Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-23
DRAWINGS DISCOVERED
Plot Is Said to Have Originated
at Buffaio-Alleged That Spies
Photographed Water Way and
Made Arrangements to En-
plOde Nitro.Glycerin.

New YORK, Dec lh--Paul hOenlS, Ior-
merly head Of the secret service OF the
Observation-Disclosures line. and Richard
Emil Lvendecker were arrested tonight
by agents o: the department of justice,
rhArgei with conspring to attempt TO
blow up the Welland canal.
Koenig was arrested at IL Broadway in
the Offices of the hamburg American
Jim. Before the war nc was in charge
Of the steamship company's bureau of i'll
vestigation bu, since then it is charged.
nc has been the head OF tho German
secret service in the United States.
Lyendecker was taken into custody at
his office at 3i5 Fifth avenue. where he
has been selling antiques The agents of
the department of justice declare they
found in his office maps and dra wings
of the Weland canal. Both men are said
60 have admitted that they had been
along the canal on the american side,
but asserted that they did not cross into
Canada.
The specific charge preferred against
Eoenig and Lyendccker is violation of
section 10 of the United States penal code
which prohibits the planning within the
boundary lines of the United States of a
military expedition against foreign
power
Lyendecker claims to be an American
citizen and has admitted, il is said. that
he has been employed by Koenig. kocnig
took cut his first citizenship papers in
-hs country ten years ago but never
applied for his second.
The arrests were made by William NJ
Cnlcy. in charge OF the government =
neutrality investigation. Joseph H..
Baker, his assistant, and captain
Thomas Tunney Of the New York bureau
OF explosives and combustibles. Kocnig,
under the name of Stemmler. it was
charged was responsible for obtaining
from Gustav Stahl the affidavit In which
he declared he had seen guns on board
the Lusitania the day before she sailed
ON her last voyage. Stahl was convicted
on n charge of perjury and sentenced to
is months in the federal prison at At
lanta
The actual plan to blow up the canal
was mapped oct in Buffalo according to
the complaint. which was made by Cap
tain Offley, in charge of the government
that Noenig and Lyendecker left New
york on September 1o last for Buffalo
over the Lehigh Valley railroad Later
They went to Niagara Falls The COM
paint specifically charges that ii was
title purpose and intention of said de-
fcndanta to destroy. mutilate and dam
Ace the Weland canal by force of arms. "
The precise details of the alleged plot
were withheld by the federal authorities.
but it is understood tnat Koenig and
Ivcndecker had employed spies who
went out from Buffalo and Niagara
Falls to photograph the canal and pre-
pare plans and make arrangements for
blowing up the waterway at its most
important point and that nitro glycerin
was to have been used as the explosives,
kuenig and Lyendecker were in Buff
fp.o about four days. according to the
riHhorties. and returned to New York
AL: The execution OF the alleged plot
lott in tho hands Of their gents Az far
~ - known BY Tie department ~ jus
tee. it was said to-night. they srll con-
tenp!ated the carrying OF; .: tho plot
wien the trres.s toob Place wien the
Onp".:' .uny DfrereG.
llocM- T. given u aia3es IN thc com.
plant ? .ncilGe German. English
ard l'ar noin.r. Koen:g had two
aliases lie EMPLOYED in ctner &C
!!vt'rs tas lated by the authorities
N,!iio q omp,aint specifically mentions
TIA, tn used men .rirposed TO set or
foot 49, tar "ntercr.sc.' il was stat
ed by & tnnt Dlstric' Attorney Wood
who ~" ed its text. that this did no
IL any Unnn ,he Use % troops u.
irGi"at"' az only a few persons ver,
eonrorno ~ the alleged plot.
Captain (rue$ state. ~ the complain
that I: ID Je conicai'~ to public 1olia;
Grd iuiur, Is TO tn interests Of tho I'ni
tel States 10 levta' tne source of hts in
formation.
Prior to fhe arrest Of tire mon tho fed
sral grand jury began an investigation
Ip,o this uewes' ;.nasc OF alleged viola
zion nj American neutrality which il IL in
timated viii; embrace other activities 0
Enc1iic's organization
I;oenig and Lyendecker Will he arraisn
Ell to-morrIIw The aliases named IN tn
~,rpla!rt mas having been used by Zoe
nis are iVegankamp, Wegenrr, Kelly
Winter. j'erhrs. S:emler Resterheri
Iohm, Konncd" James -, Smith Mur
ply ard ". T. Mundy. I.yendeck or
aliases ave given as g. D. Decker and
Decker. what names they made hav
used r. S3ufYalo and Niagara Falls, til
gt.vc mn INT agents declined to reveal u
night
Nc.anCt Ont, Dec, 11,-Neither mlitar
no: police authorities here know anythin
~! Tie all sged plot 20 blow w tho Wei,an
TS - a