The Detroit times., 1917-12-15
DEFENSE IN
BOMB PLOT
CASE OPENS
Fritz Neef to Testify
When Trials Re
sumed Next Tuesday

CHARGED Win conspiracy a-tA4ttflt -'t"
government is resumed In The Unit
cd states court, Tuesday, o. rs salo
fhat Fritz Nepf viii take The stand
An his own behalf n Is said mat
he viii make a frank statement OF
his entire connection with The ban0
az alleged dynamiter7. OF Whlen
Kaltschmidt IS accused of being 'he
head Necf. it has been sworn ~
tvitnesses. was the expert mechanic
who manufactured The bombs and
otter ingenious devices employed
ip the work OF destruction.
The prosecution rested is case
fast before adjournment, FRIDAY
arornoop Seldom in he annals oi
the United States court has case
~ thle nature. where the secrets
veauld naturally be well guarded
besn more strongly presented. and
tba credit for this fact IS given
largely 10 =. Herbert Cole, specia
Amt OF the department Of justice,
wao has worked constantly on me
go Cor two wears. Hls iuvestiga-
tjcns have taken him almost from
coast 20 coast. and ne has placed
one little fact alongside OF aho'hei
with infinite patience ana clever
ness until when the alleged con
-ss1ratnrs were called 10 court Mr
Cole had them bound aFoUu1 VIII
a chain OF evidence that was
marvel for .ts completeness.
John Ballantyne, president OF me
MERCHANTS National bank, was m
Grst witness called by the defense
FRIDAY afternoon Attorney Brad
le, representing Kaltschmidt called
MIN in an attempt 90 show that the
SEQ GOO obtained from Ambassador
won Bernstorr just before the Pea
bodv nlant Was blown up was
rasl,v 10 be used IN a legitimate
business transaction kaltschmidi
claims be got the money 70 use u
br,inx the interests OF two cana
dians IN the Marine City Salt com
psny.
Mr. Rallantyue. however. was OF
iIttle value 20 Kaltschmidt In es-
,atrshing this contention as he test.
fnsA that he could remember noth
ing OF the kind and was certain NO
such deal was contaminated tnru
his bank. ~
who lived near Franz Respa's nome
near Romeo, testified that early 10
1873 he found on the road, JUS
after he saw Respa walk past with
two suitcases, a piece OF fuse which
Raspa apparently had dropped. Al
torney Bradley submitted the boy
IN a cruelling cross-examination out
fai.ed 10 shake the lads testimony
THE boy added that he often saw
ReEpa carrying suitcases along the
road past his house.
Mrs. Myrtle Imam, mother or
Kenneth, corroborated his iesli-
mony.
Other ueiehbors Of Respa in the
country gave similar testimony
Mrs. Mildred Letter, wife Of VII
liam r.efcr. who is serving a lO-year
seutence in canada for bis connee-
ton with IN alleged kaltschmint
pIots. testified that on the day or
her husbands arrest Ida KAT
scbrnidf calIeI her up and told her
NOT 10 worry. A half hour later
Kaltschmldt want 20 her house ana
made similar promises, but she de-
clsred they afterwards dropped heI
husband. declaring that he wouid
have been an right II he bad kept
his mouth shut Mrs. Letter was
extremely bitter in testifying against
Ksltschmidt
Franz Hoehling testified in the
United States district court FRIDAY
morning. that he was asked In 1910
20 assist In blowing up the 81 Clair
tunnel He testified that he was
asked by agents % Albert Kat
schmidt. among whom was Ida Kalt
schmidt-Neef. sister OF Kaltschmidt
Eoehling was then pr employe of
the Marine City Salt company. of
which Kaltschmidt was president
lie testified thar Richard Herman
thcn known az Richard Henderson
with Ida Kaltschmidi, went 70 Mn
rine City and called az the home OF
Boehling 10 interest him In tho ub
ject. He said that he protested that
The plot didn't seem practical 20
him snd that he didnt become inter
ested in h. Iie said that Ida Kait
schmidt remained in his home over
night and fhat during 1hH nfrIrr ~
the alleged attempt 20 ger h.m %
Join The plot ne heard her and
Richard Herman talk OF the none
that would b- paid Tor the bi0wins
Up OF tie fnne buf as be REGARDED
the en<erprse ar Impractical he was
not much Interested.
On cross minafiGn the witness
said tlat los Kalsclntdt, now Mrs
Noel. frequently aeuf so Hochinr
home 90 carc ior h.s baby which
was IN Ho diGnf resent tie pro
posal OF IdH EHlrsch idt "a des.ro
tho ST. CLAIR tunnel because both
Albert Kajtschmidt ard IDA Kat
schmidt had been good 90 him
Tie said flat Herma1 took of his
clothes az ihe Witut 81 home lnr
-mght and put on be disguise of a
tramp and went io P0r Huron on n
mysterious night ulp saving that
whom be- returned he would sleep .n
the HophlinE chicken coop
The witncss qndcr Cru eNamina.
ton said that he knew Herman went
20 Port Huron on sn expedition io
blow ur the tunnel Il was his be-
lief hpf the plan failed because the
uynamlr he expected confederate
20 brine him didn't reach him
Frank heninhouac. proprietor ot
Eafagt in Wcfl H0b0ken. n u,
Ntesuh9d hat Alfred thinner OF De
ifoii. gNlsd'al hh garaEa in 1915 and
ssked\ iof rNo men who kncw
Cherries R, fna there Who could e.
fahlish an albi i0r Respa when he
vas tried IN Canada ga connection
1s-iLh Lhn fynawUo plots for which