New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-12
Eighteen Others Accused
Of Conspiracy Fore
stalled by U-Boat
German Embassy
Had Bomb Factory
Rintelen Was Chief Worker
in Hoboken Death
Plant

Evidence tending to show that the
German Embassy was concerned in
plot 10 destroy the Lusitsnia with
bombs in case the Uboats missed her
was produced before grand jury yes
terday by James w. Osborne, jr.. As
sistant United States Attorney. 1t re-
suited in the Indictment Of Captain
Franz Won Papen, former naval attache
of the German Embassy, and eighteen
others.
The indictments followed the arrest
on Wednesday night of Eugene Reis-
ter, a naturalized citizen of German
birth; Joseph Zefrert, alias Peter the
jew" and Walter Uhde, subject OF
Germany, charged with conspiring to
destroy Allied ships at this port before
America entered the war. The three
who were taken by Detective Lieuten-
ant George Barnitz and other mem
bers of the police bomb squad, are
among those indicted.
Others are Captain Frame Rintelen'
Cartain Sternburg, DR.. Walter Scheele,
DR.. Karl Sctimmcl, Captain Otto VOL
pert and Captain Emo Bode.
Rintelen Already Convicted
R;ntelen is serving sentence OF
two years for the part he played IN
another ship sinking plot. He is re-
puted to be a relative of the Kaiser,
and. according TO Mr.. Osborne. held
an important post among the plotters
against the Lusitania's safety. Stern
burg was Rintelen's right hand man
and is believed to have escaped to Ger
many. Won Papen returned to Ger
mary after he was dismissed from
America.
Scheele ran n bomb factory in Ho-
broken which was maintained by the
German Foreign Office. He fled to
Mexico year ago. Schimmel was
German SPY who had an Office at 81
Chambers Street. Wolpert was super
intepdent Of the German-owned Atlas
Steamship Line. Bode was pier super
intendent of the Hamburg American
line. many of whose employees have
been indicted as spies and plotters.
Captain Tunney, of Police HeadQunr-
ters. said that the first meeting of the
conspirators was in the Office of DR..
Schimmel. He said that after the
sinking Of the Lusitania by U-boat,
Martin Isen, one Of the editors OF
THE German Herold." called on Schim-
mel. Schimmel, Tunney declares Ilsen
told him, tore his hair as he talked Of
the torpedoing Of the Lusitania, say
ing:
"And all my work is gone for moth
ing. had placed nine cigars Gre
bombs) on the Lusitania. They were
timed to explode whom she was of the
Irish coast. And how they have tor
pedoed the Lustania."
Embassy Knew of Plot
Captain Tunney and the detectives
who worked with him on the case said
Yesterday that the evidence in their
possession showed that the German
Embassy knew of the plot. and that it
seemed that the German U-boat cap
tain who sank the Lusitania did 80
not knowing it was already marked for
destruction by Captain Franz Won
Papen and his co-conspirators in this
country.
Isen last night issued a statement
saving that Schimmel did not tell him
he had placed the fire bombs on board
the Lusitania. Ilsen's explanation, in
part, follows:
after the Lusitania was torpedoed
ecbimmel told me- that she had nine
cigars on hoard lie told it in such
= WAY thar | could not suspect him OF
being implicated in the matter. TOOK
his words as nothing more than boast
ing. He referred to the bombs, how
ever. as cigars | asked him how he
had como 10 knowing about the plot
70 destroy the Lusitaria, for be-
lieved he had merely heard the story;
- so;d. We'll | know"