The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-25
indictments of Prominent Men
Expected as Outcome of
Long Investigations
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
In POSSESSION OF FACTS
Won R%intelen Boosted Having
100000 to Spend Fo-
menting Trouble With Mex
leo - Secret Service Long
Active

Washington, Sept. 24-While Sec
rotary of State Lansing was silent to-
day regarding the German intriSues,
il was predicted that revelations aver
more astounding than any yet would
be forthcoming within a fortnight
this time revealing a slnsh fund of mil
lions with which Germany sought to
enmesh this country in war with at
least two ether nations.
Evidence % this effect Is said to be
now in the hands OF the investigators
of the department of justice. A list
or men and firms who have been aid
ing In a large way German PROMO
gandist plots is now in the possession
OF the justice department. II lis said
That indictments are looked for of
some men high in finance and bust
ness; tina such a. step will be taken
rather than an exposure of the names
of all who are mentioned. The gov
eminent now wants to convict the
guilty.
supposedly the state department has
oeen put in possession of the facts
or IL Will be within a few days. Al
any rate offcial Washington is toot
ing for the real climax to the s,oriss
or German dupucity, intrigue ard
crime |tssat have hsen corn f1ifted hers
wniie the perpetrators have ben nre-
tendinE friendship for this nation ana
its people. a"o
IL has been known for MANY months
ma rranz Won Rintelen boosted that
ne nad been authorized TO exuend sio
100000 in fomenting troubla hstra
the United States n Mexico Iris
was only one of many supposed ,r-
s,aHces OF agents being semi here win
slush FUNDS OF hundreds Of thousards
OF doilars, No amount has ever naan
stated as to the proposed fund for tha
nal. ""p ga
whether the Rintelen boast f,ru
tsrge part of the evidence that ~
aepaFtment OF Justice is now believed
W nave is only conjecture; but as ,ba
Intfigues so far barred have mertiar
60 only comparatively small sums IL.
soV'oeV II Is taken for granted thar
n,tth ~oi.iconalng exposure will deal
WITH transactions large enough ~ -
worth any prize offered.
. IS an open secret that the denart.
Heht OF justice has the names Of ~,
70 "hoH1 a large part of this monay
vent OF Ire channels through which
IL was to work its influence Tbass
names, 1t is understood. are tba 80
+ect or conferences Of Justice ofscislx
\" determine whether taev shan ~
public in full. or whether tbe hir
principals shall be sifted out ana IL.
brought against them a,on.
aho 70 let the smaller Try go. 1t Is
u oehei Oh the justice Investigators
t!nat many of the persons named hava
reen brought innocentiy into tha ~
move and tina they Should
be put in jeopardy.
IL d been known foe some rims
tnat the recent exposures of the xtate
department have been only n sn,ay,
part OF the propaganda activities Of
which the authorities OF this country
are aware. Hundreds of sc cret agents
have been threading the entire nation
Tor more than two years and thew
have been assisted by the ablest OF
in the other countries OF the al
lies.
The ease with which the steamship
homo men were captured before they
caused a large explosion; the
foiling of the we'll and canal nIot.
the arrest of numerous bomb makers.
are all a small chapter In the re-
system of espionage carried
by this country. And these wAre
Incidental TO the larger game that the
Investigators were seeking.
suhsidizasion of and
correspondents, the passports. the
of supplies into Germany
were all thoroughly watched. Tho
latter was particularly expensive hust-
ness and consisted largely of snug
Cling platinum. rubber. money and So
MANY of the snuggfers wers
blocked and it lis reported the secret
service men obtained information hat
led to large interests sympathetic with
Germany,
Many of the persons who were en-
gagged in such traffic before the United
States entered into the war, have
proven themselves patriotic citizens
For this reason the officials are
to bring trouble to. all A
long al America was not directly a.
war these persons were doing nctE-
lnE more than turning D slightly faint
ed penny by dickering with the Ger
II Is now considered likely that
the government win seek Indictment
only OF those who plainly violated the
Of neutrality and are stu su6roIq.s
"a of I divided ioysity.