Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-13

New York, April 12.-Four men were
arrested here tonight by agents of the
Department Of Justice charged with
having manufactured fire bombs"
which were. placed in sugar bags on
the steamship Kirkoswald Of the Fabre
Line on or about May 2 last.
One Of the men arrested gave the
name Of Charles Kleist and declared
he was q brother -in-law, Of Gen. Won
Bfiesen Of the Germany army who.
was. killed In battle in December. 1874
He gave his age as 81 years.
The others were Ernest Becker. 80 years
Of age, an electrician on the steamship
Kaiser Friedrich De Crosse. and Cap
tain Otto .Wolpert, a years of age, SUI
peyintendent Of the Atlas Line steamship
piers here. and Capt. Emo Bode. 40 years;
superintendent Of the Hamburg American
Line steamship piers at Hoboken. N: J.
Employed by Won Papen
(. Acoordink TO the officers who made the
arrests, Bode confessed that he was the
agent Of Capt. Franz Won Papen, former
military attachs at the German embassy.
He IL said to have asserted that Won Pa
pan sent him to the plant Of the Agricul-
turpl Chemical Co. in Hoboken to find
fault; with the shipments Of lubricating
oil which were being sent to Germany
By. Wny OF Holland az fertilizer" ~. B.
Acting Capt. Tunney Of the bomb
squad" declared 200 bombs were found
in the ONCE Of the Agricultural Chemi-
J cal Co. and confiscated.
Il Evidence in the possession Of the
police. according to Capt. Tunney.
tends to show that similar bombs were
shipped to all parts of the United
States. a
Bombs Found on Steamship
When the steamship Kirkoswald re-
turned here July 10, 1915. from Mar
settles, 1t was disclosed that four fire
bombs had been found in her cargo Of
sugar and that bombs found aboard
the Bankdale, the Devon City, the
Lord Erne and the Cressington Court,
which had loaded at this port for des-
tinations in, France, had been Of a SIM
liar nature.
The bombs were composed of highly
indammable chemicals intended to
burst into flames in the heat of the
steamers holds.
Construction Of Bomb
CapI. Iunney asserted FUNDS Tor the
manufacture of the bombs were sup
piled by wealthy man whose MAMIE
he refused to divulge. This informa-
ton, he said. was impaired to him sew
eral months ago by Robert Fay. al
ready under indictment in connection
with alleged bomb plots against steam
ships. The bombs are said to have
been manufactured from aluminium
shells lined with zinc. According to
the police. acids inserted in the zinc
chamber burned through into the
aluminium covering after a certain in
terval and exploded percussion caps or
q charge Of powder.
The police sayothat fires which the
prisoners will be asked to explain il
they can, occurred on the following
ships:
y ~ Evidence Of Activity
I. La Touraine. at sea, July 10, 1915;
Euterpe. Nov. 3. 1915; Devon City
April ~. 1915; Harrington Court, bomb
found aboard in France, Feb. 6, 1916;
Inchmoor fire at pier in Brooklyn. De-
scen1ber rs, 1915: Ilvington Court, fire
aobard. date not given. 1918: Knuts-
ford, Feb. 20. 1916; Lord Erne. two
bombs found when ship arrived at
French port April 10. 1915; Minnehaha,
explosion aboard when 800 miles off
Halifax. N. s., July l. 1915; Sigma, fire.
aboard. Jan. 81. 1915; Riolages, fire