The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-09-06
LAYS 1T BARE.
Methods of the German Spy Sys-
tenn are Exposed.
An American who Spent Years in Bcr-
lin Reveals the Manner In which
German OnlcIals Found Out
the Secrets of the French
Military Service.

Atlanta, Ca. Sept. 5.-The man who
claims to know how the French war
otlice secrets reached Germany and the
names of those instrumental in their
transit from France was seen Monday
by an Atlanta representative of the
press. All the matter given in the
JEWS Sentiment story sent out in
these dispatches Thursday night was
substantiated and the added informa-
ton was ELECTED that letter heads, en-
velopes and circular 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 under
ground system held the position of
United States vice consul in little
German city. The informant gives his
name aS Chares f. Bentheim and his
discharge papers show that he was Il
private in Company NJ, Two Hundred
and Second New York volunteers, dur
ing the war with Spain.
This Is his story: II was born in
Denver. Col. and am 3G years of age.
When quite young ] was sent to Paris
to he educated ! went TO several
countries on the continent and finally
TO Germany. Here | was employed
about four hours each day as trans
lator of documents and map engraver
and was in the headquarters of the
general staff at Berlin. Daring my
service there I several times translated
papers bearing information concern
ing French fortifications, arsenals,
warships and land plans and knew all
these concerned in the purchase OF
this information.
"The Germans in Paris were always
on the alert for information. When
a document was obtained from the Of
fec Of the minister OF marine or the
war department in Paris it was taken
10 Prince piess, the German repreSen-
tative in Paris. Through him it went
to the house of one cf his swrethearts,
where copy was made. 4 few hours
later the original paper gas returned
to the Office whence il cane The
next move was TO get these papers to
Rerlin. Herr Franz, a toy maker at
Sonnenherg. Germany, aided in this.
He would send dolls TO Paris to be
dressed. In the body of these little
figures these copies of drawings and
descriptive notes were W d and start
ed on their journey to the fatheriand.
From Paris they We're sent by post to
b,,h,ooIy , viii, rn -, Ernl.,,d Har,
another agent was located. He was
Herr Lindau.
"Lindau performed his duty of re-
mailing the doll messengers to Herr
Franz, AT Sonnenberg, and once there
they were safe. From Sonnenberg
they were brought to headquarters by
Herr Franz. Once recollected
document Of this nature was brought
by tine hurgomaster of Leipsig. Herr
Alvin Florschnetz, bank director of
Sonnenberg. was also in the scheme.
About this time Herr Florschuetz was
recommended by the German govern
ment to the United States. as consul
for this country at Sonnenberg. He
was accepted, and later on being ~
lowed money for clerk hire, put his
wife, Lima. in that position. All this
time the traffic in war Office mcrchan-
disc, as ii was known. was going on
Herr Florscheut7 was vice consul of
the United States"
WAS the doll plant adopted as q
means of communication between the
two countries?
"Oh no. replied Mr.. Bentheim.
Several times | received documents
of this kind in the regular United
States cons';Ar envelope.
There waa considerable correspon-
dence going on between these people
regarding the war office and this was
always done on letter heads bearing
the inscription United States Consu-
late, Sonnenberg. Nearly all the de-
scriptiOns of war vessels, new inven-
tions. armor plate, underground
mines. Notifications, etc, We're on let
ter heads bearing the inscription Min
istre de In Marine, Paris or 'Ministre
de Ia Guerre. Paris. Whenever Capt. |
Sirl. who was in charge of this work
at Berlin. went out on a scouting trip
by himself he carried a supply of Uni
ted States stationery and | have seen
information of this kind from the
French war Office come into the staff
headouarterS in an envelope bearing
the consular seal Of the United States
government. This You will know wns
a safeguard. as nobody would open
letter with this seal on il.
Il will tell you how Florscheutz got
the plans of the new submarine boat
Goubel, while it was being built at
Toulon. Florschcut7 told me this him
self in Berlin Il week or two after he
returned from the expedition. He
landed at Toulon and went to hotel. |
Here he sent a note to Madame JAMS
sen, telling her what he wanted. and
then proceeded to Monte Carlo. II was
that il there was any trouble
over the work, word would be sent
him. Madame lansSen is the wife of
a naval officer and had the entire TO
the arsenal at Toulon. She secured
all the information desired and it was
handed to Florscheutz on his return
TO Toulon in less shan one week.
Often report on the test of new
would he in the hands of the
German government before it reached
the ministry of war in Paris During
all this time I never heard of Capt.
Dreyfus, and did not know there was
such a person until heard of his ar
rest"
Seven Drowned.
Halifax, n. s., Sept. 5.--A sail bout
was sunk last night near the mouth Of