The sun., 1917-02-20
Reports Made in Holland or
by New sympathetic
Ink in Letters.
SYSTEM FOLLOWED
Won IGEL'S ARREST
Military Conspiracy Alleged
in Complaint Made by
U. s. Officials.

New developments OF the Germanic
system Of espionage on the Allied Pow
ers. startling as well as romantic, were
revealed here yesterday by the arrest Of
Albert A. Sander. reporter on German
newspaper and manager OF the Central
Powers War Film Exchange, and
Charles wunnenbers. his assistant
Their seizure came after a thorough in
vestigation by Chief William ]. Flynn OF
the United States Secret Service and
William NJ. Offiey OF the Federal Bureau
Of Investigation. following the arrest In
England several weeks ago of George
Vqux Bacon, American correspondent,
They are accused of setting on foot n
military enterprise against Great
Britain.
With the arrest of Sander in his home
SIS East Fifteenth street. Brooklyn. and
Exchange in room 1918. $50 Nassau
street many papers were seized 1t was
hinted last night that broad field Of in
Quiry has been opened and there will be
more light thrown on the amazing rami-
fications Of the German system-unless
the Government decides, as usual. to
held the facts secret.
The new revelation OF Germany's pry-
ing into the secrets OF the Allies is re-
markable because II has involved the
employment of men. practically all of
them American citizens. as spies. and
has sent them to England to gather
war information. These men were
directed to collect facts about British
ef fnrfiAratinna q
movement of troops. sentiment among
the people and countless other facts.
Holland and America Used.
The knowledge thus obtained was
through America and through Holland
The correspondents, moving from various
parts Of England to Holland. could meet
in the latter country representatives OF
the German chief spy and hand informa-
ton to them. They could also write
many letters to their friends in New
York and occasional letters to the man
who employed them. That. II is charged,
is Sander himself.
In transmitting the information it Is
said they often used women. apparently
without the knowledge Of the women
They also employed a new sympathetic
,
British. This ink Is another discovery
Of Germany's chemists. 1t does not be-
come visible under heat or when the let
ter is soaked In water. but requires a
special chemical preparation. This prep
aration comprised distilled water-ordi-
nary water Is useless-and chemical.
The spies. II Is said. would writs let
ters to persons in America abouT the
casual and ordinary events Of their daily
life, always leaving one side OF the paper
blank On that they wrote with the in
visible ink. They used special pen or
some sort OF instrument that did not
leave a mark that would be visible under
a microscope. For this reason the letters
coming out Of England, even though in
spected by the censors. were not under
suspicion for a long time.
Hint sander Was the Head.
From the little information that the
Federal authorities would give out late
last night 1t seems they believe that
Sander was the practical head Of this
branch of the system. He In a young
man, with blue eyes and blond hair. He
hired the men. It Is said, to go to Eng
land and provided them with expense
money. He also made arrangement to
pay their salaries to persons In this
country.
The striking thing about his work is
that II began Just about the time tina,
, Wolf Won Igel. who sailed last week with
ex-Ambassador Count Won Bernstorff or
the Frederik VIII. was arrested q year
ago and all his papers in his office or
the twenty-fi floor of 60 Wall stree;
we're seized. Those papers ana docu
ments revealed the methods and many
secrets OF the German spy system In
America in which Capt. Won Paper
played such an important part.
with the exposure of the workings OF
/ that system 1t became necessary for the
chief spy in Berlin to work out new
means of using America as base fol-
gathering information in allied coun-
tries. 1t Is the belief of the authorities
that Sander was selected as a valuable
tool. and his operations We're kept dis.
tinct from any other activities OF Ger
| mans In this country.
The C. p. War Film Exchange. in I5(
Nassau street. while doing an active
business In handling motion pictures
taken before the Teutonic battle fronts
may have been a mere cover for San
der's other alleged activities. In addi.
| ton, however, he was executive secre.
tary of the German American Literary
Defence Committee, Of which Henry
Wiesmann, staEcb pro-German. IL
president That committee has its head.
quarters In the game Offices as the WaI
Film Exchange.
Had Funds Direct.
Sander. II is said. was well supplied
| with money, which reached him direc.
from Berlin. and not through the chan.
nels employed for furnishing money te
u