The Green Forest tribune., 1917-06-08
MORE EVIDENCE IN
 GERMAN SPY PLOT
CHARGED COMPLETE WIRELESS PLANT SHIPPED INTO MEXICO
 SUSPECT MAY TELL ALL.
MANY LETTERS ARE SEIZED
Expected That Translation Will Open Way To Full Revelation of Alleged Conspiracy To Send Military In-
 formation To Germany.

New York-Evidence that two con- p1ete high-powered wireless installa- tions assembled here were shipped piecemeal to Mexico, supposedly for use of a German spy system in this country, was unearthed in connection with the arrest of three men on charges of conspiring to send mail containing military information from the United States to Germany through members of Norwegian ship crews.
 It was intimated by the United States commissioner before whom the alleged plotters were arraigned that it was through their instrumentality that advance news of the impending arrival in England of the American destroyer fleet was sent to Germany before it even became generally known in this country.
 With only scratching of the sur face of the mass of evidence in gov ernment hands, indications have been found that the secret mail system was operated both ways between the Unit ed States, Germany and Mexico. Sew eral hundred letters have been seized, written in English, German and Span ish and some apparently in code. They are being translated in the ex- pectation that they will open the way to full revelations of the alleged spy plot.
 The prisoners are Harry F. Perissi and Irving Bonaparte, both said to be American born, employed by a Ger man electrical company here, and Axel E. Merchar, said to be a natural ized citizen from Sweden. They are charged with conspiring to induce members of the crews of the steam ships Bergensfjord and Kristianiaf- ford, both chartered to carry regular United States mails, to take letters and packages from this country deS- tined for Germany, in violation of the law prohibiting competition with the United States mail, but it was said by the government authorities that the investigation would continue with a. view to determining whether treason had been committed.
 When the three were arraigned bail was fixed at $25,000 for Perissi and Bonaparte- and $2O,O0O for Merchar. Upon objection by counsel for the men to these amounts as excessive, Commissioner Hitchcock said:
 "These are unusual times, and while the people of our own country did not even know of the departure of our destroyers, it. was published four days ahead of their arrival in England in the papers in Berlin, and it my un- derstanding that the government has it in mind that this case is part and parcel of the same inquiry"
 That others are implicated and that the men under arrest are willing to tell all they know was indicated by counsel for Bonaparte, who said his client was willing to help the govern ment in every way in his power. Ferris si, speaking in his own behalf said; q did not start this onspiracy-the mail came to me first from others and I had nothing to do with the crews of the ships"
 The commissioner told him to make no further statement until his case came up for hearing. It is charged by the government that the conspira- cy began last January and that mail was sent May IS.