The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-05
Sensational story Told by Charles +.
BIenthefm. Once a Translator OF
Documents for the German Army.
An UNDERGROUND SYSTEM"
THAT WAS WORKED BY CONNIvANCE
OF AN AMERICAN CONSUL
Information Gained by German Spies
Sent to Berlin Under Cover of
the United States Seal.

ATLANTA. Ga, Sept. 4.-The gentleman
who claims to know how the French War
Office secrets reached Germany and the
names Of those instrumental in their trans
fer 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
OF Thursday night was gone over and sub
Stimulated as far as possible and much in
formation tending to amplify and elucidate
statements thereon was obtained. The adj
ditional and highly interesting information
was ELECTED that the letter heads, envelopes
and consular seals of the United States
government We're used as a safeguard in
transmitting the French War Office docu
ments from that country to Germany, and
also that one of the chief actors in the
underground system at the time of the
traffic in French War Office merchandise
was going on held the position of United
States vice consul in little German city.
The informant gives his name as Charles
+. Bentheim, and his discharge papers,
which arc regular and duly signed, show
that he was a private in Company NJ, Two
hundred-and-second New York Volunteers,
during the war with Spain. He was, he
says, not at company drill over ten times,
but was put in the commissary department
and later transferred to the headquarters
division. where he became brigade clerk.
He accompanied the Northumberland
ond New York to Cuba, and in addition to
duty as brigade clerk was called on to
perform the duties of stenographer at the
courts-martial held from time to time at
Pinar del Rio, where the New York regi-
ment was stationed. The paper to the adj
jutant generals office in Washington rec
ommending his discharge is signed by Will
liam Z. Horton, assistant adjutant general,
and came from Gen. William c. oates. bril-
gade commander The stamps of different
railway companies from which he obtained
half-rate transportation on his discharge
papers are plain. Bentheim is an artist
and this is the vocation given in his dis
charge papers. Since he left the service
of the United States he has been travelling
over the South and is at present on his
way from Montgomery to Washington,
where, he says, he will visit Sculptor
Trentanove. Bentheim says he has no in
terest in the matter and wished no notori-
ETY.. His name was given only at the last
minute and under pressure. His story was
not told with that evenness denoting re-
hearsal, and his conversation shows that
he is fully acquainted with the cities of
Germany and the French capital. He says
that although he has known the things
for long time he has never made public
the information of which he is possessed.
BENTHEIMS STORY.
This Is Bentheims story: II was born in
Denver, Col, and am thirty-six years of
age. When quite young / was sent to Paris
to be educated. l went to several countries
on the continent, pursuing my studies, and
finally to Germany. Here 1 was employed
for about four hours each day as a trans
lator of documents and map engraver by
the government, and was in the headquar-
ters of the great staff at KoniggratZer-
strasse, Berlin. During my service there
several times translated papers bearing in
formation concerning French Notifications,
arsenals, warships and land plans, and knew
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
for 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 the
alert for information. When a document
was obtained from the office of minister of
marine the War Department in Paris 1t
was taken TO Prince Heinrich Hans Pless,
the German representative in Paris.
Through him it went to the house of one
Of his sweethearts. where a copy was made.
A few hours later the original paper was
returned to the Office from whence 1t came.
The next move was 10 get these papers TO
Berlin. Herr Franz, a toy manufacturer 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 drawings and descriptive notes
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 To-
Gated. He was Herr Lindau. at that time
partner in some mining operations being
carried on there. Lndau performed 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, L recollect, a document Of
this nature was brought in by the burgo-
master of Leipsc, whose name 1 cannot
recall Herr Alvin Florschuetz. a bank di-
rector of Sonneburg, was also in the
scheme.
about this time. by the way" said Mr..
Bentheim, Herr FlorschuetZ was recon-
mended by the German government to the
United States as vice consul for this coun-
try at Sonneburg. He was accepted, and
after, on being allowed money for clerk
hire, put his wife. Lima, in that position,
giving her name on the reports as Il. Flor
schuetz All the time this traffic in War
Office merchandise as IL was known, was
going on Herr FlorschuetZ was vice consul
of the United States"
WAS the doll plan the only one adopted
as means of communication between the
two couEtries?"
USED CONSULAR ENVELOPES.
"Oh. no. replied Mr. Bentheim: several
times received documents of this kind in
the regular United States consul envelope
1 remember il distinctly. 1t was a large,
white envelope. with the usual official bust
ness only and something about a penalty
on 1t and sealed on back with a paper seal
The seal was about the size of half-dollar
and had serrated border TO it, The eagle
was the center figure, and above IL i'm a
semi-circle was the words. U. 8. Consul
ate On the other half of the circle and
below the eagle. was the single word Son.
neburg. There was. of course, considerable
correspondence going on between these few
people regarding the War Office traffic. and
this was always done on letterheads bearing
the one-line inscription, United States Con-
sulate. Sonneburg.
Nearly all the descriptions of war ves-
sells. new inventions, armor plate. under
ground mines. Notifications, etc, were on
letterheads bearing the inscription. Minis
ter de la Marine, Paris or Minister de Ia
Guerre, Paris Whenever Frigate Captain
Sigl, who was In charge of this work at Rer-
lin f~fx 49,