The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-10-27
GERMAN OFFICER
VIOLATES j. s. LAW
MEN CHARGED WITH CONSPIR-
ING TO VIOLATE U. S. GRIM
INAL CODE.

New York, Oct. 25.-Details of a
plot to hamper the shipment of NUM-
tions of war to the Allies by placing
clock worked bombs on the rudders
or propellers of ships, so timed that
the ships would be disabled on their
way across the Atlantic, were disclos-
ed today in the confession of one of
five men charged in a complaint filed
with United States commissioner
with conspiracy to violate a federal
statute.
Following upon the confession of
Robert Fay, lieutenant of the 18th
Saxony infantry who said he came to
this country last April through an
agreement with the German secret
service to blow up or delay steamers
laden with war supplies for the Allies.
VIM. J. Flynn, chief of the secret SER
vice tonight flied before United States
Commissioner Houghton complaint
in which, not only Fay, but four other
men are charged with promoting the
conspiracy. The hearing on the fed
eral charge was set for November 4.
Fay confessed that when on the
battlefield he talked with his superior
officers about a device to blow up
ships, that later his idea of coming to
America and carrying his scheme
through was well received by the
German secret service, that he came
well enough supplied with money to
act on his own responsibility and that
he talked with Capt, Won Papen, mill
tary attache and Capt. K. Boy-Ed,
naval .attache of the German embassy
about the pls1 but they had refused
to have anything to do with it.
The confession of Fay who said he
had been decorated with the iron
cross for fighting in France, covers
his arrival in the United States on
April % last, his making of clock
worked bombs since and his experi-
menting with explosives along the
Hudson river. Quantities Of acid In
the room occupied by Fay, and Wal.
ter L. Scholz in Weehawken, N. j.
and boxes containing chlorate Of pot
ash, used in making bombs, in a boat
house on the Hudson, had been found
after the arrest Of these men Sum
day. Scholtz brother-in-law Of Fay,
is mechanic.
Two other men were arrested and
another, making the fifth, was named
in the complaint, but he had not
been apprehended. The new arrests
were: Paul Daeche, Jersey City, who
said he. was a. graduate Of Cologne
University and came to the United
States in 1912; DIR. Herbert Kienzie,
% years old, manager Of a clock COM
pany, charged whit having aided In
procuring explosive materials used by
Fay, committed to the Tombs for ex-
animation on November 4; Max Brei-
tung, about whose identity no details
were disclosed also was named in the
complaint as one of the conspirators.
It was stated that Breitung had not
been apprehended.
In his complaint to Commissioner
Houghton, Chief Flynn stated that
Paul Siebs, formerly of the German
army, had become government wit
ness. 1t was set forth that Siebs had
received money from Fay and Brei-
tung for chlorate of potash, said to
have been part of the material found
by detectives in the boat house.
The men are charged with con-
spring to violate a section of the
United States criminal code which
says:
"Whoever upon the high seas or in
any other waters within the admiral
ty and maritime jurisdiction of the
United States by surprise or by open
force maliciously attacks or sets upon
any vessels belonging to another with
an intent unlawfully to plunder the
same or to despoil any owner thereof
of any moneys, goods or merchandise
laden on board thereof shall be fin