New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-02
Purchased by German to
Aid Revolt in East
Indies, Is Belief.
SHIPMENT TERMS
CAUSED REFUSAL
Old Springfield Guns Lay on
Bush Pier Until COnfiscated-
Mystery in Raid.


( representatives of the Treasury De-
partment known as She neutrality"
squad seized a quantity Of old Spring
/ field rifles that had been lying for al
most week on one of the piers OF
/ Bush Docks
Their shipment was shrouded in the
/ customary mystery assumed by export
ers of war munitions, and the law di-
vision of the Custom House, one OF
whose representatives is in charge Of
the seizure, professed TO know nothing
about the transaction.
Just what was done by the neutrality
squad and the nature of its seizure
was not disclosed by the Office of the
Collector of Customs il was said by
n representative of the Collector that
questions concerning it should not be
asked OF the Federal authorities in
volved.
Rifle Shipment Refused.
T. Ashley Sparks, one Of the members
Of the shipping firm Of Punch Edge &
Co., said:
THAT attempted export OF rifles is an
old story. The attempt 20 get them to
Java on one Of our steamships was
made public about three weeks ago and
attracted some interest. A man named
Schenck came TO our Office about twenty
days ago and asked one OF our junior
clerks for price on shipments TO Ba-
tavia, Java. The young man gave him
the quotation mechanically and the
stuff was shipped to the pier in Bush
Docks. / was away at the time, but on
my return 10 the city | was Informed
Of the transaction and on inquiry in
formed the shippers that | would not
20 10 ko g. stoned
individuals and 10 no recognized gov
eminent.
"The stuff lay on the pier for about
a week and ! wrote the shipper to take
il away | informed him that if he
failed TO do so within reasonable time
! would notify the Bureau Of Combust-
ibles Of its presence and have the bu-
reau take it."
The firm that had charge Of the ex-
porting of the rifles, which are Of the
old Springfield model Of 1865, was
Schenker & Co. forwarding agents, in
the Whitehall Building.
A man VINO gave the name Of Paul
Zentner and said he was secretary 10
Leopold D. Perutz, director Of the
company, which is made up largely Of
Germans, declared that he did not know
the nature Of the cargo consigned 70
Batavia.
1T was consigned some weeks ago"
he said, "to Java, via the steamship
Defender, and after lying on the pier
for four days the agents refused 70
accept il and gave US no reasons for
their refusal"
" III the exception Of Funch, Edge
g. Co., who rejected the cargo, every
one concerned in the attempted ship
ment and its seizure profess 70 know
nothing about il. :.
A representative of the law division
Of the Cutom House who professed 10
know nothing about the rife shipment
declared that there was nothing ir-
regular in the shipments Of arms 20 4
recognized government, but that guEs
and munitions of war are subject -
seizure if they are destined to lndlvld-
uals Of nations or their dependencies
with which this government is At
peace.
Fear Revolution Plans.
II was thought by some export men
that the rifles, which bore the mark Of
the Frankford arsenal at Philadelphia,
were being shipped to British insular
possessions by Germans TO arm revo-
lutionists that had been organized b.
the Kaiser's representatives in these
lands.
The export scheme has many rami-
fcations. one Of which had a hearing
yesterday before Magistrate Ten Eyck.
in jefferson Market Court. Frederick
Lutz, an engineer. of Hoboken, was
discharged by the magistrate on a
charge Of having received stolen
Springfield riffs, alleged TO have been
taken by Joseph McShane and John
Cups. employed as handlers IN ware
house 10 POO West Houston Street,
where I 900 rifles and 100000 rounds
of ammunition were stored. The
handlers pleaded guilty and were held
fc- trial
IN the same court, recently Morris
J. Ahearn. truckman, was brought
before Magistrate MCQuado, charged
with violating city ordinance by stor-
ing arms and ammunition az the same
address in Houston Street.
At the hearing the driver said he
had been instructed 20 20 20 an East
River pier, where he would get
900 rifles and 100000 rounds Of
ammunition. but no knowledge of the
consgnees or consignor was disclosed
70 him During the examination It
was brought out that Henry Muck, who
said he was a general manager for
Hans Tauscher. husband Of Nine.
Tauscher- Gadski, the Metropolitan So
prano, and local representative OF the
Krupps, had applied for = permit 70
store the rifles and cartridges. Ahearn
was discharged.
About the time of the arrest Of the
driver eports came from san Fran
cisco that efforts were being made By
German agents to ship rifles and car
tridges to the East Indies, tn belief
being that Germany was trying TO es-
tablish a military and naval base near
batavia, supplying it with arms and
ammunition from portsh in the United