New Britain herald., 1917-08-18
STEAMSHIP AGENT
 DANGEROUS ALIEN
Ficke Could See Departure of
 Transports From Home

New York, Aug. 1S.-Heinrich S. Ficke auditor in New York city of the North German Lloyd Steamship company. who continues to draw. ac cording to his own admission, a sal ary of &540 a month from that com pany, was arrested by United States Marshal James M. Power of the East ern District of New York last night, and locked up in the Raymond street jail. Brooklyn, pending a further in vestigation into his alleged activities in behalf of his fatherland.
 Ficke has a fine home on Staten Island, not far from Fort Wadsworth, one of the main Notifications guard ing the Atlantic approach to New York city. From the veranda of his home it was said last night it was possible for Ficke to see any ship that sailed from New York by day, while a little journey to St. George or Stapelton would render it possible for him to get a line on some of the ships that sail by night.
 Marshal Power, and agents of. the Department of Justice who accom- panied him to the Rosebank home of 1 the German steamship official, would not go into details concerning the arrest was one of the results of the country wide investigation that was ordered following the disclosure that the German government was able to get advance information as to the sailing not only of the first army di- vision to France. but also of the de- parture and the secret destination of l the destroyer flotillas which were or <3 to Cn n tnr are now taking part in the allied off, fensive against the German submA- 1 rines. Federal Officials Reticent.
 l None of the Federal officials, how l ever, said anything to confirm a ru- nor that became current shortly af- ter the arrest of Ficke, which was | to the effect that he was suspected of knowing much to the secret l method by which Germany is able 1 to get important information out of l the United States Neither did they l say anything to indicate that the gov l ernment Is in possession of evidence that Ficke knows the way in which Germany was tipped off, about the departure of the destroyers and the first of Pershing's fighting divisions. All that Marshal Power would say last night was that Ficke is held. now as "a dangerous alien"
 Do you consider that the safety of the United States demands that Ficke be deprived of his lberty?" one of the Secret Service agents was asked.
 Well, he has been deprived of that liberty, hasn't he?" the agent replied.
 It was about o'clock last night that Marshal Power and four other Fed eral officials arrived at the home of Ficke, near Rosebank. One of the four men with the marshal was As sistant United States District Attorney Henry w. Beer of the eastern district. The others, who names are withheld, were agents of the department of justice.
 F1cl<e is said to have greeted his vis- itors pleasantly and to have made no objections when he was told that he had but few minutes to pack up such little necessaries as he might need in Raymond street Jail. It is understood the house was searched but nothing was given out last night as to whether any discriminating documents or other evidence of enemy activity on the part of Ficke or other Germans was dis covered
 Questioned in Restaurant.
 Marshal Power LOOK the Ccrman teamship man to a restaurant at St. George, where they questioned him for more than two hours. No one who saw the party of six enter the restaurant and take a table out of the hearing of everybody else realized that the man in the Palm Beach suit was under arrest or that he was suspected of be- ing concerned in activities in behalf of Germany.
 Shortly after 10 o'clock last night a government automobile arrived in front of the restaurant. As the gov ernment officials and their prisoner were leaving the restaurant two men and two women who were at one of the tables nodded to Ficke.
 Where are you going?'' one of the women asked Ficke.
 "Oh, just d little automobile ride" he replied.
 The home of F1cke on Staten Island is on the border line of the barred zone of which Fort Wadsworth Is the center. It was possible for him to see everything that went on in the lower harbor by taking trip by ferry boat from st. George to the Battery, or if he desired to see what was go- ing on in the lower bay, he could 1 journey across the Kill von Kill to Eliza bethport, N. J., and take train |; to Jersey City or Hoboken and cross the river on any of the ferry lines n)v,ne south of Twenty third street, ! Manhattan, and the New Jersey side.
 R,,v an Indiana truck-advt.