The sun., 1917-07-22
GERMAN JOINS
JERSEY GUARD;
SEIZED ASSPY
-7~TT~rr s-7-H- sh~ g-- - n~
Member of First Infantry OF
Newark Interned on
Ellis Island.
IN ARMS UNDER KAISER
Was q Steward on Hamburg
American Line Until Out
break Of War.
IN ARMS UNDER KAISER

Suspected of being a German spy,
Kari Basel. an expert photographer ana
q private In the recruiting squad OF the
First New Jersey Infantry, was yes
terday taken from Newark to the intern
ment camp at Ellis Island. The pris-
oner was formerly q non-commissioned
officer in the Germany army. He Is SAID
TO be the arst spy suspect arrested IN
the military forces in the country.
Beyond admitting that ne was war
prisoner agents Of the Department OF
Justice who caused the arrest Of Basel
refused to tell what evidence had been
obtained against him. He will be closely
guarded until disposition Is made OF mis-
case.
Basel Is suspected Of being the tool
OF a recognized agent Of the Kaiser
Government For weeks he has oeen
under heavy guard in the Essex county
Jail at Newark. His arrest folowed re.
! ports by agents OF the Department OF
Justice who have been trailing him on
his frequent leaves of absence from the
First Regiment Armory.
Enlisted since the War. -.-
Basel. who Is &c years old and
| man of intelligence, enlisted soon a1tel
| the decla ration of q state OF war wtr
Germany Because of his apparent en-
| thusiasm for the American nag ne was
| fayorite with the other members o.
the regiment. He had not been assigned
/ to a company but had fair chance
! until the Federal authorities stepped II
| and changed conditions. Before enlist
| ing in the infantry he applied for ahmis
| sion to the Y. s. Aviation Corps.
! Because Of his acquaintance with th'
| other members OF the regiment doinf
guard duty and his knowledge OF mih
| tary affairs Basel had access to stationi
! or the infantry posts In New Jersey tina
would be closed to others. His uniform
acted as an Identification or password
He used his camera frequently.
Col. John d. Frazer. commander o
the First New Jersey infantry. SAX
Basel had committed no military offence
which had come to his attention or tina
Of other officers until the Governmen
AGENTS notified him OF the desirability o
placing him under guard. The Depart
ment OF Justice agents are said to nav
trailed him prior to that. learning hi
haunts and actions at several place
where he visited.
Was Hamburg Line steward.
Col. Fraser could not tell where Base
lived before he entered the service. TIL
Government agents also refused to tel
!
10 a camera they found number O
photographs taken by the young soldier
among them several snapshots OF Amer
can soldiers. 1t could not be learne
whether he had made photographs 9
military Importance.
Basel was formerly employed by III
Hamburg American Steamship Line as
steward on the President Lincoln.
According to reports that reached III
Government agents, Basel was pro-Gel
man In his utterances and activities b'
fore war was declared by this countr.
At that time It became known that +
was formerly a non-commissioned office
. In the German army. His reply to thos
who quizEed him about his inconsister
cies when he appeared to volunteer wa
that he WAS In perfect accord with III
views of President Wilson These wei
that America was not goi"g to night II
German people, but German autocracy.
, A few weeks after he was in militar
service suspicion OF the Federal agen
was directed TO Basel. They first prove
that he was an enemy alien. and the
. learned that his brother Is now in Il
German ranks fighting and that h
, parents are In Germany. He has tW
married sisters in this country.