Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-10-03

larly quiet and unbusinesslIke exist
ence chiefly by Germans who had moth
ing whatsoever to do with advertising.
The other was large safe. bearing the
insignia of the German imperial gov
eminent
One morning in April. 1916. govern
ment secret service men visited this
same Wall street Office while Won fgel
was preparing a mass of papers which
he had taken from the safe for traUs
fer to the German embassy in Wash
ington.
Find Lists of Spies.
when the papers were examined by
| the depa rtment of justice the reason for
Won Igers determined fight became APP
parent Here. in the form of letters,
kilograms. notations. checks. receipts.
ledgers, cashbooks. cipher codes. lists
of spies and other memoranda and rec
ords were found indicaticns-in some
instances Of the vaguest nature. In
others Of the most damning conclusive
ness-that the German imperial gov
ernment through its representatives in
a then friendly nation. was concerned
with:
Violation Of the laws of the United
States
Destruction OF lives and property in
merchant vessels on the high seas.
Irish revolutionary plots against
Great Britain.
Fomenting I'll feeling against the
| United States in Mexico.
subornation Of American writers and
lecturers.
Financing of propaganda.
Maintenance of a spy system under
the guise OF a commercial investiga-
ton bureau.
Subsidizing Of bureau for the pur-
pose OF stirring up labor troubles in
munition plants.
The bomb industry and other related
activities.
koenic-Von Papen Commerce Bureau.
Perhaps the most Illuminating single
! document in the collection is letter OF
July 20. 1918, reproduced as IL ap-
peared upon the stationery of the Blu
reau of Investigation" This innocent
pretending agency was at the outset
the secret service of the Hamburg
American Steamship company Under
Paul Koenig. it's manager. 1t became an
adjunct 20 the German diplomatic secret
service. Xxx is the secret designa-
ton OF Koenig who is now under in
dlctments on criminal charges in con-
nection with this diplomatic" work
and Is informed at Fort Oglethorpe.
The person represented by the figure
- 000'' is Captain Won Papen. former
military attache OF the German en-
bassv and the practical executive OF its
underground system. The document de-
scribes the subterfuges OF Xxx tKoe-
nig) SO that he might not De identified
BY the mysterious - when they met.
xxx" states that money was to be
drawn for the payment OF $3.50 to the
unnamed person. under peculiar preca'.-
lions. through Check No. 14s on the
Riggs National bank. Washington.
dated July 16. payable to-------
signed ---. amount $3.50, No rea-
son was given as to why the payment
was made" says the report
Bombs in Coal.
Several days after the payment. the
| recipient called q&t the passenger Of
fee Of the line and made a state
ment which is thus embodied In the
xxx report.
my name is I have an office
at the --- building but do not care
/ 70 state my local address. intend to
cause serious damage TO vessels of the
/ allies leaving ports OF the United States
| by placing bombs. which I am making
myself on board. These bombs re-
semble ordinary Jumps OF coal. and
! am planning 20 have them concealed in
the coal to be laden on steamers Of
( the allies"
Finally Xxx states that "the caller
( brought rith him a sample bomb,
/ such as has been described to you by
| the subscriber" and asks for the in
structions.
The document is lettered at the foot.
20. r. 10 1000" indicating that the Sc
cret agent known as %. r" had trans
mitted il TO Won Papen.
Check Is Traced.
Now fer the proof. direct and unes-
{ capable Chec,i i46 on the Riggs Nation
ii bank has been traced and added to
: the secret service collection. It is pay
able 70 Koenig and signed by Won Papen.
/ Therefore Won Papen stands convicted.
/ on the evidence OF a report claimed as
az official document by the Germans, Of
( paying money to a potter designing to
blow up merchant ships sailing from the
port OF New York. The person who made
this report is known to department of
Justice officials.
( Compare these documents with the fol-
loving authorized statement from Ber-
I lin, transmitted by wireless for publica-
ton ia the New York Times In December
1918.
The German government has. nat
( orally, never knowingly accepted the sup
port 81 any person, group OF persons. So
/ ctety or organization seeking to pro-
, mote the cause OF Germany in the United
{ States IS Illegal acts, by counsel or vi
( olence. by contravention OF law, or by
( any means whatever that could offend
the American people in the pride Of their
{ own AAtboTlty.
Destruction was not BY any means
the sole Interest OF Koenig's energetic
( bureau It concerned itself also with
spy enterprises. To Koenig wrote Otto
! West an American citizen and pf.
{ pTietor Of the Hour Glass at 303 COR
/ ot3l Fifth avenue. recommending a rela-
! tive Of his who, according to his de-
I scripton, must be an interesting and
/ somewhat formidable figure Mr Vests
I description. somewhat curtailed. follows
/ He Is a grandson OF the late ODER
| hoiprediger Strauss OF Berlin, brother
| Of the present Mlitar Oberpfarrer Strauss
! Of Fotsdam. nephew of the late Admiral
| Won Schleinitz.. the late General Won Man
| tey. etc. This gentleman changed his name
some twenty odd years ago TO an Amer
lean name and none OF his associates sus-
/ poets his German birth or antecedents
lie IS an International Journalist OF great
repute, for years at the head OF a news
paper organization In England
He has personal reason 10 re very
bitter against England. because two
years ago Ghis letter appears TO hay,
been written about June / 1915. which
would make the date referred To Tho
early summer Of 1879 a certain atteck
was made against him over commercial
matters in Great Britain. ard 1t was
only by appealing TO the United States