The San Francisco call., 1899-09-05
|GERMANYS BIG DEALS IN
FRENCH ARMY SECRETS
American Consul Alleged to Have Acted as
the Go-BetWeen in the Purchase of
Information,

4 TLANTA, Ca, Sept. 4-The gen
~ tleman who claimed to know how
~ the French War Office secrets
L 4 reached Germany and the names
Of those instrumental in their
transfer from France was seen to-day
by the Atlanta representative Of the
Associated Press. All the matter given
in the Jewish sentiment story sent out
in these dispatches Thursday night was
gone over and substantiated as far as
possible, and much information tend
ing to amplify and elucidate state
ments made there was obtained. The
additional and highly interesting infor-
nation was elected that the letter
heads, envelopes and consular seals of
the United States Government were
used as safeguard in transmitting the
French War Office documents from that
country to Germany, and also that one
of the chief actors IN the under
ground" system at the time the traffic
In French War Office merchandise was
going on held the position Of United
States Vice Consul in a little German
city.
The informant gives his name as
Charles E. Bentheim, and his discharge
papers. which are regular and duly
signed, show that he was private In
Company NJ, Two Hundred and Second
New York Volunteers, during the war
with Spain. He was, he says, not at
camp drill over ten minutes, but was
put into the commissary department
and later transferred to the head
quarters division, where he became
brigade clerk. He accompanied the
Two Hundred and Second New York
to Cuba, and in addition to duty as
brigade clerk was called upon to per
form the duties of stenographer at the
court-martials held from time 10 tlme
at Pinar del Rio, where the New YORK
regiment was stationed. The paper
to the adjutant generals once IN
WASHINGTON recommending his dis
charge is signed by William E. Horton,
assistant adjutant general, and came
from General William G. Oates, br!-
gade commander. The stamps of dif-
ferent railway companies from Whlch
he obtained half-rate transportation on
his discharge papers are plain. Ben
theim is an artist and this is the aVoca-
ton given in his discharge papers.
Since he left the service of the United
States he has been travelling over the
South and is at present on MS way
from Montgomery to Washington,
where he says he will visit the sculptor
Trentanove. Bentheim says he has no
interest IN the matter and wished no
notoriety. His name was given only
at the last minute and under pressure.
His story was not told with that even
ness denoting rehearsal, and his con-
versation shows that he is fully ac-
quainted with the cities of Germany
and the French capital. He says that
although he has known these things
for a long time, he has never made pub
lie the information of which he is pos
sessed This is the story
I was born in Denver, Colo, and am 36
years of age. When quite young l was
sent to Paris to be educated. 1 went to
suing my studies, and finally to Germany
Here I was employed about four years,
each day as a translator Of documents
and map engraver by the Government,
and was in the headquarters Of the gen
eral staff at ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, Berlin.
During my service there several times
concerning French fortifcations, arsenals,
warships and land plans, and know all
those concerned in the purchase OF this
information. The obtaining of Intelligence
regarding the French army and navy was
operated by the secret service department
Of the Imperial Ministry of Marine. This
bureau 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 docu-
ment was obtained from the office of the
Minister of Marine or the War Depart
ment in Paris It was taken to Prince
Heinrach Hans Pless, the German repre-
to the house of one of his sweethearts,
where copy was made. A few hours
later the original paper was returned to
the office whence 1t came.
The next move was to get these papers
to Berlin. Herr Franz, a toy manufaC
turer at Sonneburgi Germany, aided in
dressed. In the body Of these little play
things these copies of drawings and de-
scriptions were securely sewed and started
on their journey to the Fatherland From
Paris they were sent by post to Holmrook.
a village in England. Here another agent
was located. He was Herr Lindau, at
that time a partner in some mining opera
tions being carried on there. Lindau per
formed his duty by remailing the doll
messengers to Herr Franz at Sonneburg,
and once there they were safe. From
Sonneburg they were brought to the great
headquarters by Herr Franz. Once, rec
ollect a document of this nature was
whose name L cannot recall. Herr Alvin
F'lorschuetz a bank director of Some
burg, was also in the scheme.
F1orschuetz was recommended by the
German Government as Consul for this
country at Sonneburg. He was accepted,
hire, put his wife, Lima, in that position,
giving her name on the reports as L.
fIorschuetz. All the time that the traffic
in war Office merchandise" as 1t was
known, was going on Herr Florschuetz
was Vice Consul of the United States
WAS the doll plan the only one
adopted as a means Of communication
between the two countries?" was asked.
Bentheim replied:
Oh, no. Several times 1 received docu-
ments of this kind in the regular United
States Consular envelopes. L remember
IL distinctly. 1t was a large white en-
velope with the usual Official business
only and something about penalty on
il and sealed on the back with a white
paper seal about the size of a half dol
lar and had a serrated border on it. The
eagle was the center figure and above 1t
In a semlcircle were the words United
States Consulate" On the other half of
the circle and below the eagle was the
single word "Sonneburg." There was of
course considerable correspondence going
on between those few people regarding
the War Office traffic, and this was
always done on the letterheads bearing
the one line inscription United States
Consulate, Sonneburg." Nearly all the
descriptions of war vessels, new inven-
tions, armor plate, underground mines,
fortifications, etc, We're on letterheads
bearing the inscription "Ministre de la
Marine, Paris" or "Ministre de la
Guerre, Paris"
Whenever Frigate Captain Sigl, who
IN, OH Of this work Berlin