Evening star., 1915-06-06
German Spy, Captured in Lon
don, Confesses, Then At
tempts Suicide.
ROBERT ROSENTHAL TELLS
OF Won PREIGER'S ACTS
Says Chief Of Teutonic Secret Serv-
ice Has Dies to Reproduce
United States Seal.
Special csblegram to The Star.

Special csblegram to The star.
LONDON. June 5.-Capt. Won Preiger
Of the German admiralty office. who is
head of the German spy system at Ber-
lin. has a perfect equipment for manu-
featuring fraudulent American pass
ports. according to a startling confess
under arrest on a charge of espionage.
Rosenthars confession was made to
the military authorities in London. II
Is the first definite confirmation OF a
suspicion long held here that fraudu-
lent American passports had actually
been issued by some one acting under
authority Of the German government.
The confession leaves no room for
doubt regarding the accuracy OF the
information. His explanation is thor
oughly definite and detailed in all facts
The information thus placed in the
hands of the military authorities has
been communicated to the American
embassy and already has been trans
mitted to Washington.
There is little doubt but that Lody
had a stolen passport obtained from
Capt. Won Preiger's agency. Rosen-
thai himself was equipped with an
emergency passport issued in Berlin
at the beginning of the war. He pre-
tended with great assurance when ar
rested that he was an American citizen
travelling in Europe. even mentioning
tion his activities in Berlin in assist
ing the American relief committees in
their relief OF Americans caught in
Germany. His story seemed to be
further supported by a decided Ameri-
can personality. his familiarity with
he was a travelling agent for patent
gas mantle concern. He EXPLAINED
his presence in Berlin, at The Hague,
in Copenhagen and other continental
cities satisfactorily.
Letter Betrayed Spy.
But fortunately for the English. mill
tary authorities they had intercepted q
letter sent by Rosenthal from Copen-
hagen to Capt. Won Preiger under a
name which the authorities knew Won
Preiger had been using for years. The
letter was apparently an innocent busi-
ness communication, saying that the
writer was proceeding to London to
promote the sale of the gas mantles
and hoping that business would be
good. He expected to appoint English
agents to sell the mantles.
After the letter had been produced,
with other details which the Suns cor
respondent is not at liberty to tell.
Rosenthal dramatically rose to his feet,
clicked his heels, gave a military
salute and said that the game was up.
IT confess" said he, that am a Ger
man sent here to spy by Capt Won
Preiger."
Makes Complete Confession.
He then made complete confession.
He said that he had been in England on
previous occasion for the purpose Of
spying, and that he had used the same
passport. Then came the most important
as the United States is concerned
IT was doubtful said Rosenthal,
about coming to England again, but
Capt. Won Preiger said. If you have any
fear about travelling on passport under
your own name, / can give you another
passport He then opened a safe in his
Office and took out a bundle of American
passport blanks. printed in the proper
form on the correct parchment He
showed me forged dies with which the
seal Of the United States could be re-
produced.
passport in any Name you wish-a pass
port that will pass inspection
Rosenthal explained that he ultimate
ly decided to take chance OH the
passport he had already obtained and
which he had used in England some
time before. He said that he was on
British soil with this passport when
Anton Kuepferle. a German spy, who
recently committed suicide during his
trial here, was arrested. Rosenthal was
on the point of leaving England when
he was caught.
Attempted Suicide.
After the confession he broke down
and later made a desperate attempt
to commit suicide by strangling him
self with the bed clothes. He was dis
covered in time. however, and pre-
vented.
He will be tried by a military court
martial. as will other spies in the fu-
ture.
The Suns correspondent has every
authority for stating that Rosenthars
confession. particularly the part bear
ing on Capt. Won Preigers daring use
OF fraudulent American passports, has
been entirely corroborated by uncon-
trovertible evidence. This evidence.
however, cannot be made public at this
time ~