Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-01-11
EDITOR
.rScovERING THE ~BoMB pLoTTERs.

IL IL no surprise TO those who have been following
the "Bopp case" in the San Francisco papers thai
the German consul general at San Francisco and
his associates have been found guilty of conspiracy
20 blow up ships and trains carrying munitions to
the Allies.
Those on trial were Consul General Franz Bopp
Vice Consul Z. Fl. Won Setback, Lieutenant Wilhelm
Won Brincken, attache; Confidential Agent
Charles C. Crowley and his secretary Mrs. Mar
garet W. Cornell.
As witness after witness for the prosecution took
the stand. there was revealed IN amazing story of
activity by German agents. in which ile German
consulate was plainly involved The work of the
T. - secret service was indicated in the perfection
of detail with which Crowley and his fellowagents
had been tracked. The evidence built up against
them was Overwhelming. Their movements were
shown to be in close connection with the dynamt-
ing jobs attempted jobs. Documents, letters and
similar matter had been collected in such that
when Crowley went to the stand for the defense his
only course was general blanket denial, which he
made. But to Offset almost every point in his de-
NAL the government had witnesses who contradicted
him. r. .:@s -. - I.
The main defense of Consul General Bopp and his
associates is that fhe agents in their employ
NOT hired to do dynamiting jobs by other Illegal
means to block the munitions traffic OF the Allies
hut to SECURE information as to this trafficinfor
nation later to be used in claim, behalf of the
German government, that e, 8. neutrality was be-
ing violated
Against this the government offered evidence TO
prove that after dynamitfng jobs had been pulled
off, eonfdeRtiai agents OF the consulate and even
some OF its officials were concerned in the payment
of money TO the men who did the jobs.
= -
Bit BY BIT the fabric OF evidence was built mp
against the German officials. Blanket denaIs could
not suffice TO discredit this evidence
II was soon apparent either that the German off;
Gals were the victims of a series of amning conci
dences as strange as ever conceived in fiction else
that they were the motive forces in Illegal plots
against the peace and safety of the United States
Evidently the jury took the latter view To explain
III their activities on tile ground of coincidence was
too much.
The conviction ought to convince Germany and
German sympathizers in this country--if any fur /
ther convincing is necessary-that such plots and
potters will not be tolerated These San francisco
cases are the last remaining of considerable mum
Der which the u. s. sleuths worked upon shortly
after the beginning Of the war. The Lieut. Fay ease
the sfah1 case, and particular the ton Papen and
Boy-ed cases, have shown beyond any reasonable
doubt that these "bomb plotters felt that they had
The support Of their government in their nefarious
operations Not until the United States uncovered
plots which led into the very doors Of the embassy
1t Washington did the German government disayow
responsibility forsor sympathy with the law break
srs 1t was left for the United States government
10 run the malefactors sternly to earth and reveal
the amazing extent Of their work. The stingingl
rebuke to Germany through the demand for the re
sall of Won Papen and Boyed then followed.