The record-union., 1899-09-07
Insists That His Statements RaIat-
ing to Dreyfus Case,
And His Charges Against Vice Consul
FIorschuetz Are True.
Reiterates That the Latter Used
His Office for Germany, and Of
fers to Aid the Government in
Obtaining the Necessary Proof.

| ATLANTA (Ga), Sept. 6.-CharleS e.
Bentheim to-day insisted to a repre-
| sentative of the Associated Press on
the absolute truth of his statement in
volving Vice Consul Florschuetz in the
| German secret service work between
Berlin and Paris.
! "Of course, Florschuetz will deny
this" said Bentheim, but it can be
easily fastened upon him. The point
| in the investigation is to inquire in
| the right direction. There is no use go
ing to Florschuetz about this thing. He
will naturally deny it, and the rage of
the Germans will turn on US. If Flor
schuetz denies his connection with this
matter, let this question be put to
| him:
For what purpose did he hand over
to me (Bentheim) a money order call
ing for 1,500 marks signed by the En-
| peror?'
What the honorable Secretary of
State, Mr.. Hay, says about the Vice
| Consul is correct. The German Gov
ernment wanted him made Consul, but
this position he was not allowed to
| fill because he was a German. 1 do
not know positively that he was CASH
!
a director. Franz was also director
and his bank often figured in the ham
ding of secret service funds, as l have
] told you. l will be willing to respect
fully submit to the honorable Secretary
! of State the direction in which I look
for convincing evidence of all that
charge. l say again: Florschuetz was
using his official position as Vice and
/ II
cret 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 Ameri-
can ambassador in London to get per-
mission from the Commissioner Cen
eral of Postoffices in London and go to
the village of Holmroe and examine the
postoffice records which are not de-
| stroyed.
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?"
| 1T would be manifestly impolitic to
make that public. AS I say, / am
willing to respectfully submit a 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 evi-
| dence which will yet confirm what
| say.
+ while it will be difficult to prove
1 from physical evidence furnished by
| the papers themselves that the letter
| heads and envelopes were used by Flor
schuetz because the papers are in the
! secret archives in the War Office in
| Berlin, yet evidence can be secured. If
| it can be proved that between 1890 and
| 1894 Florschuetz was engaged in the
/ purchase of French War Office mer-
chandise, the presumption that he pros
! tituted his office will be strong. Flor
! schuetz handled the Germa., secret
! service money in this matter. I can
! give dates and details regarding the
handling of the money!
Blentheim was pressed further for
| his recollection of the appearance of
| the documents from the French War
| Office as they reached him.
II can recall many of them," he
said, land / think if / We're to put my
| self to it L could write you description
| of the war vessel as handled by me-
You know, at the top of the sheet de-
scribing a certain boat would be the
word Rapport This would be under
scored and on line by itself under
this was generally written: Upon the
experiments made with the 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 instance, such notes as Gould not
get models, Minimum 1000 would be
seen. These comments were found in
the description of the submarine boat
Goubet. In cases where the informa-
ton was not complete this paper would
| be taken by Sigy, who would write in
this border, 1000, 5000, 10000 This
meant marks and was to be used fn
procuring further detail This showed
what the German Government was
willing to pay for it,
WILL INVESTIGATE THE
CHARGES.
CHICAGO, Sept. Ga special to the
Times Herald from Washington
| says:
Instructions were sent to-day by
Third Assistant Secretary of State
Cridler to Oliver d. j. Hughes. Consul
of the United States at Coburg. Ger
many, to make an official Investigation
of the allegations made by Charles E.
Bentheim that Alvin Florschuetz. Vice
! Deputy Consul at the same point
transmitted French war secrets to the
Berlin Government on the official paper
and in official envelopes of the Ameri-
/ can consular service
This action was taken by direction Of
Secretary Hay after that official had
read the remarkable story told by Ben
theim in Atlanta. The general disposi-
/ tion at the State Department is To dis
believe Bentheims charges, but it is
i said that now that they have been
given publicity it is necessary to take
official notice of them
So far as could he learned thn