The Washington herald., 1916-01-15
Charged with Attempting to
Ship Contraband Rubber to
German Government.
THREE PLOTS RELATED
West Side Politician Managed
Rubber Conspiracy, Bomb
Plot, and Thefts, Charge.
ALLEGED FIRE BUG CAUGHT
ALLEGED FIRE BUG CAUGHT
Spy Responsible for Steel Plant Blaze
Reported Captured-Neutrahty
Squad illustrates Plans.
spes.l . N, w,shisste. H-.,a

sp-rial 70 rss Washington Hsraid
New York. Jan. A-These were the big
Developments today in the international
spy plot investigation:
First-A woman and four men, includ-
ing a relative of one Of the most TN
portant officials of the Deutsche Bank
Of Berlin. were indicted by the Federal
grand jury. They are charged with con-
spiracy to violate the customs laws In an
attempt TO ship cdatraband rubber to the
German government
Second-Department of Justice officials
received information apparently es-
tabIshing the Identity of the spy re-
sponsibIe for the 100000 fire in the
Bethlehem Steel Plant on November 10
The steamship vaubban, which arrives
tomorrow or Monday, Is expected to bring
the full story Of the spy's arrest on the
high seas by the British
Third-An INTERPRETATION between the
rubber conspiracy, the Fay bomb plot
and New Jersey thefts Of goods intended
for the allies was established. This
through the discovery that West Side
politician was an agent Of all three
groups.
Face Two Years Apiece.
The five indicted in the rubber plot
face fail sentences OF two years each
and nnes Of $4,000 apiece. They are:
Edward Weber, cousia Of Albert Web
er. chief Of the rsfbber department. OF the
Deutsche Bank, official repository Of the
German government; Paul Schmidt, part
uer with Weber in the Rubber and Quay
uIe Agency, Inc, los Water. street; Max
Jaeger. a German automobile manufac-
turer; Richard wohlberg, a cement and
rubber manufacturer Of the Bronx. and
Mrs. Annie Dekkers, native of Holland.
The scheme complained Of was put
into operation last fall" said Assistant
United States Attorney Harold A. Con-
tent.
Jaeger came to this country then Be
fore he left the Fatherland he had been
told by Ferdinand Frank, head of the
German Automobile Company, that he
could make q great deal of money by
secretly shipping rubber to Germany.
The proposition was submitted to Al
bert Weber at the Deutsche Bank.
Jaeger was given letter of introduction
to Edward Weber. Edward Weber and
his partner. Schmidt. refused for busi-
ness reasons to sell rubber direct to
Jaeger. They referred Jaeger to Wohl-
berg. who has business in the Bronx.
Officials Tipped on.v
''wohIberg was persuaded to take part
in the conspiracy" Mr.. Content said.
"It was thought best to employ women
runners to get the stuff through. Four
and one-half tons OF rubber was pur-
chased.
Mrs. Decker. Holland woman, and
an experienced ocean voyager. was en-
ticed into the conspiracy. Part of the
rubber was stored in four trunks and
eight packing cases and Mrs Dekker at
tempted to sail from Hoboken on No
vember q last on the Holland-American
liner Ryndam.
''She was to meet a man with a white
carnation in his lapel at Rotterdam.
This man was to see that the rubber got
through to Germany. But the plans of
the conspirators were frustrated by Col
lector Malone's neutrality squad. who
had been tipped or by British agents.
Mrs. Dekker and the others were arrest
ed. Other arrests in the case are ex-
pected."