The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-07-08
9S INDICTED IN
PLOT TO INCITE
INDIA REVOLT
San Francisco Jury Names
Merchants and German
Embassy Attaches.
EX-CONSULS ARE ACCUSED
Enemy Agents Sent to China
and Japan to Get Their
Help.
EX-CONsULs ARE ACCUSED

SAN Francisco, July 7.-Indictments
charging conspiracy to promote revo-
luton against British rule in India were
returned here to-day against ninety
eight men in various sections of America
and abroad, and ranging from million
aires and diplomats to Hindu laborers.
San Francisco was the plotters base OF
operations in this country.
Enemy agents were sent to China and
japan to attempt to bribe the press OF
those nations and to procure secret
treaties between the German Empire
and those governments in aid OF the
Hindu revolutionary plots, according to
a statement made tonight by John w.
Preston, United States District Attorney.
Forty-one indictments also were re-
turned on the so-called steamship Sacra-
mento case, in which IL, is charged an
effort was made to provision German
warships at sea. Franz Won Papen, Tor
mer military attache at washington. is
among those indicted. Several OF he
defendants are mentioned In each set OF
indictments.
The true bills were presented to Fed
eral Judge w. w. Morrow by the Fed
eral Grand Jury after many weeks In
vestigation.
Former German consuls in Chicago
Honolulu, Shanghai, Manila and Sar
! Francisco, together with members oi
their STATS and former attaches OF the
German Embassy at Washington. are
among those indicted.
In addition. many prominent Sar
Francisco business men and scores OF
| Hindus are included. Their names will
not be made public until arrests are
| made
| TaIagranbic warrants prepare6 by
! United States Attorney John w. Preston
were sent broadcast to Federal agents
| and It is expected that many arrests ir
various parts OF the country will b
, made.
! The Government charges the con-
/ spiracy dated from the outbreak Of the
war in 1914. was organized in Berlin
and financed with German gold.
Long Knew War Was Coming.
Preparations for war with England
were being made In the United States
by German agents and Hindu agitators
more than a year prior to the outbreak
of the European war, according to q
statement made here by United State,
District Attorney John w. Preston
, Mr.. Preston added:
'NOne hundred and Ave men are in.
volved. Ninety-eight have been indicted
and seven named as coconspirators
! About one-half of this number are al
present outside the jurisdiction OF the
United States.
! "At the outbreak of tho war Hindl
leaders. members of the German con
sulate here and attaches OF the German
| Government began to form plans q
carry out a conspiracy TO incite revolu
ton in India for the twofold purpos,
OF attempting TO free India and aid tn,
Germans in their military operations.
-Hindus on the Pacific coast were can
vassed and those willing TO take part IL
the revolution were registered. Ennis
saries were financed by the German
agents hero and Immediately despatched
to Germany.
Shortly thereafter what is known Al
the India committee. an adjunct of tn,
German Foreign Office, was created II
Berlin. Among them was Har Dayal
q fugitive from the United States II
1914. This India committee has tn,
personal attention of Alfred thinner
| mann.
Money Sent From Berlin.
Thereafter the operations of tn
plotters in the United States were di
rected from Berlin and tho finances wer
sent from the same source. The con
spiracy took the form of various mill
tary enterprises. Arms and ammunition
in large quantities were purchased witt
German money. Men were recruite,
and sent to India.
military expeditions were organize,
to be carried on from America and Slam
Arms and ammunition were smuggle,
through China and Japan.
"The whole conspiracy was a we
defined effort to create a revolution &
India for the purpose of forcing Eng
land TO maintain large bodies of troop
in India that otherwise would have bee
for use against Germany on the battl
front The evidence presents an ama1
ing display of intrigue at the expens
of the laws and hospitality of the Unite
States"
Alfred Zimmerman. referred TO 4
Preston's statement, is Foreign Socre
tary OF Germany