The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-19
NY. MAN TRAPPED AS
SPY BY HIS LETTER
K%uepferlc. on Trial in London.
said to Have Given His
Case Away.
FOUGHT FOR GERMANY
Came Here From Front and
Went to England on Peril
Gus Mission.
FOUGHT FOR GERMANY
s,,c,oi ,abi, Despatch TO Tur srx

SrsrinI f1bir pfNF1'cN 10 1--WE Sun
Io>pox, May iS.-The trial Of Anton
Kuepfer,e. an American citizen Of
German birth, who lived at 1865
Ne Ka.b venue Brooklyn, began to-
dsy and VIII undoubtedly prove one
=, tho most sensational cases of its
sort on record.
A: the close OF the first days ses-
son THE SINS c. correspondent is able
10 say that the British authorities
lave obtained discriminating evidence
against Kuepferle. This Information.
which will be brought out in evidence
tomorrow or on the neNt day. is to the
,orowing effect:
Kuepferle, who az kept under the
mos, careful observation from the
moment OF his arrest. was purposely
p!aced In prison where there were
ether Germans waiting deportation.
During his residence there he en-
deayored to communicate Ivy letter
with one OF these Germans. His at
Temp failed, however, the letter being
found on him before he had managed
% deliver II. In the opinion OF the
British authorities II absolutely de-
.,roys the defence the prisoner had
hoped TO establish. which was to the
effec; that he had come to England as
newspaper correspondent.
Fought with GcrmN
The letter. on the other hand.
demonstrates beyond doubt that kuep-
ferle left America 500 after war was
declared and went TO Germany. There
he enlisted. in spite Of his American
citizenship. and fought for some time
in the present war.
Before long. however. ne was relieved
from military duty. and because OF his
knowledge of English and his familiarity
with American and British affairs was
cent back to New York and ordered to
proceed from there TO England on a spe-
cial mission OF espionage.
The letter contains sentences TO this
effect
How | wish l were back at the front
even for half an hou ! would soon
show these-English what | think of
them.
When ! am sentenced I shall re-
ctiye the verdict with n salute. but l
snall never let them know that I have
been a soldier"
II is believed here that the United
States Government will have a serious
matter for consideration in the fact
That kuepferle. although a naturalized
American citizen. went 10 Germany and
tough, nj the front
HIS action in thus proving 10y atty to
lie land OF his birth. compared with the
cath h. took. on becoming an American
"CtIsen, is here considered exceedingly
suggestive of the attitude in which the
oath Of loyalty to the United States
may be- held by other naturallzed citi-
lens OF German origin. This is the
vcw British authorities are inclined
20 ta..e OF the incident.
Furthermore, many matters OF vital
interest TO the United States will he re-
'tiled during the trial. Needless TO
siv. these matters canno he limited at
low. They will be brought TO light dur
Ing the next few days. however.
Trial Not Held In Private.
There could be no better proof OF the
Importance attached to the trial than
the presence this morning in the Old
Bailey police court. where the trial Is
taking place. OF three Justices. OF these
Lord Reeding. Lord Chief Justice OF
England, was presiding. The Others
were Justices Avery and Lush.
Contrary to previous announcements
the trial will not be held behind closed
door. Admission to-day vas only by
ticket. however. and long before court
was convened tho Don was packed.
Tho prosecution was conducted by the
Acknowledgement. The charge alleges
that the prisoner sought to assist an
enemy Of Great Britain by furnishing In
formation OF military value. kuepferls
pleaded not guilty.
h Attorney-General a@erted In
opening that the prisoner 10 not an
American citizen but a German. He
charged that Kuepferle supplied infor-
nation concerning the British warships
and their positions in the Irish Channel
and the disposition OF the Kings forces.
A letter was produced which tho
prisoner had sought to send to a neutral
country. II appeared to be an innocent
commercial communication. but oil be-
Ing closely examined 1t was then found
70 be interlined with information In
German written in invisible ink.
kuepferle arrived at Liverpool. said
Ns Acknowledgement. on February ~.
ana every act on which the chargs
seainst him IL based look place within
SIX DAYS. He registered at a hotel and
showed an American passport signed
oy Secretary Bryan n issued ten days
prior TO his sailing from New York.
On eha lap FnlIpuI,- hta arriuaI he
wrote a letter and addressed 1t to q
man In Holland. The postal authorities
spotted this communication in Londan
ana opened II. The letter paper bore
q printed heading reading IS. Langs-
eo'' 4 Co. Spring inc Crosby streets.
;HeS York" This name and address had
oeen crossed out, however, and Kuep-
.e'Ie had substituted his own name and
we address 1865 De Kalb avenue, Brook
iyn.
me letter contained nothing OF ar
terminating nature, merely stating that
w writer was IN Liverpool and expected
.ooh 70 go to London. whence he would
.'"ceed 10 Rotterdam. There he hoped
" see his friend before departing for
New York.
An Invisible writing test was applied
ca mere chance and an interiined
serman script was discovered. 1t
camed the relative positions Of the
Se,man warships in the Irish Channel
s"o we Information was infinitely ac-
,ase' said the Attorney-General. The
49, was added that the writer had been
~ up twice and his passports ex-
Ai'er the letter had been introduced
Evidence he Acknowledgement pro-
800 lor the Jury two shrivelled lemons.
h~,u,ot which had been cut open. and a
so.ue containing tormalin. bearing the
hsme OF a German a~pothecary In Brook