Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-01
EQUIPMENTS
IN BOMB CASES

New York, Oct. 31.-Although the cases
of Robert Fay, the confessed German
bomb plotter. and four other men charg-
ed with conspiracy TO blow up steam
ships bearing supplies to sthe Allies. will
probably be taken before the federal
Grand Jury next Wednesday. United
States Dist. Atty. Fl. Snowden Marshall
said Saturday the government would not
hasten prosecution.
Fay's association, his purchases OF eX-
plosives, experiments with bombs and his
sources of financial aid, together with
his previous standing in Germany. Mr..
Marshall said are to be made the sub
ject of minute inquiry.
''Fay's arrest, after he had been
watched for weeks, was ordered be-
cause it was feared he was on the verge
of making use of the bombs which he
had prepared said Mr.. Marshall. but
now that we have him in custody the
government will deliberately continue to
investigate all the ramifications OF the
plotting, if there were any ramifica-
tons.
80 far we have no evidence to show
that Fay acted on other than his own
responsibility. Only the most complete
verfication of all that Fay has said in
his confession will determine whether
or not there are to be more arrests
Stories that, besides disabling mer-
chant ships bound for the Allies ports.
which he confessed was his purpose.
Fay intended to attempt to disable
British war vessels near New York.
were without any support in evidence
obtained by the government. Mr.. Mar
shall said. .
An amazing development Saturday
was that Lieut.. Fay had, with four
others, as plan to put New York's po-
lice launches out of commission. He
knew exactly how to cripple the rapid
fire 1890 guns that they carry. He
laughed at the CONSERVATION of the
police as he told them his tale, mean
while showing the most intimate and
exact knowledge of the movements Of
the boats and the habits of men on
them.
Fay has boasted that it was easy to
get explosives on any pier at certain
hours in the dark Of the early morn
ing, when watchmen are getting a
few winils of sleep.
THE pocle sleep. too" he said II
have been in the basin north of pier
A, at Battery Park, where the patrol
and her six launches are kept.
II know that between A. NJ, when
the last patrol launch comes in and
is moored in the basin, until 4.3O A. M.
there is no Suard over these launches.
Also at low tide there is only two and
a half feet of water in the basin.
1T would be too easy to wade out
from thes hore and tamper with the
guns on the launches. / know, for
have waded out and got away without
alarming anyone Besides. l am an
expert in arms and In engineering, and
could cripple your patrol fleet any
time we needed to put them out of
business"
What Fay said was true-up to the
time that he told it. Since then a
guard has been placed over the
launches as they rest in the basin;
and on the patrol itself there is an
officer constantly on the alert, with
the means of calling the entire com
pany in case of need.
Charles Warren, an assistant attor-
ney general, came here from Wash
ington Saturday to confer with Unit
ed States Dist. Atty. Marshall.
After obtaining full details of the
governments informa ton in the cases
of the five men, Charles Warren left
for Boston Saturday
Mr.. Warren has had charge of neu-
trality cases. and his presence in New
York, it was said. was to ascertain
whether Fay's experiments with ex-
plosives in and around New York in
volved plot of wider scope.
After the conference Mr.. Marshall
said that for the present the cases
against the five men would rest entire
ly with the local authorities. Mr.. War
rem said he came here only to>familiar-
ize himself with the details of the
cases. His trip to Boston. he said,