul for this coun
try at Sonnenburg. All this time the
traffic in war Office merchandise, as 1t
was known, was going on, Herr Flors-
chuetz was vice-consul of the United
States"
Was the doll plan the only one
adopted as a means of communication
between the two countries?"
oh, no." replied Bentheim "Sey-
era. times I received documents of this
kind in regular United States con
sular envelope. 1t was large white
envelope with the usual words official
business only and sealed on the back
with a white paper seal about the size
@. half dollar An eagle was the
center figure, Above it in a semi-circle
We're the words United States consul
a.e' On the other half of the
circle below the eagle Was
the single word Sonnenburg.
Nearly an descriptions of war vessels,
new inventions, armor plate, under
ground mines, Notifications, etc, were
On letter heads bearing the inscription
'milis-re De La Marine Paris When
ever Frigate Captain Sigl, who was in
charge Of this work at Berlin, went
0u' on a scouting trip by himself ne
carried supplies of United States sta
HoDery and ! have seen information Of
.a@ kind from the French war office
come into the staff headquarters in an
envelope bearing the consular seal or
The United States government. This
Was a perfect safeguard, as nobody
would open letter with this seal on II.
F.o-ehuatz told me how he got the
Plans 81. the new marine boat Goube.
"ae Il was being built at Toulon He
landed al Toulon, went to hotel there
a1. cent a note to Nine Jansen telling
". What was wanted He then pro-
'aataa 70 Monte Carlo. Nine. Jansen
'0a wife Of a naval officer and had
" TO the arsenal az Toulon. She
Fs5aIlthe information desired and
Tas banded to Florschuetzon his re-
..'H 10 TOulOn In less than a week.
marion regarding the construction
De war vessel Gymnote, at that time
as at Cherbourg, was obtained in
me manner
sergeant I'm the naval arsenal at
ION named Thomas, at the request
woman purloined a drawing which
clearly the inside of the fortress
..a TIE location Of the submarine
% the harbor. This information
.'R went to Esterhazy, but it took
dozen women to get it 70 him
s1i0nage system was such
Hermany was ldyised 81
meeting Of IN boards
with any arsenal or forti-
often q report on the test Of
INVENTION would be IN the hands
German government before IL
ae ministry of war fl Paris
This time 7 never heard OF
v'us and ala not know
such q person until I heard