Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-02-20
to fight for the kaiser either II
America or on the continent.
Reported by Wireless.

America or on the continent
Reported by Wireless.
These new conditions were reported
by wireless and by voluminous reports
that Germans, travelling under pass
ports fraudulently obtained, carried
back to the fatherland.
And the German general staff gath
cred around the war board with it's
American agents to meet each new
condition as it arose. One of the first
problems was the transportation of Of
ficers and reservists needed in the
trenches and the dispatching of other
soldiers and spies from Germany to
this country. For this hundreds, yes,
thousands of American passports were
needed Straightway under orders
from Germany regular bureaus were
established in New York, Chicago and
other cities to buy them. The price
was $50 for every passport bearing the
United States seal.
When it became necessary to put the
picture of the applicant on the docu
ment the Germans were not worried.
1t was a simple matter to give gen.
eral description Of a mans eyes, color
of hair, age. and so forth, that would
fit the man who was actually to use
the document and then forward the
picture of the applicant who would sell
the passport. Even though the official
stamp was placed on the picture the
Germans were not dismayed.
One day an agent of the department
of justice, who had bargained with
Ruroede to bring him passports at $50
apiece, kept his agreement. He re-
ceived FIVE documents direct from the
state department without any trouble
and dashed proudly into Ruroede's
office Ruroede was delighted
Il knew l could get these passports
easily" boosted Ruroede. why, il
Lieutenant Adam Won Wedel Ga Ger
man American who escaped from the
country Just before he would have been
arrested) had kept on here he never
would have done this. He always was
getting into a muddle."
But how can you use these pass
ports with these pictures on them?'
asked the agent, curiously
Easy to Use Them.
"Oh. that's easy" answered Ruroede
I Come into the back room and II
show YOU" The agent followed the
German, who Immediately soaked one
of the passports with damp cloth and
removed the photograph which hac
been affixed to the document and upor
which the imprint of the United States
seal had been made.
I'VE remove the photogra PHI" saiC
Ruroede. land then we substitute The
picture of the man who is to use it
The new photograph also is dampened
but when it is fastened to the passpor
there still remains a sort of vacuum
in spots between the picture and thu
document because of ridges made b!
the seal. Well, turn the passport up
side down, place it on a soft grount
made with a silk handkerchief, ant
then. taking a paper cutter with dull
point just trace the letters on the seal
The result is that the new photograph
looks exactly as il it had been stampe,
by Uncle Sam. You can't tell the diff
ference"
Reservists from all parts of the coun
try, yes, of the world called upon Ru
roede, bearing letters from Germany
q representatives. They wanted Ameri
S can passports to enable them to get t
? Berlin. Once the reserVists reache
o. on the passports and couriers or othe
= men assigned to special duty in thi
. country came into possession of then
4 1t was interesting to observe how til
Y management of that fraudulent pass
- port bureau was shifted. as exposure
i and arrests were made by the FEEDER;
e authorities, from one representative
e. the German government to anothe
n and how finally resort was made
Mexican passports.
= Mexican Women Are Used.
= In buying Mexican passports for Gel
o. mans two handsome Mexican wome
+ were used. They were supplied wit
s money, so that they had an automobl
y lived in fashionable apartment. Ell
= tertained lavishly and succeeded
o throwing out hints concerning none
Y to be made easily. Next. Swiss ar
= Swedish passports were used and OF
y casionally the Germans got an Englis
document.
The admiralty division of the gene
al war staff also has directed activiti
in America. The connection betwe,
the Hamburg American Steamsh
line and the Admiral Won Tirpitz's sta
was shown in the trial of the steam
g ship officials who were prosecuted al
n convicted by Roger b. Wood, assista
d United States district attorney in Ne
r York.
1T The evidence produced by Mr.. Wo
\ and other evidence which he offered
produce told of a secret code for u
r; between the Hamburg Americi
t. Steamship captains and the admiralt
4 that there hat