New-York tribune., 1918-06-19
Arrests Show
Stolen Plans
ofArrnyGuns
Blueprints, Plane Models
and Signal Devices
Taken

A countrywide series of thefts Of
United States government blueprints
and paodels Of airplane engines, latest
model Browning machine guns, gun
sights, timing and signalling devs;es
and other military secrets was re-
vealed with the arrest here yesterday
of Gus Lindquist, quiet young
craftsman, and Leo Burt, an older en-
gineer, living at 76 West Ninety fourth
Street. They probably will be ar
raigned to-day.
In trunk seized by officers of the
Bomb and Neutrality Squad and Mill
tary Intelligence when the arrests
were made, were found more than a
hundred plans and blueprints which
would be of priceless value if they
fell into German hands.
These prints, according to Lieutenant
George Busby, of the bomb squad,
clear up every complaint of thefts
made to the authorities by heads of
munitions plants since the beginning
Of the war. 1t discloses. according to
Busby. one of the boldest attempts to
obtain Allied military secrets.
Three Men Seized
When the men were arrested, charged
with violating the espionage act, there
was taken in charge third man, who
said he was Ernest Frank, but told
the authorities that he had gone under
the name of Franz Strohmeer. Frank
was a roommate of Burt at the Nine
ty-fourth Street address and was not
implicated in the alleged blueprint
thefts.
When it was found, however, that
he was of Austrian birth, that he car
| ried revolver, which he said he had
brought from Germany, and that he
had sailed on German ships to Amer
lean waters as late as 1916, he was
quickly interned as an alien enemy.
A young woman, whose identity was
protected by the Federal officials, is
! being detained and questioned as to
her knowledge of the thefts, which
have been going on. Lieutenant Busby
declared. for the last three years.
Many Complaints Made
Since the beginning of the war, when
American plants started to turn out
guns and munitions for foreign powers,
complaints have been reaching Federal
bureaus of thefts of plans. Where
plans were left intact, it was said that
they were being copied in some mys-
tcrious manner.
Four months ago Lieutenant Busby
received u tip which sent him to the
Simplex Motor Company at New Bruins
wick. N. j. He found that Lindquist,
under the alias of Gus Lindley Coibie,
alias Gus Crowley, and Burt, were
working there as aeropiane engineers.
The piant was at the time Specializinv
in q French motor which had proved
successful for flying machines.
Pans of the airpIane motor disap-
| peared, but there was nothing to con-
meet this with the two men. Three
agents of the bomb squad-Detectives
Murphy, Jenkins and Correll--trailed
the two men night and day. In this
way they were able finally to locate the
trunk which cortairc1 tn ~'ars.
! A few. days ago the trunk, in spite
OF the detectives vigilance, had sud
denly disappeared from it's hiding
place: 1t was next located in Worces-
there were told to seize it, it had al
ready started on return trip to this
city.
| Monday night it reached here, and
Lsndquist. according to Busby, called
for it. He was then arrested, at Nine
! ty-seventh Street and Broadway. and
i the two others were picked up at the
Ninety fourth Street address. The wom-
an. who had been close friend of Lind
quist, was found to have left the city for
4 Worcester. and Lieutenant Busby got
into touch by long-distance telephone
with Chief Hamblin of the Military
Intelligence of that city. Chief Hamb.
/