Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-13
URGES SUIT FOR
INDIAN STEPS
Alleges Backwater at McCall's
Ferry Has Hidden Treas
ured Carvings

| Washington, Feb. 13.-The German
secret agents for months have been
eXerting every effort to gain conf
Dental information concerning the
United States navy, the fortifications
guarding the principal American ports
! and the Panama canal, is a fact we'll
known to the government of the
United States
From sources that are official it Is
known that recently the navy depart
ment came into possession of three
! letters by q man who has been in O.
position to get certain confidential
data concerning the navy, written to
officials of the German government,
IN which this man, an American citi-
zen of German extraction, offered to
sell certain confidential information"
Photographic copies of these letters
are on nle in the navy department,
while other copies are in the possess
sion OF the secret service.
1t mas also been established that on
several occasions since the war in
Europe started German Surveying
parties have been detected at work
along the route of the Panama canal.
Mapped Routes to the Canal
Ihese groups of Germans, some of
them from German ships interned at
fanama, and others resident in that
country, are said to have mapped
routes leading to vital points along the
canal route and also to have made
note of the location of powerhouses.
lights and other stations which, If de-
stroyed, would either block or SER
iously impede the operation of the
canal.
These men, however, were careful
TO remain on the Panama side of the
cahal strip, and so far as is known,
into the territory which Is under the
jurisdiction of Colonel Chester Hard
ing, u. ). A., governor of the canal
zone.
The statements regarding the Ger
man activities in Panama have been
confirmed by several army officers
VINO are familiar with the details
The matter has been made the sub
Ject OF several reports to the war de-
partment, and all necessary precau-
tlohS nave been taken to frustrate
any. efforts on the part of the sur
Veylns parties" to damage the canal,
me man who offered to sell navy
iinlormatlon to the Germans is well
known in both naval and Civilian
circles. He has never held an Off
clal position in the navy department.
puC at times has enjoyed permits. the
use OF which made it possible for him
10 gam confidential information dur
ing battle maneuvers of the Atlantic
1leet. The prompt work of the secret
service put an end to his mocbineH
uons before he was able to do any
harm. "iS
ment said:
IT is quite true that we have photo
graphs OF three such letters, written
py the man you name am sorry
however, that it would not he 0ooG;
policy at this time to make those Lett
tsfs Publlc. All that can say at this
tlhe is that the information you have
is correct"
Kept Lists of German Subjects
II is also known that German
aSents IN this country have been keep
the war in Europe lists of German
subjects in the United States who
could be relied upon to serve the
tatherland in the event of German
American break.
one Of the lists, on which an
Peared the names of more than 900
German subjects, is said to have been
round in the Won Igel papers which
we're seized when the office OF that
German agent, at so Wall street was
entered and searched by department
Oh Iustlce agents a year ago.
ne papers seized in Won Igers Of
Me- MMce-von lgel was the successor in
VI captain Won PaDen. the
recalled German military attache-
never have been made public.
FOR months secret service agents
nave peen busy preparing for fhe
diplomatic break. Plans for guardo
Eng Eng SHIPS navy yards, arsenals, forti-
,,e ncaIions, wireless station, cables and
no,,,lt-'' uilt.ioiis pants In all parts of the
detail out IN great
,o+ IL Is est estimated that there are at
ieast 10000 German, Austro- Hunp.rr
ian' IAN Buigarian and Turkish agents in
sre ere nato United States whose movements
torces of the government, Al least
New York. " pe III
In addition to the secret service or-
carnations of the government the e o
rire III e. ioree of customs inspectors in ali
p;tios patios OF the country, the police of ali
clties' the post office inspection sew
ice ice, and various other agencies. Fed
eral, state and municipal, are workine
nand IN hand to protect the ITnita55
states and its citizens 0 Ohileu