The sun., 1917-03-06
Chemist and Subject of Kai-
ser Found With Explosives
in Hotel Room.
ASSOCIATES SOUGHT
BECAUSE OF THEFT
Powder Like That Used to
Burn LOllvain and Other
Compounds Found.

you remember what happened on
Black Tom last summer. Well, you wait
and you'll see the same thing again.
That threat whispered in a barroom in
Hoboken several weeks ago started an
Investigation which led yester lay to the
arrest OF Fritz Kolb. a German subject
and chemist by training. in the Com
mercal Hotel, Hoboken. In his room
we're found two bombs and a quantity
Of explosives. including powder disks OF
the kind used by the Germans to set
FIRE to I,ouvain. Other bombs in proc
ess of manufacture were discovered in
the room.
The arrest was made through the CO.
operation Of Chief Hayes of the Hoboken
police and Deputy Police Commissioner
scul OF New York. Mr.. Scull des-
patched Capt Thomas ]. Tunney of the
10 assist in the capture Of Kolb and the
search Of his room.
Detectives Barnitz. Barth. Coy and
Puglinani Of Capt. Tunney's squad. who
ransacked the room. found various kinds
Of explosives. including T. N. r.. pow
der, picric acid, wire. copper and fuses.
Tho police finally took Kolb to the Ho-
boken police headquarters. where he was
held on a charge of having explosives
in his possession. Several Of Kolb's
friends and acquaintances were cor
rallied. quizzed and then set free.
Many stories of Plots.
In connection with Kolb's arrest sem
sational stories began to leak out. Ono
was that he had confessed that he had
intended to send a bomb TO President
Wilson; that he had been responsible for
the Black Tom explosion and the Kings
land disaster and that he had been
planning to set Off more bombs in NUM-
tion factories. All these rumors. how
ever. were denied. and last evening Chief
Hayes and Capt. Tunney said emphati-
cally that they had no other evidence
against the man than the explosives
found in his room. They asserted. how
ever. that they were investigating
number of clues that may lead to more
arrests. The police hint that they may
oe able to connect Kolb with explo-
sions. but whether he had anything to
do with Black Tom and what were his
plans for the use of the bombs are still
mysteries to them.
Kolb who Is about 36 years old. Is
not feet I inches tall. He is slightly
bald. with dark brown hair and a stubby
hustache, with piercing gray eyes and a
Iale face. His life in America has been
much Of a mystery to the men who have
been inquiring into his conduct 1t is
asserted that he is a trained chemist,
skilled in the knowledge and use of ex-
r.osve chemicals. but in the last three
Years lie has been both a sailor and a
bartender. and at the same time has
sought TO gain employment in big chem
tal houses in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Came Here via Mexico.
kolb arrived here in July. 1914. Just
te'ore the outbreak Of the war. He left
Germany. he said. on an oil tanker op-
Grated by Il German company, went to
Mexico, where he remained for a time,
ana then sailed for this country. He
went to Newark, where after a time he
gained position as a bartender in a
saloon at Fourteenth street and Madison
avenue Friends say he was in the sa-
Icon at the time Of the Kingsland ex-
ploson
BY his own admission Kolb was living
In Jersey City last summer at the time
OF the Black Tom catastrophe, but for
more than a month he has been rooming
In the Commercial Hotel, Hoboken. That
is just opposite the North German Lloyd
steamship piers. There he associated
with number Of Germans who live on
tae steamships. It was at the CONNER
cial Hotel that Lieut.. Robert Fay, con-
Ncted Of conspiring with Robert Schulz
etd Paul Daeche to make bombs with
which to blow up steamships, spent much
u'ne prior to his arrest.
In Mysterious Conference.
When persons not closely acquainted
with Kolb asked why no had come to
!h's country they were told that he had
p'eh excused from service In the navy
ahd that he had left Germany because
MS father had forbidden his marriage
WIN girl whom he loved. 1t was
learned. however. that Kolb would dis
appear from his haunts, first In Newark
ana then In Hoboken. for several days
a, time. and never gave any excuse for
ais absence except that he had been i'll
In the last Ave or six weeks he has
seen observed in consultation with va
i'ous persons. Men called at the hotel
10 see him and then went away. Mean
ume he was spending much time in his
room. and aside from that he never was
observed or known to have any gainful
occupation. He occasionally would hang
around the barroom. and in moment of
eAuberance he is said to have made the
Doast OF what was going to happen to
b'ack Tom again. In that connection
reports have reached the police Of plans
70 blow up six munition factories In New
Jersey this week.
Bomb wrapped In shirt.
apt Tunney's attention was attracted
70 kolb through stories that reached him
from various sources. He assigned De-
.ec'lVes Coy and Barth to spend some
's'ne loafing around In Hoboken. and
nnaliy upon the strength OF their reports
.apt Tunney held a consultatio with
,hlef Hayes, and together they went to
he Commercial Hotel yesterday after
noon
Koib said not a word when told he
was under arrest. lie followed his ca D.
Tors silently to his room, where other de-
,ecuves had preceded him. He sat ST.
Nh''y by as Detective Barnitx and De-