Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-04-13
AGENTS
UNCOVER A FIRE
BOMB" CONSPIRACY
Four Arrests Made-Alleged
That Bombs Were Placed in
Sugar Bags on Steam
ship Kirk Oswald.

New York, April 12.-Four men were
arrested here tonight by AGENTS Of the
department of justice. charged with hav-
ing manufactured "fire bombs" which
were placed in sugar bags on the steam
ship Kirk Oswald of the Tabre line
on or about May 2, last.
According to the officers who made the
arrests, one Of the four confessed that
he was the agent of Capt. Franz Won
Papen, former military attache at tho
German embassy. He Is said to have
asserted that Won papen sent him to
the plant of the Agricultural Chemical
company in IIoboken, where Kllost was
employed. to "fnd fault with the ship
ments OF lubricatinE oil which were
being sent to Germany by way of Ilol-
land MS fertilizer"
Acting Captain Tunncy Of the "bomb
squad" declared go bombs were found
in the office of the Agricultural Chcmi-
cal company and Coniiscated.
Evidence in the possession Of the po-
lice according to Captain Tunucv, lends
to show that similar bombs were ship
ped to all parts of the United states.
Many of them were transported, he said,
in suit cases as ordinary baggage.
When the steamship Kirk Oswald re-
turned here July 10. 1915, from Marscil-
les, it was disclosed that four fire bombs
had been found in her cargo of sugar
and that bombs found aboard the Bank
dale. the Devon City, the Lord Erne
and the Cressngton Court, which had
loaded at this port for destinations in
France, had been of similar nature
Three of the suspects are employees
Of German steamship lines. They IRE
accused Of having been involved with
others not yet in custody in fomcn {.
plot, widespread in its qualifications
for the destruction of merchantmen.
The men under arrest are:
Ernest Becker 80 years old, born in
Germany, electrician on the steamer
Kaiser Friedrich De Crosse, said by the
police to have confessed to manufac-
turing hundreds of bomb cases
Captain Charles Won Kleist, CO years
old born in Germany, superintendent
of the New Jersey Agriculture and
Chemical company of Hobokcn, y. J.,
who has confessed it is asserted, that
fire bombs" were loaded in his COM
pany's place of business.
Captain Otto Wolpert a. years old,
superintendent of the Atlas Line piers
Of the Hamburg American line who is
accused of having received the COM
pleted bombs.
Captain Enoo Bode. 40 years old,
superintendent of the Hamburg Amer
lean line piers in Hoboken, who, the
police say, has admitted acting as the
agent of Captain Franz Won Papen,
So
embassy lin visits to the plant of the
New Jersey Agriculture and Chemical
company, and charged with assisting
in the distribution Of the bombs.
Won kleist who claims to be q brother
in-law of General Won Briesen of the
German army, who was killed in battle
In December. 1914. was the first to be
placed under arrest After long and
rigid questioning by detectives, he is
said to have been instrumental in bring
ing to police headquarters the men ac-
cused of being co-conspirators with him
1--WE have invaded the haunts of the
men who are responsible for the fires
and explosions 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 2OO
bombs of the type said to have been
used in the attempted destruction Of
vessels.
The arrests are the result of an inves-
tigatlon which has been conducted by
federal and city authorities since last
June. when the French government COM
planned to the state department at
Wa chin lrf on that ,NIo I, r,.,
been found in sugar bags aboard the
steamship Kirk Oswald. One of these
bombs was sent to Washington from
Paris. and Becker according to the po-
lice, admitted tonight that it was one
IL hn. do L, L.