Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-12
PLOT IS UNCOVERED BY THE
FEDERAL AUTHORITIES FOR
B0TTL|NG UP THE ATLANTIC
FLEET IN THE HUDSON RIVER
Allege German Conspiracy to Sink Large Ham,
burg-American Liner Across Channel
in Front of HObokeh

Providence, Nov. 1.-THE Providence
Journal this morning has the following:
Statements made yesterday to the
Providence Journal by federal authori-
ties show that last May, at the time
when the entire Atlantic fleet of the
United States was drawn up in the Hud-
son river to be viewed by President Will
son, there was a German conspiracy on
foot to bottle up the battleships by sink
ing large Hamburg-American liner
across the channel in front of Hoboken.
The plot was killed by the vigorous
action taken by Admiral Fletcher Chief
Flynn of the SCI ret service a,il Dudley
Field Malone. collector Of the port of
New York, who held a number of confer
ences, with the result that i special
squad OF ~ picked men was sc,ected over
night.
! Ordered to Shoot First
| Two armed guards were placed at ev-
| cry hawser holding German American
ships at their docks in every part of the
river. Those men We're provided with
hastily rugged telephone lines runnin,
right to the docks, ana thel We're in
structed to shoot iirst and ask questions
afterward if any of the officers or crews
OF the tied up steamers made any at
tempt whatever 10 move out into ihe
stleani WIKI their vessels.
As the plot KS believed to have in
Guided an aueInp, On the par, Of the
fastest German sairS to escape to the
open sea. two fast dcstroyers we're de
Tonpkinsville. with instructions TO sink
any vessel thai sought t" get away.
SRI! s,untrg Piotters
Il is believed ! al the authorities
mentioned that this action alone saved
the situation. The efforts made to run
down The principals in The plot we're
unavai!;ns hut ,he secret service is
slill hopctui VI securing evidence which
Will lead to their arrest.
From thu infor.natinm il iuasess;iun
cf the authorities. KS stated to The
journal Yesterday. this plot was hatch
cd as an immediate result Of the great
wave of Indignation which swept over
the. whole country On May II. imnedi-
ately after the arrival Of lie feet in
The Husistn. Iiv'.. when tn 'icrmaa
govel nment Forwarded its s"-ca!!ed "eX-
planation' to Washington with regard
10 the sinking Of the Lueitania
To Make Navy :n1potent
III both til" German and Austrian en-
hassicS II was tir,l,iy believed III THAT
timo that the United States wa, on ne
verge Of breaking off al relations with
Germany. and the pot was conceived
SO as to make our fleet impotent at the
moment when its presence ON the At
iuutic .se;thtard was most necessary. as
Wei! as, t" make the nation appear ridi-
cl.lcus IN the eyes Of the rest of the
worlA.
Publication of Lord ETyce's report on
Man II IL connection with the German
atrocities n i;e,aiun:, ana the manne.'
IN whicn il was received ~ the Alneri-
can people. SILL further FASTENED the
h, lief OF the German :nd Austrian plot
t@r$ that the United stat vas dan
gcyouS!y near 1t break,
Chief Flynn Of the secret service and
Dudley f'ieid Malon" both acknowledge
cd yesterday that chez haG been great
~ concerned abou; IL" not. - mention
Of which has "ver been H;aGe public up
to the present time.
QUA DO" way - SJSH
Admiral Fletcher declared that
while he was greatly ptrturhrd over
the situation. if any ship had been
sunk across the Pathway in the iiud-
son river. he would have hloWn ner
to pieces in short ORDER. and attempt
cd to force the channel in this way.
Tho plans of tn" pl"ttcrs were made
With tine full knowledge that Admiral
Fletcher would not dare attempt -
run his fleet back through Hell Gate.
ana reach ;hc ocean by that channel.
This undertaking would have been
frauae; with grave danger. because OF
the urcert2in conditions of the channel
for deep draft ships.
With Wilson on Flagship
As far as can he aSc"rtaincd. the
plan as perfected was 70 have been
executed on the night of MONDAY. May
II. wien President Wilson and his Of
fetal rarty were being entertained by
Admiral Fletcher aboard his flagship,
the Wyoming. The condition Of the
weather. which was stormy. with Il
driZzlinS rain. seemed to favor the
effort. hut when il was discovered
that information concerning inc piot
had leaked out and that great many
additional guards had been thrown
around all the stea AT Hoboken
and elsewhere. the attempt was
abandoned.
81 Warships in Fleet
At that time in addition to the May
flower. the Presidents yacht there
were lying in the river the super
dreadnoughts New York ard Texas,
the Wyoming. Utah. Florida. Della
ware. North Dakota. Michigan, North
Carolina, New Hampshire, Louisiana,
Virginia, Rhode Island. Nebraska and
Georgia There were also 16 destroy
ers u submarines, three monitors and
mine laying. repair hospital, refrig-
orator and other auxiliary vessels.
The story Of the manner in which
the port of New York has been guard
ed. under the personal supervision of
Collector of Port Malone, since this
plot was discovered. is full of interest
1t is told for the first time.
Guarding SO Steamers
There are IS German and Austrian