The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-05
Sc TWO people regarding the war office

these two people regarding the war office
traffic, and 1t was always done on letter
heads bearing the one-l1ne inscription,
United States consulate, Sonneberg.'
All the latest inventions, armor plate,
underground mines and Notifications de-
scriptiOns were on letter heads bearing
the inscription 'Ministere de la Marine,
Paris or 'Ministere de Ia Guerre, Paris.
Il will cite another case to show how
easily anything that Germany wanted
could be obtained. A sergeant in the ma
val arsenal at Toulon, Thomas by name,
at the request of one or other of the
women skirmishing around there at that
time, purloined a drawing which showed
clearly the inside Of the fortress, with the
location of the submarine mines in the
harbor. This document went to Esterha-
Zy, but it took about half dozen women
to get 1t to him This drawing was cop
led at the home of one Of Prince Pless'
sweethearts, and the original drawing re-
turned, two days later, to Toulon. Thom-
as was found out in this matter, howev-
er, and is now in prison. The espionage
system was such that Germany was ad-
vised of the meeting of all boards con-
nected with any arsenal or fortihcauon.
For instance, If a new gun was to be
tried, a German agent would be lettering
near the testing place, and remember
on one occasion when an experiment OF
this kind was concluded, rough sketch
of the results was handed the German
agent before the officers left the grounds.
This was sent post haste to Germany.
Often a report on the test of new IN
vention would be in the hands OF the
German government before 1t reached the
ministry of war in Paris. This caused
MANY laughs in the office at staff head
quarters During all this time l never
heard of Capt. Dreyfus, and did not Know
there was such a person until l heard
of his arrest"
HANDLING OF MONEY.
Mr. Bentheim was asked who handled
the money for the maintenance OF thls
Information bureau. His reply was:
"Capt. sigl handed all money for TINS
,narchandise. as they termed 1t, to Herr
Floreschuetz. Emperor William old not'
of course. have any direct dealings WIN
those who did the work. or know Where
the money went. The money was pald
from the secret service fund or the MIN
istrv of marine, and 1 can recollect no"
that $4,000. or its equivalent In German
money. passed into the hands OF Flores
chuetz and Franz, and some money was
Maid them personally in the war office In
Berlin. This money went into the hands
of the workers. through postofhce IN
the American quarter Of Paris. Every
etx months remittances are made anony-
mously to the Baroness de Delden,
through the Credit Lyonnais IN Paris.
The bank is entirely innocent of the pur-
pose for which the money Is pald, ana
the record will corrobOrate this state
ment. Baroness de Delden was the
sweetheart of Prince Henry Pless, but
later transferred her affections to Ester
hazv. She is the 'veiled lady of the
Rennes court-martial.
Mr.. Bentheim was questioned as to his
reason for leaving Germany, and his re-
ply was to the effect that a quarrel with
the emperor over another matter caused
it. He was arrested and placed in the
fortress at Potsdam.
"At that time" he continued, II did
not have my passports on my person, but
sent word to Chapman Coleman, then
secretary of the embassy at Berlin, who
came quickly to my assistance, and, 1t be-
ing proved that l was an American citi-
zen. I was released, and soon after left
the country. Mr.. Coleman will confirm
what I have said
Mr.. Bentheim said he arrived in New
York from Berlin late in April, 1893. There
was plenty of war talk then, and he en-
listed, on Aug. Of that year, in the
Two Hundred and Second New York regi-
ment.
In conclusion Bentheim said: II will
go with you before a notary public and
swear that everything 1 have told you
is the truth, or will swear in similar
way to any United States officer, or a
member of the German embassy. The
story Is absolutely true, and you are at
liberty to communicate with any of the
persons I have mentioned, in an effort
at confederation" i"