The Washington times., 1915-12-15
BOMB PLOT CHAIN
! EXTENDS OVER L.. S.
Won Papen Named in Plan to
Wreck Munitions Factories
in the West.
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page.)
the Hercules Powder Company. The
letters containing these plans were three
Smith, witness for the Government
against Baron Won Brincken, Crowley.
and Mrs. Cornell.
The name of Franz Won Papen was
brought into the investigation. Federal
officials said kilograms in the Govern
nents possession showed that the sub
tect Of the price to be paid for the de.
struotion S,rna of Of an explosive plant at
Papen.
Tells of Negotiations.
letter in which reference was made
the indictments. 1t was dated August
81. and read:
Dear s.: Your last letter. with clip,
ping. to hand today. and note what
YOU have to say. I have taken it up
with them and B. (Which Federal Of
ficials said stood for Franz Bopp. Ger
man consul general here): is awaiting
Papen) in New York. so cannot advise
you yet and will do so as soon as ! get
word from you. you might size UP the
situation in the meantime"
The last half Of the letter referred to
ARRANGEMENTS for aiding smith in OBJ
tanning from German authorities in Ger
his fathers military out n lie in
dictments and signed &c" was dated
here August IL, 1915, and contained
clipping telling of SO per cent wage
increase to employees of the Aetna
works. The letter was without punct-
uation and read:
= Z J. s. Enclosed find clipping, this hi,
,S W eSs to 2e the sscs ned aed
newspaper clippings and dispatches to
show what do you think-Ishpeminga and
outside Gary. Ind. let, me hear from
n0tI tnsr ali
In all about 300 letters and telegrams
passing between the alleged conspira-
tors are said to have been obtained by
Federal officials.
The indictments charged conspiracy to
Interfere with and destroy, commerce
with the allies and use of the mails to
incite arson, murder, and assassination.
Specific charges were made that the
three alleged plotters conspired by send
ing a letter from here August 8, to
Louis J. Smith. at the Normandie Hotel:
arson. murder, and assassination by
burning certain buildings at Aetna, Ind,
owned by the Aetna Chemical Company,
and works and buildings at Ishpeming,
Company. Of New York,
The indictments alleged that the let
ter was Of a character to incite Smith
to destroy employees in the buildings.
The conspiracy was alleged to have
had it's inception here May /. 1915. and
numerous dates and incidents and the
contents Of letters were set forth.
Paid $500 Monthly.
Smith was alleged to have been en-
ployed by the defendants at 5000 a
month to further the conspiracy on
May 8. The. following day, Crowley was
alleged to have paid Smith $3.50 to go
ton concerning the sailings Of vessels
from northern ports for Vladivostok,
Russia. and other ports of the allies:
steamers Hazel Dollar. and Talthybius.
Smith was sent two $50 money Or
ders, June l. while he was at Tacoma
and August Won Brincken. at the Pal
cording to the allegations. \ ticket to
New York was bought for him by Crow
ley June IL, 1t was alleged.
August Il the defendants were o,tnr al
Of a nature to incite Smith to burn
buildings Of the Hercules Powder Com
pany at Pineole Cal.
There were negotiations concerning
the destruction of the Pineole plant. ac-
cording to Federal officials. who said
that letters and telegroms in the posses
sion of the Government showed that
Smith fixed a price for the Job and
thatthe matter was put up" to Franz !
Won Papen. recalled military attache of
the German embassy. at Washington.
Johannes Henricks van koolbergen |
now in Canada. 1t was learned. was the !
Government depended to considerable |
degree to support the indictments.
Van Koolbergen. according to reports /
was alleged to have represented to |
agents of the defendants that Ger
man official here employed him to act |
In violation of the neutrality laws. and |
that Won Brincken. whom he knew dur |
ing the Boer war. hired him to make |
clockwork bombs In thermos bottles at |
500 bomb with bonus for each ship |
DESTROYED.
Van Koolbergen also alleged that he |
was employed to dynamite a railroad |
trestle in Canada over which supply |
trains nassed and that he was paid $3.50 !
by von Brincken and $500 by a represen- |
tative of the German government at
the German consulate for expenses |
when he produced clippings from Cana |
liam newspapers to show the trestle had
been destroyed.
He also Is said to have received 81. 80
in payment for services. Of which $3.50
went to Won Brincken. The newspaper
stories which he produced. 1t was said,
were ordered printed by officials of the
Canadian government. who were direct
ing van Koolbergen's activities in an
effort to trap the German agents in the
United States. Every detail OF the
agents meetings with German officials,
with, .corrohoratine evidence; was, al
legged in this manner to have been given
to United States officials
Van Koolbersen. 1t was stated unof-
hcially at Washington. had been 10
would be brought here under a detainer
warrant as a witness. One bomb was
delivered at the German consulate here.
according to van Koolbergen. in the
cial. who examined it and ordered more. !
Later this order was countermanded. |
with a suggestion that the agent wait
until excitement over bomb plots in
the East subsidized.