Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-01
Conspiracy Of German Aus
tro Agents Said to Have
Been Revealed.
COULD CREATE CHAOS
Plans to Honeycomb Coun-
try's Defense and FORTH
cations in Confession.

Cleveland Ohio, Dec. Federal and
county officers today were ingestigat-
iag a confession" which they say was
made to them in the Office of Prosecut-
Ing Attorney Cyrus Locher late yes
terday by DR. E. W. Ritter in which
Ritter is claimed to have told of hav-
ing knowledge OF plots against NUM-
lion plants In the United States.
Ritter was arrested on a charge Of
passing worthless check for $50 on
Miss Clare Darby He is being held
In $4,000 bail until the story federal
officials say he told. can be probed
Among the items in Ritters alleged
confession was the claim that his real
name is Emerich w. Ritter Won Ret
taghe. son Of a former Austrian count
and a former officer in both the Aus
trian and German navies Today. how
ever, Ritter denied to newspaper men
thar he is the son of a count
Inventor of Liquid Fire.
Ritter claims he is the inventor OF
liquid fire, officers say, and that he
has been experimenting extensively
with IT IN the local gas fields.
Revelations Of conspiracies against
ammunition plants and Of plots men,
acing the l-aited States government
are said to have been made In a state
ment by Dr. z. W Ritter in the county
prosecutors office. Ritter in his cell
In the county jail is reported to have
declared that Miss Maybell Clare OAR
by, who caused his arrest on a charge
of passing a worthless check, had her
self been approached by mysterious
agents eager TO obtain papers holding
war department secrets.
s- The story alleged TO have been told
by Ritter, who claims to be the In
ventor of liquid fire." contained the
following statements:
His real name is Emerich ". Rit-
Ter Won Rettaghe, son Of an Austrian
count aud a former officer In both the
German and Austrian navies.
That he had been in the pay of the
Austrian consul agents throughout the
country and had received $4,000 for
his services during the past year.
On Inside of Plots.
That he knew the inside details of
plots so extensive as to threaten en-
barrassmeut of the United States gov
eminent and involving representatives
Of foreign governments at Washington.
That conspiracies had to do with
plans to destroy or cripple war muni-
ton plants: gaining secret information
concerning United States Notifications,
undermining the government so as to
create chaos if this country became in
Yolved in international complications:
and, finally, the attempt at bribery of
United States government agents TO
obtain information.
President Threatened.
That he was present in a foreign
consulate in New York when plans
were discussed which threatened the
life OF the president, the secretary OF
state and other government officials
and that while the plan was not def
nitely worked out, he heard an attache
there remark:
If government officials in Washing
ton do not treat us Justly in settling
these various international disputes,
such as the Lusitania, we will sprinkle
them with liquid fire and that will be
the end"
Far-reaching Investigations are ex-
pected to follow Ritter's arrest, since
ne Is being held as federal prisoner
although on state warrant with the
nigh bail Of $4,000, believed 10 have
been arranged Sc the federal authori-
Ties may hold him while they follow
Inc amazing elews he has furnished
them,