The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-02-04
TOUCHOF WARRIOR CANADA
GERMAN DYNAMITES RAILROAD
BRIDGE.
Arrested in Maine, Werner Van Horn
Claims He Committed Act of War
and Cannot BE Surrendered.

Vanceboro, Maine, Feb. 2.-An-
other international problem, incident
to the war, 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 railway bridge over
the St. Croix river, and then escaped
into Maine. r,
A few hours later in room at a
hotel here, Van Horn submitted to
arrest, but Immediately proclaimed
himself an officer of the German
army and set up the claim that he
had committed an act of war, and
having fed to neutral country;
could not be surrendered legally to
an enemy of the Fatherland.
The Canadian authorities took a
different view of the matter and i'm
mediately instituted proceedings to
extradite the prisoner on charge Of
/ destruction of railroad property.
Pending the outcome of these efforts
Van< Horn is held at the immigra-
ton office here in custody of depu-
ty sheriff.
The bridge, which Van Horn
sought to destroy, was not greatly
damaged. Within a few hours cars
were shunted across one at time,
the passengers walking over on the
ice. By morning. railroad officials
said, the. bridge would be strong
enough for trains to use it without
uncoupling.
Carrier of War Supplies.
The St. Croix river for some dis
tance forms the boundary between
Maine and New Brunswick. The
bridge is owned jointly by the Maine
Central and Canadian Pacific rail-
roads, and is on the direct route of
the Canadian Pacific from Western
Canada to the maritime provinces.
Over this road have been shipped
large quantities of war materials for
the allies, which were dispatched
from St. John to Halifax.
According to the police, Van Horn,
a man of middle age, of military
bearing, told them that he left Ger
many five years ago and for the past
four years had been managing cof-
fee plantation in Mexico. Recently
he made unsuccessful attempts to re-
turn to his native land.
Friday night Van Horn left New
York city, arriving here Saturday
night. That same night by appoint
ment he met at-the east end Of the
bridge a man unknown to him. The
man gave him a satchel containing
dynamite. Van Horn suspended the
satchel from the inside of an end
post of the bridge and about o'clock
this morning discharged the explo-
sive.
This done. he planned to go to
Lambert Lake, from which point he
intended to drive about thirty miles
to Princeton. The night was so cold
he abandoned the trip and returned
to his hotel. There the police found
him in bed at 7 o'clock this morning.
At the request of the Canadian au-
thorities he was taken into custody.
Ordered to Be Held.
Attorney General William R. Pat
annall tonight ordered that Van Horn
be held until further orders. While
there was no formal charge preferred
against him at first, arrangements
we're made to have warrant issued
if necessary in order to make GER
tain Van Horns detention.
Van Horn. the officials state, could
be charged with damage to a rail-
road bridge, which is an extraditable
offence, or with damage to property
on the American side of the border,
where windows were broken by the
explosion.
Up to tonight Van Horn had not
seen lawyer, and appeared indiffer-
ent as to what charges may be pre-
ferred against him.
The attorney general of New
Brunswick, J. B. NJ. Baxter, tele-
graphed to officials of the Canadian
Pacific railway here, asking them to
make a complaint against Van Horn,
which might be the basis for extra
dition proceedings to be begun forth
with. Ottawa was also advised of
the situation.
Tho TrIlth