Norwich bulletin., 1917-06-05

New York. June 4-EVIdence that two complete high power wireless in stallations, assembled here from Vari ous sources, were shipped piecemeal to Mexico, supposedly for use of a Ger man spy system in this country, was uneaTthed today in connection with t@varrest of three men on charge of cSnspiring to send mail containing military information surreptitiously from the United States to Germany through members of Norwegian ship crews.
 It was intimated by the United States. commissioners before whom the alleged plotters were arFaigned, 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 to this country that it had sailed.
 Secret Mail Service.
 With only the surface of the mass of evidence in the governments hands scratched. indications have been found that the secret mali system was op- erated both ways between the United States, Germany and Mexico Several hundred letters have been seized, writ ten in English, German and Spanish and some Apparently in code They are being translated in the expectation that they wal open the way to full revela tions of the alleged spy plot which is said to point to other per sons besides those under arrest.
 WO OF FFlSOnGIS SAfHGEfSdH DOtHs
 The prisoners are Harry F. Perissi and Irving Bonaparte, both said tC be American, born, employed by a Ger man electrical company here, and AXel E. Melchar, said to be a naturalized citizen from Sweden. They are charg ed with conspiring to induce members of the crews of the teamships Der gensfjord and kristianiafjord, both chartered to carry regular United States mails, to take letters and pack ages from this ccf!ntry destined for Germany, in violation of the law pro hibiting competition with the United States mails. Maximum penalty s1o.ooo Fine, Two
 Years in Prison.
 The maximum penalties provided by the statutes under which the charges are brought are S10000 fine and two years Imprisonment for conspiracy and $50 fine and six months imprison- ment for competing with the mails, ] but it was said by the government au- thorities that the investigation would continue with view to determining whether treason had been committed.
 Heavy Bail Fixed.
 When the three were arraigr ed be- fore United States Commissioner ] Hitchcock, bail was fixed at s25.0U0 l for Perissi and Bonaparte, and S2G, 900 i sel for the men to these amounts S excessive. Commissioner Hitchcock | said:
 These are unusual times and while ! the people of our own country did l not even know of the departure of our ! destroyers, it was published four days | ahead of their arrival in England in l the papers in Berlin, and it is my un- ] derstanding that the government has it in mind that this case is part and | parcel of the same iniquity-'
 Other Men Implicated.
 He held the men in the amounts !! asked for examination Wednesday | morning That others are implicated 1 and that the men under arrest are i willing to tell all they know was in dicated by counsel for Bonaparte, l who said his client was willing to help ! the government in every way in ,h his :; power. Perissi, speaking in his own i behalf said:
 T did not start this conspiracy III 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 1 came up for hearing. It is charged l by the government that the conspiracy | began last January and that mail was sent May 18th.
 Got $50 for Each Package
 Evidence has been found showing ! that the men got from the supposed ] principals in the alleged spy plot $50 ] for each package sent by their mail ! -2fn- ana that one OI IH6Hl SOt III aH more than s15O for his work.
 \ fourth man was detained but not | st ed. pending further investigation | ---'da- ce connecting him with the 1 -s- particularly in the wireless i f the alleged plot. He is Fer e-a IT, Adam. German citizen, l -I-'oy=d by an electrical company | here.
 An Innocent AccompIice.
 Evidence has been found indicating | c rx-T.ta r, I,o1r. [ inbsed and consigned to Vera Cruz. | .I-h.7E was revealed today showing ! 2 y criminal intent his part, but l the government officers are seeking to l q terD1ine whether he knew the appa- | ratus was to be used by a German spy sysf or whether there is anything