New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-09
SIX INDICTED
INPLOT TO SINK
ALLIES SHIPS
Breitung, Fay and Associ-
ates Held by Federal
Grand Jury.

An indictment charging conspiracy to
destroy merchant ships carrying muni-
tions to the Allies was found yesterday
by the Federal Grand Jury against six
of the alleged plotters who have been
rounded up by the United States au-
thorities within the last three weeks.
The men named in the indictments
are Max Breitung, secretary and treas
urer of the Oil Well Device Develop
ment Corporation, Of II Wall Street,
and first cousin Of Edward n. Breitung,
a banker; Robert Fay, who said he was
a German army officer, now in the Ger
man Secret Service; DR.. Herbert
Kienzle, said to be wealthy physi-
clan and engineer, Of German birth,
living at 9O9 West Eighty-sixth Street;
Edward Bronkhorst. mining engineer;
Walter Scholz, brother-in-law of Fay,
who has been implicated in Fay's state
ments Of experimenting with high ex-
plosives; Paul Daeche, alias Daecha,
born in Germany, here for the alleged
purpose of investigating reports con-
cerning the manufacture of dumdum
bullets for the Allies,
On conviction on the two counts in
the indictment the United States
Criminal Code provides maximum
sentence of twelve years imprison-
ment and a fine approximating $4,000
may be imposed,
Charges in Indictment.
The indictment states that the six
defendants "on August ! and continu-
ouslv thereafter down 20 and including
October 25 did anticipate, contemplated
and were aware that at divers times
various vessels belonging to persons
and corporations would be and CON
tinue to be engaged in foreign com
merce between the port of New YORK
and various foreign ports, carrying as
part Of their cargoes certain shells
ammunition and various other NUM-
tions of war. together with money and
certain other goods and merchandise;
that said defendants wilfully, knowing
ly and feloniously did conspire among
themselves TO maliciously attack ana
set upon said vessels by surprise ana
nv omen force, with an intent 10 de-
snoil the owners Of the said shells.
ammunition and other munitions OF
war. and the owners of the money
Goods and merchandise on board by the
methods and manners following:
"Did devise and contrive metal box
4o be fitted and equipped with springs,
coils. cogs and various other mecn-
anisms. which would be filled and load
ed with trinitrate, dynamite. trlnitrate
of toluol and other explosives, ana
should be equipped and furnished with
cartridges and mechanism, set IN
manner 10 the grand jury, unknown
and should be secretly and ciandest tihe-
Iv attached and fashioned TO and about
the stern and other parts OF Vessels'
Tells of Meetings of Accused.
"Tbat the said defendants" the m
d;ctment continued, expected and m
,arded that thereafter when the vessels
,vere upon the high seas the explosives
,youId explode with violence whereby
the vessels would be destroyed or so
disabled as 10 render them poweriess
and helpless and unable TO proceed 10
.hcir destination.
~In pursuance OF, and so 20 erect
the object of said conspiracy, Max
Breitung on August 20 did request t one
paul Seibs. alias Carl G. Oppegaard'
10 procure a quantity Of potassium
The introduction of Seibs TO Robert
Fay by DR. Kienzle on October ~ Is
then cited. ,,. 90
.be Indictment. and it is stated that on
october % Fay met Kienzle at the
Eouitable Building ito effect the OBJECT
Of said conspiracy"
The indictment charges WhIte'
ecbolz with receiving from the Powers
Weightman- -Roesengarten Company
quantity Of potassium chlorate IN
pursuance Of and 10 effect the OBJECT
Of said conspiracy"
The second count in the indictment
charges a violation OF Section 2sS OF
the United States Criminal Code IN
that the destruction of such vessels
on the high seas, and their cargoes,
would injure the various persons hrms
and corporations who had then under