The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-01
GERMAN SPIES GET
INTO US. MAIL BAGS
Embassy Letters to Agents Of
Allies Are Opened and
Read i'm Transit.
INSPECTORS SEEK LEAK

lie was learned yesterday that Ger
man secret agents have developed a sys-
tenn by Inch they have been able to get
q glimpse OF innumerable letters In ran
sit In The United States mails from many
of the embassies in Washington to rep
resentatives and consular officers In this
city,
Inquiry mas been made by the Post
Once inspectors. by secret service agents
and by special INVESTIGATORS OF tho De-
partment az Justice to ascertain the
manner in which many letters have been
opened, their contents noted and re-
ported to certain herman representa-
tives in This cry. Thus far the search
has been ~unavaillng otherwise. with
out doubt. tho culprits would have been
arrested. for the penalty is not more
thar five years In prison and a fine or
$4,000 for each offence.
The extent to whiCh the Germans have
gone in their efforts to get Information
as to what IN, representatives OF the
Allies are doing In this country has
beer such that o the Frehch. Russian.
British and Italian Embassies in Wash
llElOn are N'llI'tti'N " "
In sending communications 10 official
bureaus in this city and In getting let
ters from them. Likewise they have
messengers on practically every fast
sailing steamship carrying cumrnunica-
lions to their home Governments.
II was learned yesterday that letters
from the French Embassy In washing
ton 20 this city and others from other
embassies have been opened and then
crudely sealed. In some Instances the
letters have been soaked in oil to give
the impression that they had fallen on
the floor or had been In IA wreck.
The cancellation mark on the letters
in practically every instance has shown
tina, the letter owe speedily along the
routes laid out by the Post ONCE De-
partinent, and then had been promptly de-
livered. Investigation by the DEPART
mcnt. I, ~ said. has shown that the
clerks through whose hands tho letters
passed are entirely honest. The Post
Office officials lrsist that the letters
must have been opened before they got
into the hands of Uncle sam.
W. r. Cochran, head OF the local Post
Once inspectors. admitted yesterday that
he had received one complaint Of the
opening OF n letter from an official
source. lie said that a thorough in
vest!gation had been made and II had
been learned that the letter had not
been opened in this city.
The Federal Grand Jury which ia In
ycstigating the activities Of German
agents Ia New York sat again yesterday
and listened for almost an hour to testi-
mony by "A girl stenographer. For the
present the Grand Jury has dropped that
phase of the inquiry bearing on the Ger
man plans 10 start trouble for the
United States in Mexico and liz taking
up "a new phase Of the German propa-
ganda bearing apparently on the activity
OF a certain consular office In this city.
Judge Haight IN the Federal District
Court. Newark. reserved decision yester-
day on the habeas corpus proceedings
instituted IN behalf Of Pau baeche. a
defendant with Robert Fay and others
IN the conspiracy t. blow NJ muultion
ships. John =. Knox. assistant tnit-d
States District Attorney. said that II
Daech. is remove TO New York on
Monday he will move the trial of the six
men on Tuesday.