The Anaconda standard., 1899-09-07
He HAS THE EVIDENCE
Bentheim Insists on the Truth Of
His Story.
AS CONFIDENTIAL AGENT
or the German Secret Service Flor
schultz Used His Official Position
to Further His Schemes-De-
scribes the Documents.

| Atlanta, Ga, Sept. 6.-Charles E. Ben
tative of the associated press the abso-
lutte truth of his statement involving
| Vice Consul Florschultz in the German
| secret service work between Berlin and
| Paris.
"Of course Florschultz will deny
| this" said Bentheim, but it can be
easily fastened upon him. The point
in the investigation is really this--to in
quire in the right direction. There is
no use going to Florschultz about this
thing. He will naturally deny it and
the rage of the Germans will turn on us.
If Florschultz denies his connection
with this matter, let this question be
put to him:
g For what purpose did Florschultz
hand over to me (Bentheim) a money
order calling for 1900 marks, signed
by the emperor
What the honorable secretary of
state, Mr.. Hay, says about the vice con-
sui beginning in 1888, is correct. The
German government wanted him made
consul, but this position he was not al
lowed to fill because he was a German.
l do not know positively that he was
cashier of the bank al Sonneberg. He
was a director; Franz was a director,
and his bank often figured in the han
ding of secret service funds, as l have
told you. will be willing to respectful
ly submit to the honorable secretary of
state the direction in which to look for
convincing evidence of all that l charge.
l say again: FlorschultZ was using his
official position as vice and deputy con-
sui to aid the German secret service in
obtaining information from France.
He placed his services at the dis
posal of the German secret service and
between the years 1890 and 1894 he was
actively engaged as confidential agent
of the secret service. Let the secretary
of state request the American ambassa-
dor in London to get permission from
the commissioner of postotfices in Lon
don and go to the village of Holmroe
and examine the postoffice records there
which are not destroyed. Evidence
there in black and white will show the
truth of every assertion have made"
What course do you suggest for the
securing of information regarding the
German branch of this service?'
'It would be manifestly impolitic to
make that public. AS / say, l am
willing to respectfully submit any sug
gestion to an accredited representative
of the United States government re-
garding a way in which this matter
may be ferreted out. Once our hand
is shown the German government will
effectually destroy every bit of evidence
which will yet confirm what I say.
while it will be difficult to prove
from physical evidence furnished by the
papers themselves that the letter heads
and envelopes were used by Florschultz,
because the papers are in the secret
archives in the war office in Berlin, con-
siderable evidence can be secured.
IF it can be proved that between 1890
and 1894 Florschultz was engaged in
the purchase of French war office mer-
chandise the presumption that he pros
tituted his office will be strong. Flor
schultz handled the German secret
service money in this matter. I can
give dates and details regarding the
handling of the money"
Bentheim was pressed further for his
recollection of the appearance of the
documents from the French war office
as they reached him.
Il can recall many of them,' he said,
land I think If 1 We're to put myself to
it l could write you a description of
the war vessel as handled by me. You
know at the top of the sheet describing
a certain boat would be the word Rap
port This would be UNDERSIGNED and
on a line by itself under this was gen.
orally written: Upon the, experiments
made with Goubet submarine boat
Here would follow the mode of con-
struction and method of maneuvering
the boat. over at the left hand side of
the paper on the border, say two inches,
was clear. This was used for comments
on the matter in the report. For in
stance, such notes as Gould not get
models Minimum 1000 would be
seen. These comments were found in
the description of the subamrine boat
Goubet. One case where the informa-
tion was not complete this paper would
be taken by Sigl, who would write in
this border, 1000. 5000, 100000 This
meant marks and was to be used In
procuring further details. This showed
what the German government was will
| ing to pay for ii ;"