Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-06

ATLANTA, Ca, September 5.-A
man who says he knows how the
French war office secrets reached Ger
many, and the names of those instru-
mental in their transfer from France,
was seen here by the representative of
the Associated Press The informant
gives his name as Charles E. Bentheim.
and his discharge papers show that he
was private in company NJ, Two Hun
dred and Second New York volunteers,
during the war with Spain. Bentheim
is am artist, and this is the vocation
given in his discharge papers. Since
he left the service of the United States
he has been travelling over the South.
This is his story:
Il was born in Denver, Colo, and
am sc years of age. When quite young
| was sent to Paris to be educated. |
went to several countries or the con-
tinent pursuing my studies, and finally
to Germany. Here | was employed
about four hours each day as a trans
lator of documents and map engraver
in the headquarters of the general staff
at Berlin. During my service there |
several times translated papers bearing
information concerning French fortifi-
cations, arsenals, warships and land
plans, and knew all those concerned in
the purchase of this information.
"The Germans in Paris were always
on the alert for information. When
document was obtained from the office
of the minister of marine, or the war
department in Paris. it was taken to
Prince Heinrich Hans Plesse, the Ger
man representative in Paris. Through
him it went 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 it came.
The next move was to get these papers
to Berlin. Herr Franz, a toy manu-
facturer at Sonneburg, Germany, aided
in this. He would send dolls to Paris
to be dressed. In the body of these
little playthings these copies of draw
ings and descriptive notes were sewed
and started on their journey to the
fatherland. From Paris they were sent
by post to Holmrook, a village in Eng
hand. Here another agent was located.
He was Herr Lindau. Lindau per-
formed his duty by renting the doll
messengers to Herr Franz at Some
burg, and once there they were safe.
From Sonneburg they were brought to
the headquarters by Herr Franz.
about this time by the way, Herr
Florschuetz was recommended by the
German government to the United
States as CONSUL for this country at
Sonneburg. He was accepted and lat
er, on being allowed money for clerk
hire, put his wife Lima in that position,
giving her name on the reports as l..
Florsehuetz. All this time the traffic
in war office merchandise as it was
known, was going on, Herr Florschuetz
was vice consul of the United States.
Several times l received French doc
uments in the regular United States
consular envelope. 1t was a large
white envelope, with the usual Official
Business Only, and something about
penalty on it and sealed on the back
with white paper seal about the size
of a half-doliar and had a serrated
border on it. The eagle was the cen
ter figure and above it, In a semi-cir-
Gle, were the words United States Con-
sulate.' On the other half of the circle
and below the eagle was the single
word, 'Sonneburg. There was, Of
course, considerable CORES ondence
going On between these few people re-
garding the war Office traffic, and this
was always done on the letterheads
bearing the one-line inscription, Unit
ed States Consulate, Sonneburg'
Nearly all the descriptions of war yes
sells, new inventions. armor plate, I'M
foreground mines. fortifications, etc,
were on the letter heads bearing the
inscription, 'Afinistre de Ia Marine,
Paris. or 'Ministre de la Guerre, Paris
Whenever Frigate Capt. Sigl, who
was in charge of this work at Berlin.
went on a scouting trip by himself he
carried a supply of United States sta
tionery, and I have seen information
of this kind from the French war Of
fee come into the staff headquarters
in an envelope bearing the consular
seal Of the United States government
This was a safeguard. as nobody
would open letter with this seal on it.
Florchuetz, however. did more travel
ing from Germany into France than
either Sigl or Franz. and he always had
some Of this paper in his satchei. Flor
schuetz got the plans for the new sub
marine boat Goubel while It was being
built at TouIon. lie landed at Toulon
and went to a hotel Here be sent
note TO Nine Jansen. telling her what
he wanted, and then proceeded TO
Monte Carlo for day or two at the
tables Nine. Jansen is the wife Of a
naval officer and had the entire to the