New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-28
New York Police Began
Drawing Net About Spies
Long Before Time for Raid

Discussing the work OF the Police
Department. neutrality squad. organ
lied to keep tab on residents of New
York active in the interests OF Ger
many, a police official last March said:
"A large number OF men-some or
. them powerful in their own countries
are in the police net. There are pig
rents in that ret, we know, but Il is
strong enough TO enmesh men IN whom
Washington hes q special interest. We
are sure, too, that the Secret Service.
when the time comes for the drawing
up Of the net, Will have plenty Of mate
rial for patching the holes"
To police officials the time for
drawing the net arrived Wednesday
and the catch, they feel, IS tribute 20
the work accomplished by the thirty
men of the neutrality squad. who have
wol ked since early in 1916 so quietly
that even many policemen were un-
aware of the existence Of the squad.
The squads best work has been &C
complshed since February, when the
diplomatic break with Germany oc-
Cured They have been responsible
for the intcrnment of many of those
now on Ellis Islcnd. and have furnished
W
ton that has been found valuable IN
working 10 cases in other cities.
How much the squad assisted the
government in preparing its case
against the men rounded up Wednesday
officials at Police Headquarters re-
fused to state yesterday. But it is
known that more than a week ago COM
plete records Of each man now IN Gus
rody and almost as many more who
are slated for arrest, or at least q cross
examination, had been turned over to
the Department Of Justice.
The telephone overlapping played
only small part in the police work on
the case. il was said yesterday. De
tective work of high standard was the
principal cause Of the police success, 1t
was pointed out.
Several of the members Of the neu
traiity squad became acquaintance OF
the suspected men by joining organiza-
tons of which their prey were mem
beers. Others struck up barroom ac-
mountaineering. None Of the men under
arrest has the slightest intimation Of
the identity of their newfound friends,
for when the word came from Washing
ton it was detectives other than the
neutrality men who took the suspects
into custody.
Too Many Prisoners for Cells
Until the roundup was complete
and. after that, until the order had
come directing the transfer TO Ellis
Island-the prisoners were permitted to
mingle more or less freely with one
another in the drill room at Head
quarters, for there were too many of
them by far 10 be accommodated in
cells.
Every police information source was
closed tight. and reporters questions
achieved no better result than did those
Of friends and relatives of the drag
net victims who beseged Headquar-
tiers. Whether Hans or Otto or Carl
was in custody, police officia were
not saying. Articles of every descrip--
ton. from overcoats and pipes and
mufilers to n street suit intended for
one prisoner who had been captured in
evening dress, were brought by the
visitors-and carried away again, I'M
delivered.
At the Offices Of Superintendent Ofiey
and United States Marshal Mccarthy
there was a similar rush for informa-
ton. And those who sought it got as
| little satisfaction. Here, too, was a
rush of enemy aliens. who. having neg
| lccted previously TO file application for
| barred zone permits, were suddenly
anxious TO have il understood that
theirs had been only an oversight.
Late in the morning a lieutenant of
the navy brought the transfer order
| 10 Headquarters. Within 8 short time
nine patrol wagons, with ten of the
prisoners in each and guard for each,
we're on their way TO the Barge Office
at the Battery.
A crowd that was augmented by hun
dreds with the arrival Of each patrol
saw the Germans unloaded and taken
| into the Barge Office waiting room. A
/ few minutes later the noon boat steamed
away for Ellis Island with the whole
/ crew aboard.