Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-13
CENTER Of BOMB
PLOT UNEARTHED
BY COVE RNMENT
Incendiay Explosives, for De-
Stroying Ships Carrying
Supplies 10 Allies, Made on
lnterned German Steamer,

feY MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiasl
New York, April 12.--Four men
charged with completely in manufac-
turing fire bombs which were
placed aboard ships carrying NUM-
tons and supplies to the entente al
lies, were arrested here tonight by
agents Of the department Of justice.
acting in concert with the New York
police. Three OF the suspects are EN-
ployes of German steamship lines,
They are accused of having been in
volved with others not yet in custody
Of fomenting plot. widespread in its
ramification for the destruction Of
merchantmen. The men under ar
rest are;
Ernest Becker, aged 80, born in
Germany, electrician on the steamer
Kaiser Friedrich Der Crosse, said by
the police to have confessed to man
ufacturing hundreds of bomh-caps.
Captain Charles Won Kleist, 81
years old, born in Germany superln-
tendent Of the New Jersey Agricul-
tural and Chemical company of Ho-
boken. \. ] who has confessed. it Is
asserted. that fire bombs were load
ed in his company's place of business
Captain Otto Wolpert aged A, SUI
perintendent of the Atlas line piers of
the Hamburg-American line. who is
accused of having received the COM
pleted bombs.
Captain Emo Bode. aged 49. SUI
perintendent of the Hamburg Amer
lean. line piers in Hoboken, who, the
police say, has admitted acting as the
agent of Captain Franz Won Papen,
former military attache at the Ger
man embassy in visits to the plant of
the New Jersey AgricuI tural and
Chemical company, and charged with
assisting in the distribution of the
bombs.
Brothcr-in-law of Bricscn.
Won Kleist, who claims to be a
brothcr- n-law Of General Won Brie-
sen of the German army. who was
killed in battle in December, 1914,
was the first to be placed under ar
rest. He is said to have been instru-
mental in bringing to police head
quarters the men accused of being CO.
with him.
I'VE invaded the haunts of men
who are responsible for the fires and
explosion on steamships, especially
sugar carrying ships. both at piers
and at sea-" declared Captain Tunney
of the bomb squad" in telling of the
seizure at the chemical company plant
of 200 bombs of the type said to have
been used in the attempted destruc-
ton of vessels.
On Track Since June.
The arrests are the result of an in
which has been conducted
BY federal and city authorities since
last June when the French govern
ment complained to the state depart
ment at Washington that uneXplOded
bombs had been found in sugar bags
aboard the steamship Kirk Oswald.
One Of these bombs was sent to Wash
ington from Paris and Becker, ac-
cording to the police. admitted tonight
that 1t was one of those made by him.
Becker. the police say. has confess
ed that his bomb factory was located
on the steamship Kaiser Friedrich
Der Crosse The containers made by
him, he is reported to have asserted,
were delivered to Won kleist at the
chemical plant and to be distributed
10 men who placed them aDoard~ships.
1t is believed the bombs also were
to various parts Of the Unit :
ed States, frequently in suit cases as
ordinary baggage
Rich Man Furnished Money
Captain Tunney declared funds for
the manufacture of the bombs, were
supplied by a wealthy man whose
IDENTITY he refused to divulge. He
said he was told details of the plot
last october by Lieutenant Robert
Fay, already under indictment in con-
nection with alleged plots against
steamships The failure of many Of
The bombs to explode greatly chagrin-
ed the persons responsible for their
and distribution, Tunney
said Fay told him. This resulted in
discussions which aided the police in
obtaining information, the officer as
serted
The bombs were composed Of two
shells, the outer of aluminium and the
nner Of zine The inner shell was
'illed with strong acid the police
say, which. after seventy-two hours,
would eat its way through the zinc
md ignite the powder or other ex-
)losive in the outer shell The result
ng explosion, according to fire de- T.
,artment experts, would have been Of
tremendous force and if two or more
occurred simultaneously in a yulner-
ihle part of the steamship they would
nave blown out the side plates and
aused the vessel to sink if at sea.
Not Spontaneous Combustion.
Since January, 1915. fires and ex-
'losions have occurred on more thah
score of ships at this port under sus-
,icious circumstances Many Of them
we're attributed to spontaneous COM
ustion. The only explanation gwen /
" the police for the failure of the
xplosives to cause greater destruc-
ion was that the chemicals USED IN
oading the bombs were of an infer
lr quality. #
Because of the nature of the case |
gainst them the specific charge |
gainst the four men under arrest 10 |
tempted arson.
won Kleist," said Captain Tunney
might. told us that the New Jersey
gricultural and Chemical company
'as German concern engaged III
ne manufacture Of fertilizer. lie sstid
nat fertilizer which reached Ger
lany indirectly through shipments 10
eutral countries such as Holland,
'orwav and Sweden He said the