Arizona republican., 1915-01-04
Arrest of German Officers and Reservists Brings to Light Movement First Disclosed When Hans Lody Was Apprehended
POLARIZATION OF
 LONG INVESTIGATION
Discovery Causes Concern for Americans Holding Perfectly Good Passports Who Might Be Open to Suspicion i'll Europe
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIspATCHl


 NEW YORK. Jan. 3-The arrest of German officers and reservists who Were taken off the outbound steamer Bergensfjord last night by govern ment agents on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States through the use of American passports brings to hght an alleged conspiracy to furnish German army officers and reservists with American passports fraudulently obtalned to enable them to return to German country without danger of mo- lestaton by French or English authori- ties. The arrests are the continuation, II was said by department of justice officials here tonight, of an investiga- tion which has been in progress since the arrest in England of Carl Hans Lody, who was executed in the Tower of London as a German spy LOdy had passports issued to an American and it became known to the depart ment of justice that other American passports were also in the hands of German citizens. This discovery caused great concern to the state de- partment as it was feared that Ameri- cans holding perfectly good passports would be open to suspicion and possible peril of their lives in countries belli- serent to Germany
 Carl Rurode was held in s20,000 bail, which he was unable to furnish. John Aucher, his alleged associate was also held in $20,000 bail, and Rurode's F i.year old son, was released on his owl. recogniZance.
 Lieut.. Arthur Sasche, was paroled on his honor ''as an officer as a gentleman" not to leave New York city during the pendency of the present proceedings The three reservists. Walter Mueller, August Meyer and Herman Wagener, who recently came here from Chile, were held in s5,000 bail each. There were detained four others as material witnesses, two Americans and two with German names
 The passports found on the Germans each bore the photograph of their bearer stamped with the state depart ments seal but were made out re- spectively. Sasches to Howard Paul Wright, Mueller's to Herbert S. Wilson Meyers to Peter Hansen and Wagener's to Stanley F. Mar tin. It was said there was no doubt as to the authenticity of the seal of the state department on the photo graphs, or as to MT. Bryan's signature. but how the photographs had been i placed on the documents without ere ating suspicion that they were not the l likeneSses of the persons to whom the passports were issued was not dis i closed.
 It was further alleged that Ruroede 1 in order to complete the description. i furnished the reserVists with engraved cards bearing names and occupations | to correspond with the passports. and ! even with fictitious typewriter cor respondence addressed to them in their assumed names.
 The departments agents had known i for several days, it is said, that the i four Germans had obtained the pass i ports but decided to make their case complete by waiting until they were aboard the ship before arresting them.
 It was suspected that other fraudu- 1 lent passports might be found on other passengers aboard the Bergensfjord. but although nine detectives searched
 every passenger on the ship, holding
 the vessel in the harbor for more than two hours. none was discovered.
 All the defendants waived examina-
 ton. Their case will go to the grand
 jury In arraigning Lieutenant Sasche
 and the three prvates Assistant Dis trict Attodney Content told the United states Commissioner Houghton that
 the government did not consider their (Continued on Page Four)