Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-03-03

Locked up IN tfe lOnIDS on q Charge
Of obtaining false passports. Richard
Peter Stegler, German r~eservist, who
after taking out his first natural:zar
ton papers in this country, abandon
ed his plan to go TO England as a
German spy, told how his American
wife had swerved him from his pur-
pose. Here is his story:
II was born in Germany in the
province Of Silica thirty.threa years
ago. My father is a manufacturer in
Hanover. Prussia I was brought up
q Prussian with all that that word
means. AS a young man ! went into
the navy and served my time.
Il landed in Boston four years ago
and it was not long before l became
convinced that the United States was
the: country Of all countries. l de-
cided to become am American citizen
and signifed my intention Of obtain
ing my first papers.
A Secret Organization.
Right here<l might say that there
Is in New York City a most extraor
binary organization of Germans who
are ready and willing at all times to
do secret work for their fatherlanG
when ordered they report to a
central Office and receive Instructions
There is not a ship that leaves TIN,
harbor, not a cargo that Is loaded OF
unloaded, but what some member OF
this secret association watches and
reports every detail. All this infOr.
NATION, i understand, is tranm:tted tc
the German government.
Whenever any important facts
are obtained which might aid a sub.
J marine attack upon the British ma.
| rine or the holding up of ~contrabano
| goods on neutral vessels. this in.
formation is flashed 10y wireless from
Sayville to Berlin or some other Ger
man station. It is not sent out by
code. That would 'be too crude. The
truth is covered up in some appar.
emily innocent. message that woult
not excite suspicion. / became E
member Of this association and fo'
a time l thought | did my Guty in
obeying tho commands from the Ger
man headquarters. IA
Engaged az Spy.
I'm the middle of January l called
at the German consulate and asked
il there was any employment in Ger
man firms either in New York o.
elsewhere, saying that I was only tor
willing to do anything to earn a liv
ing. l was referred to Captain Boz
Ed.
II had several conferences wit
Captain Boy-Ed, and ii was finall,
decided that / Should 60 to Bingham
as a German spy.
After detailing how, through thf
aid Of Cook, he obtained Madden's
birth certificate by paying SITS there
for, Stegler continued:
II was told to make the voyage OF
the L%usitaria. 1t was the trip OF
which she raised the American fa3
Just before reaching Liverpool. M.
instructions were as follows:
Stop at Liverpool examine the
Mersey river; obtain the names, ex
act locations and all other possible in
formation concerning Warships around
Liverpool; ascertain the amount OF
munitions of war being unboaded or
the Liverpool docks from the United
OUdLSS, d~SCcTIdtR CHCH ulCVlIALC uCo
tination;. obtain "a detailed list of all
the MARTINI ships, in the harbCr; |
make constant inquiries, but in 8
guarded way, of the location Of the
dreadnaught squadron which the Ger
mans in New York understand is an
chored somewhere near St. Georges
channel; arrpear at all times as ar
American citizen soliciting trade ans
If necessary appeal to the American
consul for protsotion.'
Wife interferes.
after doiryy all this l was to &C
to London with my trunks we'll plas
with English hotel labels and
continue my Investigations there o.
the Thames and its shipping. From
I was TO journey tot Holland
work my way to the German horde
and to Berlin. There ! was to re
ceive whatever orders the head office
had tor ne, ard make my way bach
TO London and the United States.
"Just before the date of sailing
saw Captain Boy-Ed. was then in
that | had to leave my wife
up to that time I had not told my
wife of that fake passport or of the
purpose behind it. She questiOnedI