The sun., 1917-10-11
3.ARRESTEDIN.
SHIP BOMB PLOT
Police Say Trio Confess Aid
ing Conspiracy to Destroy
Vessels.

Detectives attached to Capt. Tunney's
Bomb Squad arrested three men last
night who are charged with having been
among the chief workers In the German
plot for the destruction by bombs Of
shipping In New York harbor and upon
the high seas which resulted In the sink
ing of 100000 worth OF tonnage and
cargoes.
The mon. who we're taken to the
Tombs belonged to the coterie to which
Capt. Robert Fay was attached, and
they admit. according to the detectives,
their parts In the conspiracy to sink
vessels leaving this port. The three pris-
oners are:
Eugent Riester. 80, owner and gen.
eral manager Of the German Masonic
Temple restaurant. at 220 East FIJI
teenth street.
Joseph Zeffert. 81. OF 8 and Syl-
van place. Harlem, printer. known as
Peter the Jew"
Brooklyn, y photographer. born In Ger
many and an alien enemy.
The technical charge against them Is
Conspiracy to destroy ships in New
York harbor and en- route to alien coun-
tries"
Capt. Tunney. with Lieut.. Busby and
Detectives Barnitz and Correll, had fol-
lowed the plot thread since 1915. and 1t
Is to Barnitz. according to Capt. Tunney.
that the chief credit for the captures is
due Barnitz is fluent handler Of the
German language, and was able to gain
the confidence of men who let him into
secrets that led to the final arrests.
''In March. 1915" said Capt Tunney
last night, there was a conspiracy
matched in the office Of DIR. Karl Schim-
mel. lawyer. at 81 Chambers street, to
destroy alien ships in New York har-
bor and on the sea by attaching bombs
to them and by hiding explosives in the
ships. Among those who took part in
the plot were Capt. Won Rintelen, who IL
now in the Tombs, who was also known
as Hansen Capt. Otto Wolpert, super
rtendent of the Atlas Line at Pier So.
North River. now interned and under
indictment in this case, and a Capt.
Sternberg. aid to Won Rintelen.
AT the time Of Wolpert's arrest Capt.
Sternberg was sailing troop ship in
the Dardanelles. DR.. Walter Scheele, a
former Brooklyn druggist and chemist,
who had laboratory in Harlem for the
making OF the bombs which were to be
used in this business, was also at the
meeting. He escaped to Mexico, and
the police have heard from him variously
at Buenos Ayres, Rotterdam and in Ger
many. He Is believed to be in Buenos
Ayres.
AT this meeting $4,000 was sub
scribed. and later a second sum Of like
amount was raised to pay the expenses
OF making the bombs and OF hiring men
to place them on ships The money was
divided between Schimmel and Wolpert.
who were to pay II out to the proper
persons as the occasion required.
"These plotters held a second meeting
at the Labor Lyceum at S49 Willoughby
avenue, Brooklyn. In the latter part Of
March, 1915. Wolpert. Schmmel. Udhe
and Riester attended this meeting More
discussion was held at this gathering as
to the plans for making and placing the
bombs and II was agreed that Rester
was to handle the money and see to
the use OF the explosives.
"a third conference was held at the
labor Lyceum. and Schimmel. Wolpert
Riester and Schele were on hand this
time. There was also a conference the
night before the sailing OF the Lusitania
Riester. in compliance with the direc-
tions Of Wolpert and Schimmel. gave half
a dozen bombs to two men, one OF whom
was Uhde. and directed them to place
the bombs on the steamships then In the
harbor.
after the Lusitana was sunk Scheele
boasted he had covered her inside and
out and that he had placed nine
'c!gars'-meaning explosive bombs--in
different places on the ship. The bombs
we're made OF aluminium, and corrosive
acid was so used in the construction that
the time Of their explosion was governed
by the thiclo,ess Of the aluminium case
and the action Of the acid on the case"