Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-03
Asks ExtraditiOn of
 Bridge Dynamiter
WHO OPERATED ON CANADIAN
 SIDE OF MAINE BORDER.
IS A GERMAN OFFICER
His Claim is That He is Has Only Committed an Act of War and Es- caped-canadians Think Differently -Anether International Problem to Be Solved.

Yaneeboro. Maine, Feb. 2.-Another international probIem incident to the var was thrust upon the United States today by the action of Werner Van Horn, who, operating on the Canadian side of the border, dynamited the rail- way bridge over the St. CroiN river and then escaped into this state. Submitted Quietly to Arrest. A few hours later in a room at a hotel here Van Horn quietly submit ted to arrest, but immediately pro- claimed himself an officer of the Ger man army and set up the claim that he had committed an act of war and haVlng fled to a, neutral country. could not be legally surrendered to an enemy 1 of the fatherland.
 Extradition Proceedings Instituted. The Canadian authorities took diff ferent view of the matter and at once instituted proceedings to obtain the eXtradition of the prisoner on a charge of destruction of railroad prop erty. Pending the outcome of these efforts Van Horn is held at the i'm migration office here in custody of Deputy Sheriff George W. Ross of Washington county.
 Bridge Not Greatly Damaged. The bridge which Van Horn sought
 to destroy was not greatly damaged " ASAAAAA eb 4VN IlOuIS cars were S0uHt ed across one at Q time, the passen- gers walking over on the ice. By morning, railroad officials said. the bridge would be strong enough for trains to Hse it without uncoupIing.
 Forms Boundary Line of Maine. The St. CroiX river for some dis fance forms the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick The bridge IS owned jointly by the Maine Central and the Canadian Pacific railways and Is on the direct route of the Canadian Pacihc from western Canada to the maritime provinces.
 Over this road have been shipped iarge quantities of war materials for the allies. which were placed on board ] snip at St. John and Halifax
 According to the police, Van Horn man of middle a se and military bearing, tolo them that he left Ger many five years ago and for the past TOUT years had been managine, 2. rof- rec plantation in Mexico. Recently he
 Lnade unsuccessful attempts to return to his native land.
 Dynamite in Satchel.
 Friday night he left New York citv arriving here Saturday night and nuf- lng up at hotel. That same night !! by appointment he met q man 5ID- known to him personally at the east end Of the bridge. The man gave him . satchel containing dynamite. Van Horn suspended the satchel from tba
 inside of an end post of the bridge and about o'clock this morning dis
 charged the explosive.
 Planned to Drive 30 Miles Away.
 This done, he planned to 20 to Lam bert lake, from which point he in tended to drive about 90 miles to Prlnceton. The night was intensely cold and he suffered So much that
 ne was unable to carry out this pur- pose and so he returned to the hotel
 mere the police found him in he'd at oc clock this morning. At the re- quest Of the Canadian authorities he was taken into custody
 Tonight Attorney General William, R. Pattangan sent word from Aug71sfa to Deputy Sheriff Ross to hold Horn until further orders. While there was
 no formal charge preferred against E,ro at first. arrangements were made to hmaVe Trial Justice George H. Smith issue a warrant against Horn if neces- sary to make certain his detention.
 Attempt We'll Timed.
 The attempt on the bridge bv Van
 Horn was well timed Up to n few days ago it was constantly guarded
 1nen the watchmen were withdraw, A suggestion that Van Horn was o,.-a].a Of this set afioat endless runors ,,f spies and this feature of the case also IS receiving the attention of the New brunswlck officers. When Van Horn was searched the police claim to have iound upon him a drawing of the bridge. He has Steadfastly refused tc,
 make any explanation on this noiu+ and denied that he knew the identity oI the men who supplied the dynamite The police are searching for this man put mad found no trace of him tonight