New-York tribune., 1918-07-23
Arrest Of Supposed Half
Brother of Kaiser Ex-
poses Uprising Plot
He Was to Embroil
Wilson and Mexico
Woman's Letters Tell of
Move to Have 100000
Teuton Reservists
Take Arms

tion of more than 100000 German re-
servists here for the invasion of Can
ada and to force the United States to
yesterday by Charles F. De Woody, of
the Department of Justice
The leader of the alleged conspiracy,
according to all available information,
was DR.. Frederick Richard August Won
Strensch, reputed half fbrother Of the
German Kaiser, who was schooled in
Teutonic intrigue methods by the Iron
Chancellor Bismarck. He was taken in
custody Thursday on Presidential
warrant after De Woody's men had OBJ
gerous character of his mission to the
United States.
Many Letters Seized
Among his effects was found mass
of documentary evidence in the form
citizen and others from woman Of
wealth, whose identity has not yet
been disclosed.
Plot Aimed at Transports
1t is known, however, that this wom-
ftl udS Detu Oh IudlcIldi dSSlS CuIlCc "
the government in it's quest for the
real agents of the German Foreign
Office, who hoped to stop the shipment
of troops overseas both from the
United States and Canada.
About 150, 900 German reservists, &C
cording to the information of the Fed
eral authorities, were to be gathered
into fighting force, with headquar-
ters near Buffalo, for the invasion of
Canada. They were to be drawn from
New York City and the New England
the international Bridge at Buffalo
The plan, as outlined in the seized
letters, was to enter Canada and start
a campaign of terrorism that would
force the Dominion authorities to
withhold troops from France for home
defence. Where the equipment and
munitions for this guerilla warfare
were to be supplied from has not been
ascertained. The papers seized show
that the Germans expected to make q
stand at Fort Erie or Bridgeburg, three
miles away, just across the border
from Ogdensburg, N. Y.
Planned Mexican Raid
Won Strensch, the Federal men say,
planned to organize about 10000 men
in Mexico near the border and with
the cooperation of bandits hostile to
the United States raid the border and
force the United States to declare war
on Mexico. Being an officer reservist
in the German artillery, he planned to
take part in this campaign himself as
captain, after he had reorganized the
Mexican artillery forces.
Another part of the alleged plot was
series of attempts to secure positions
for trusted agents of Wilhelmstrasse
in Washington, where they might be in
position to convey government secrets
to Berlin. Whether this phase of the
conspiracy developed is being investi-
gated.
The plot began, it is said, long be-
fore our entrance into the war, and
was designed to distract the attention
cf Washington from Europe by causing
internal trouble and invasion from
Mexico.
Woman Urged Raids
letter written by woman, whose
mIsslves were seized, said: II have
been thinking over the situation in New
York and wonder why you and your
100000 men do not go into Quebec and
prevent Canada from sending out more
men to help the British"
The woman who wrote the letters was
questioned by agents of the Depart
ment of Justice last night. Other let
ters reveal that the scope of the pro-
posed campaign was extended as add-
tlonal reports of German agents were
received. These led the inner circles
to believe that the bulk of the reserv.
lists in the United States were ready
ana willing to join in the enterprise.
IN number of letters the woman
referred TO captain b." whose
IDENTITY IS mystery. 1t is supposed
'hat ne was one of the organizers who
travelled about the country catherine
the German reservists for the proposed
army.
Late in 1916, addressing Won strensch,
she wrote:
Every German reservist is ready to
do his duty and viii do it we'll. All
are ready to fly at Canada and to get a
cnance at the Canadians. One day this
week 25,000 reservists will be in Buff
falo for the purpose of raiding Canada.
In case this invasion is made the Cana
dlans Will have to guard Quebec"
All Details Were Made
The papers and letters show that the
plan had been worked out carefully
and that the bulk of the reservists
were divided into units that could move
on one hours notice to point of
mobilization near the border when
leaders that large shipments of troops
to Europe had been made.
A letter addressed to Won Strensch
in April of 1917, after our entrance
into the war, informed him that "a
trusted member of The German spy
band, posing as a Russian, had obtained
a position in the Curtiss airplane fac
tory and that he would soon be In a
position to convey valuable information
to Germany regarding aircraft con-
struction in America.
Late last night it was learned that
Won Strensch had made arrangements
20 send blueprints of a new high pow
cred gun to Berlin through Holland
this year This plot failed because of
the inability of his agents to obtain
passports.
All the spondence seized was
found locked in metal boxes. A picture
of Won Strensch in the uniform of an
officer in the Prussian Guard was found
alongside of a picture of the father of
the present Kaiser. 1t was declared
by the Federal authorities that Won
Strensch is a son of Friedrich ILL.,,
which, if true, would make him a half
brother of Kaiser Wilhelm H.
U. S. Army Bellttled
Much of the cOrresnonderra socnrod