The evening world., 1915-02-25
THIRD MAN HELD
|NPASSPORTPLOT
TO AID GERMANY
Richard Madden Is Accused of
Selling Spy False Birth
Certificate.


OF Justice this morning arrested
Richard Madden Of Hoboken, ". j.,
who Ii alleged to have sold Richard
r. stexlsr a birth 'certincate. which
permitted Stesisr 70 swear he was
an American citizen and obtain a
false passport allowing him to travel
In Great Britain and neutral countries
| OF Europe an New York business
man, whfie he was In the employ Of
the German Governmsnt's secret SER
vice as q spy.
| In Steglsr's pockets when ne was
arrested yesterday In Hoboken were
ietters and other documents signed
with the name OF Capt. II. Boy Ed.
naval attsche of the German En-
bassy In Washington and personal
representative In New York of Count
Won Berustorfr. the German Ambas-
sador.
Waving formality. Madden was
brought to the city and at once ar
raisned before United States Comnls-
sloner Houghtop. He was remanded
to the Tombs III ball OF $4,000 and
his hearing was set for March .. when
Stesler and Gustav Cook Of Hobo
ken. charged with being implicated
In the plot. will DO formally exam
insd.
Government officers who got Mad
den found one OF Stegier's cards in
his pockets. Madden snatched the
card and fore 1t In half before he
could be reached. but the halves were
preserved and given to Assistant
United States District Attorney
Roger B. Woods.
Before he started for the Tombs to
Join Stegier and Cook. Madden talked
freely Of his part In the alleged fraud
plot
II have been framed up." said
Madden. Il know nothing about this
conspiracy except that I was ap-
preached when 1 was drunk In 4 Ho-
boksn bowling alley by two men. one
Of whom was Gustav Cook. I told
Cook needed money. He said
could make lots by getting q passport.
I got my baptismal record when Cook
and anot1er an.,tuld me they had
work for Ne. 1 never saw this fellow
SteSler IN my hfs n, ,nsysr got 4
nickel-Only few drlaks."
Tho Federal Grand Jury to-day be-
gan consideration o. the alleged CON-
spiracy for whioh Madden was ar
rested. It IL expected indictments
will hS rata,rnad anAeAitv
In addition to the conspiracy charge
against Stegler. Government oiyicials
think they have sufYicient evidence to
hold him on . charge Of forgery for
signing false name to passport pa
pers. II found guilty OF the conspir.
acy charge he could be sentenced to
but two years In prison. but convic-
tion Of forgery may mean Q sentence
OF ten years and q hne Of $1,000.
IS St. Nicholas Terrace. After his ar
rest he told Federal authorities Capt
Boy Ed had asked him to 70 to Eng
land AZ Richard Madden, an American
citisen. and locate . fleet Of British
battleships. supposed to be In hiding
In st. Georges Channel. He declares
he was told to cable this information
to New York, whence II would be
transmitted by cable to secret German
Capt. Boy-Ed denies 6teglers story
that he was q spy.
Mrs. Stegier, who visited her hus-
band In the Tombs at noon to-day
and seemed overwhelmed with grief
at his predictament. told something
OF what she knew concerning Steg-
ler's alleged plotting to gain pass
ports. She said:
II cannot read German. for I am
an American. you know. or else
might have known sooner Of the
things my husband was mixed up In.
He Rot lots Of letters and kilograms
from Washington. all In German and
signed by Capt. Boy-Ed. Just as
soon as a letter or telegram arrived.
! would call my husband on the tele-
phone at his Office and spell out the
contents. The sender always request
ed they be returned to him.
II finally became suspicious and
dragged the story from my husband.
Before that, I thought he wa3 plan
ming to 20 to Europe to sell some-
thing In his business line. When 7
knew the truth. I realised my hus-
band had become deeply involved be-
cause Of his lack Of knowledge OF
the customs OF this country and ]
told him ne had no right. since he