New-York tribune., 1908-03-06
TORPEDO MAN TAKEN.
STOLEN DESIGN FOUND.
l1ttemp to ScU Secrets to Foreign
P0.cers, Police Say.

The disclosure of a plot to dispose of i'm
portant secrets of the War Department OF the
United States government to foreign powers
was made last night when William Esser was
arrested at his home, Lenox road and Albany
avenue. BROOKLYN, by Central Office detectives
The complaint against the man was maze py
Louis Conrad, a representative Of the L w
Bliss company, manufacturers OF pIoJec'ueo
for the United States.
F,sser is fortv-eight years old. About eighteen
months ago he purchased four lots in F1atbush
and prepared to erect building thereon he
put up a temporary frame structure, one Story
high in the rear of the property The pulldlhs
contains four rooms-one machine shop ana
the other three living rooms, where he has been
dwelling with his wife, son and daughter. The
charge against Esser is that he has been sys-
tematicaNy robbing the Bliss company, which
has a plant at Adams and Plymouth streets
and one at 53d street and the river front. The
latter plant is known as the United States
Projectile Company
Esser is accused of stealing the brass models
of the principal parts Of the projectileS which
the company is manufacturing exclusively for
the government under a contract calling for
100000 worth of torpedoes. The investisa-
ton which led to the mans arrest was started
by detective in the employ Of the Bliss COM
pany.
Acting Captain August kuhne, of the detective
squad at Police Headquarters, said after the ar
rest that the prisoner had been negotiating with
several foreign nations, more particularly with
Germany, for the sale of the torpedo designs.
also Of designs of other projecteS made by the
Bliss company exclusively for the United States
According to Captain Kuhne, a letter to E5ser
from the German Naval Department declined to
bother with the torpedo designs, but expressed
a desire to get any other designs that he might
have When arrested the man was found clean
ing revolver. He had in his possession let
ter written in German advising him to go into
hiding as quickly as possible, as the police
on his trail. The letter is dated March and is
written on the letterhead of a steamship COM
pany with offices in Manhattan The police re-
fused to dvulge the contents of the letters found
in Esser's possession, but they declared that
they show that the prisoner was negotiating
with many foreign governments.
Esser came to this country from Cologne Ger
many in 1902, on a steamer Of the Red Star
Line. He says he is master mechanic. When
arrested he had only $50 on his person.
He obtained employment with the Bliss com
pany in 1904 and stayed with the concern for
two years Suspicion was attracted to him by
sales of. dies which he began to make soon after
at a price way below their cost. Esser has
son. William Esser, twenty-six years old, who
worked for the Bliss company in 1907. After
three months he left and went to live with a
brother and a sister who make their home in
Manhattan
The machine shop well equipped and
contained a gas engine and four lathes and
other machines. The brass models Of the tor
pedoes were found after long search in boxes
hidden beneath rubbish in the loft of the struct-
ure. A large quantity of expensive tools. owned
by the Bliss company and apparently appro
nriated by Esser, were also discovered. Some
still wore the firms name. while it filed
off others The police cannot account for his
ability TO carry away uuaided so much heavy
material from the companys shops. Esser is
supposed to have a number Of confederates,
and other arrests are expected to follow.
Esser was locked up in the adams street
police station and will be arraigned in the
Adams street court this morning on the charge
of grand larceny. The federal authorities, it
was said last night, may also take cognizance
of the matter.