The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1915-12-24
NATION WIDE ARMS PLOT
EXPOSED BY ARRESTS
Alleged Head Of German Secret Ser
vice in This Country and Others
Apprehended.
BY Associated Press

l
conspiring to blow up the Welland
Canal, Federal officers asserted they
had in their hands the clew to a
countrywide conspiracy to blow up
munitions plants which already has
resulted in the loss of many lives and
destruction of millions of dollars
worth Of property.
For several years Koenig has been
the head of the detective force en-
ployed here by the Hamberg-Ameri-
can Steamship Company. The COM
pany, which is subsidized by the
German government, was quick to
come to his aid, and through local
surety concern supplied $4,000 bail
for him and 100000 bail for Leyen-
decker.
Bank Clerk Confesses
The arrest of Koenig and Leyen-
decker was coincident with the ar
rest by county authorities of Freder-
lex Scheindl, a clerk in the National
City Bank. Scheidel, detectives as
serted, confessed regarding shipment
of munitions to the Allies. This in
formation was obtained through tel
egrams and letters received by the
National City Bank, which has had
prominent part in the purchasing
in this country of supplies for the
Allies. Shielded said he received S25
a week from Koenig, police added.
Scheidel told the police that he is a
German reservist and that he acted
solely from patriotic motives.
Scheidel was arraigned before a
Police Magistrate on an affidavit
charging him with suspicion in the
larceny of documents and messages
valued at 100000 from the National
City Bank. He was held in $4,000
bail for hearing Monday.
Gave News of Shipments
These secrets include important
documents, cablegrams and informa-
ton concerning the departure and ar
rival Of munitions-carrying steam
ships leaving this port Working from
the Bank, he obtained inventories of
the munitions cargoes and impaired
this to German agents.
When arrested, the police found in
his pockets telegram relating to a
100000 rifles to the Allies.
eve knew" said one of the bank
directors, shat one Of the documents
taken and placed in the hands of Koe-
mig described exactly the shipment in
No. 2 hold of the steamer Minnehaha
which was set afre by an explosion
in midocean."
The Minnehaha was one of the YES
sells carrying great cargo of valu-
able equipment to the Allies. 1t left
this port July /. When the steam
ship was several days out, on July
A, terrific explosion took place. The
vessel was set on fire and was COM
PEELED to put about to Halifax.
Another to Turn States Evidence.
Important evidence regarding Koe-
nig's activities is understood to have
Koenig and Leyendecker. Metzler
who was arrested in connection with
Koenig and Yeyendecker. Metzler
also was employed by the Hamberg-
American Line and acted as stenogra-
pher to Koenig. He was to have been
arraigned with his chief and Leyen-
decker, but at the last moment it was
, announced by Assistant United States
Attorney Wood, who is in charge of
the case, that Metzler would not APP
pear.
Later high Federal official admit
ted that Metzler had offered to turn
States evidence and already had sup
piled the government with much val
liable information.
Germans Seek to Free Metzler
AS soon as it was known that Metz
Ter would not be arraigned two attor-
neys, acting for the Hamberg-Ameri-
can Line, went to the Federal author
tiles and asked permission to see him.
This request was refused. The at
torneys then offered any amount Of
bail to obtain Metzler's liberty This
offer also was refused. Metzler, who
had been examined at police head
quarters during the night, was taken
away early today and no information
would be vouchsafed as to where he
was being held.
Another man held by the Federal
authorities as a material witness
against Koenig was George Fuchs,
about whose identity the utmost Sc
crecy was observed. Fuchs vas taken
into custody, but was not formally
arrested and no gerahcwaTAOIN
arrested and no charge was made
against him. It was reported at the
Federal building today that he was