The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-14
SILK MAKER TAKEN
IN OLD SPY PLOT
Manufacturer Held as Alleged
Accomplish Of Sander and
Wunnenherg.
PRISONERS TO APPEAR
Will Be Taken Before Grand
Jury for Identification
Purposes.

Albert o. Sander and Charles N.
Wunnenberg, who were sentenced TO
two years imprisonment in March. 1917,
after they pleaded guilty TO sending
American newspaper men abroad TO
serve as spies for Germany. will be
taken before the Federal Grand Jury
on Monday on writ Of habeas
corpus signed yesterday by Judge Mar
tin T. Manton in the Federal District
Court.
The writ revealed that W. L. wirbe-
lauer, a silk manufacturer OF Paterson.
n. j.. was arrested June 10 as an al
legged accomplice Of Sander. Wunnen-
berg and others.
wirbelauer was arralgned before
Samuel NJ. Hitchcock, United States
Commissioner. soon after his arrest and
freed in 5000 bail. The charge
against him alleged violation OF sec
ton 10 of the United States Criminal
Code. The complaint, which was sworn
to by Charles De Woody, chief of the
New York Bureau OF Investigation Of
the Department of Justice. accused
Wirbelauer of aiding Sander. Wunnen-
berg and George Vaux Bacon In setting
on foot a military expedition which
operated between January 1. 1915. and
February 81. 1917. against Great Brit
ain in violation of the neutrality laws
1t declared that the enterprise took the
form Of employing newspaper men to
20 to England and while posing as
newspaper correspondents acquire such
information as would be OF benefit to
Germany and to transmit this informa-
ton through other links in the spy
chain In Holland and Denmark.
Men Pleaded Guilty.
George Naux Bacon and Charles z.
Hastings. two American newspaper men,
were arrested abroad at the time Sander
and Wunnenberg were arrested here.
The four men pleaded guilty In the
Federal District Court here.
The pleas Of guilty surprised John c,
| Knox. who was then Assistant United
| States Attorney In charge OF cases In
volving the neutrality laws. He had
expected to obtain information during
the course of the trial as to the Identity
| Of the principals in the plot.
Mr.. Knox asked the court to impose
| severe penalties. OF Sander and wun-
| nenberg he said: They have best served
| the German Empire by shielding from
exposure the men behind them who plan.
ned the enterprise and furnished funds
! for its execution"
Sander and Wunnenberg were SEN
| fenced to serve terms OF two years In
| the Atlanta penitentiary and to pay
fines OF $4,000 Bacon and Hastings
| were given a year each. The terms OF
Bacon and Hastings have expired.
Federal Omcials Mum.
| Government officials would say moth.
ing yesterday in relation to Wirbelauer's
| alleged association with Sander and
Wunnenberg. Ben A. Matthews, who
succeeded Judge Knox in charge OF the
criminal division of the United States
| Attorneys office, said that Sander and
| Wunnenberg were TO be taken before the
Grand Jury for Identification purposes
He said that their appearance did not in
dictate that they were giving testimony
| Both men have been transferred from
the Atlanta penitentiary to the Trenton
| y. j.. State prison.
Wirbelauer is a naturalIzed citizen al
| Russian birth. He is we'll known In
| Paterson He Is about forty wears ot
age and has wife and two children.