Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18
FAY TURNS
States
TO PLEAD GUILTY
No Doubt That the Confessed
Bomb Flotter Was Once in
the German Army
Tells Strange Story.

New York, Nov. i5.-Rohert Fay, self
styled lieutenant in the German army
Ind by his own confession head or gang
Of bomb makers that sought to destroy
,nunition-lGdcn ships sailing from New
York to the allies, told the story of his lie
to-day to United states Assistant District
Attorney t.nCX. Fay talked freely. ruby
aud OF his own voliton FOR five hours
" ithout interruption. What he said was
not ..,ade public. but at the conclusion or
the session Mr.. Knox announced that all
Fay wanted 20 do nov was to plead guilty
to tie governments charges against MIN
and go to Jail.
y. j. Mcdonald. n lawyer appointed by
the court to represent Fay sought to sec
his client in Mr. Knox's office. but failing
eerved on Mr.. KnoX notice OF his intent TO
demur to the Indictment
Fay read the demurrer while the lawyer
waited outside and, according to Mr..
Knox, SAID he didn't want to domur to
the indictment or to anything else bnt
plead guilty and start at once 70 serve
| his sentence
Fay's long talk with Mr.. Knox was
made upon his own solicitation and with
out promise of immunity or leniency.
The statement which the prisoner die
tated carried him back to Germany, az
most to the date of his birth. covered the
high lights of his service in the German
army. told In detail OF his alleged mission
TO America and recited his movements and
activities here. Whether II was true in its
essentials District Attorney Marshall said
afterwards. had yet to I've determined. but
81 some respects il was verified by infor-
nation which the government had col
lected from other sources.
There is no doubt" Mr.. Marshall said,
that his name is really Fay and that he
served in the German army. AS to thu
vest we don't know His statement diff
fors somewhat from his previous story
,ut admits his guilt of the charges agairs,
nm"
What Fay told Mr. Knox to-day leads
TACK to a source to which already has
teen traced another case under investiga
tion by the government, according tc
Roger V Wood an assistant in Mr.. Mar
shal's office. Mr.. Wood has prepared
most Of the cases in the passport fraud.
and also prepared the government cas-,
p"alnst Karl Buenz and other officials o.
the Hamburg American line, indicted on
cHarge OF conspiracy and soon TO he place,
on trial.
Five cases of this sort lead back &
tour sources" Mr.. Wood said. These ar
the Fay case. the Buenz case and th
F three passport fraud cases. m none .
these cases did the actual defendants know
what the defendants in the ether case
were doing. The four sources, however
directing these i've cases are very clos
fovpt bpr-VprV is my belief that 10
-FOUR men all reported to and took thei
orders from NTH man, VINO was the di
rector Of all the trouble of this sort In tn
United States"
IF YOU could prove this" Mr.. Woo
was asked. would you or could va
prosecute this NTH man."
All | can say to that" he replied ii
that under the law we canpot prosecui
any diplomatic representative of a foreig
country"
When Fay ended his long statemer
he was taken back to the Tombs to r,
main there till tomorrow when he wi
he questioned by Mr. Knox. The stat,
mcnt Of to-day contained many leads.
Is said about which the government
lawyers want more information.
Both Mr.. Marshall and MIR. Knox d
cined to say whether anyone else We
Implicated in Fay's new statement. ,'a
has been somewhat Of puzzle to the
both and it was intimated that this stat
ment would not be accepted without f.
verfcation.
AS it stands now, however. it is u
likely there will be other arrests In Il
alleged plot. at least until Fay's late
confession is corroborated if then