Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-02
Man Crazed Over War Plans
Revenge on Great
Britain.
ONE SPAN OF LARGE
STRUCTURE RUINED
Attack on Bridge Spanning River On
international Boundary Between
Maine and New Brunswick-Gsrman
Named Van Horn Arrested and Now
in Custody Of United States Officials
Admits Exploding Dynamite.

Vanceboro. Maine, Feb. Am 1t.
spanning the st. Croix river. which
forms the international boundary line
between eastern Maine and New
Brunswick. was made early today. Ono
Of the three spans OF the structure
was blown up by dynamite. The at
tack on the bridge caused great ex-
citement on the New Brunswick side.
where rumors OF German plot spread
rapidly.
Inquiry also was begun On this side
and this led to the arrest at local
hotel Of Il man who gave his name ~
ewrner Van Horn. According to
the police. the prisoner said ho
was an officer in the servise q
Germany. but refused to divulge
his rank The police say he ad-
mitted he exploded the dynamite and
that a dynamite cap and a plan OF the
bridge was found In his pocket.
Makes No Resistence.
Van Horn says he is 81 years old. The
arrest was made by Deputy Sheriff
George w. Ross. who was accompanied
by Maine Central railroad detective
and two Canadian officers from Mc-
Adam Junction N. B. He was removes
to the United States immigrattonE
rooms. where he was closely guayd03ss
Deputy Sheriff Ross notified tie
United States marshal and the United
States district attorney at PuTtlAt6k
asking for Instructions.
When arrested Van Horn made n0sross
4 49, -
livery good English. No papers were
found to identify him. In coat pockDe7
he carried German flag Asked why
| he dynamited the bridge. tho prisonsr
| said that his country was at war with
| Great Britain and that Canada was
part Of the enemys country. He SAID
he came from New York. arriving hero
Saturday. Immediately after discharG.
| ing the explosive he returned to the
hotel. AS evidence of his experience
fie displayed frost-bitten thumb. His
clothing had been encrusted with Ice
and was soaked thru.
Link in Important Line.
! The bridge is the connecting link be>I
tween the Maine Central and the.
Canadian Pacific tracks, the Canadian
Pacific having traffic rights from
Mattawamekag to the boundary. This
is the thru route from upper and west
ern Canada to the maritime provincess
directly connecting Montreal with tho
ports of st. John and Halifax.
Short Route to Seaboard.
| In the winter season. st. John. n B..
is the principal eastern port OF Canada
| and thither have come from Montreat
and farther west great quantities Of,
provisions and other munitions of war
for shipment to England and France
The shipments have passed over the
bridge which he sought to destroy.
| This is the most direct route from
the west as cutting across the state OF
| Maine. 1t is several hundred miles
! shorter than the northern route oper>
ated by the Canadian government.
| which follows the st. Lawrence river tOl
Little Mittis, Quebec, and then turns
south to Moncton, st. Johns and Hall
fax The loss of the bride would de-!
lay but not interrupt the transportation
OF war materials to the coast.
! Canada Wants Prisoner.
I Van Horn was made prisoner OF the,
state of Maine. To avoid possible com-
| plications. the local authorities have;
made no further move pending advicA
| from the federal government. The
Canadian authorities indicated they
would Immediately make representa-
tions to Washington for extradition on
the ground that the dynamiting had
been done on the Canadian side OF tho
border On the other hand II was said
Van Horn would be protected fr.m ex-.
tradition. and on tho ground that hi4,
offense was political.
Damage Not Great.
Railroad officials declared that the,
attempt had been failure so far as
damage had been done Sleepers were
blown out the rails were twisted and .
girder was damaged, but the founda<
tion of the span was not injured and
repairs can be made within a day
Temporary repairs were to be made aS
once. A plank walk was laid across
the Ice for the use OF passengers.
TURKS DESERT IN EGYPT.