The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-15

Baltimore Md Jan. ~ Government
police are en- route from Norfolk 10
this city with the leader and most des-
perate of German spies in America
Sometime tomorrow the prisoner
f@snt Sporrmann. OF the German i'm
psviaf navy. who was caught redhauded
saturday In an attempt to blow up a
soyernmert magazine. will be LODGED
IN the baltimore city jail. accompanied
perhaps by several colleagues who
we're involved by letters and other doc
ur1ents. fourd on the spy, who wore
y&hs uniform or an American army cap
tain.
Meanwhile net is slowly closing
IN about no less than eight unlovai
Americans and aliens among whom
are men OF prominence In New YORK..
Boston and Baltimore and also a
woman, about whom there is great
mystery, These eight have hy no ac.
ffnn, other than intimate acauatrtnnc.
and meetings with Sporrrnann, fncrirn-
mated Themselves, and their arrests
will occur only after evidence SUFFICIENT
TO convict them is found. Lieut..
spoorman lived In an apartment In
Wet Baltimore until several weeks
ago. He came TO this city, it " claimed
soon after the German submarine T-5a
nut into a New England port In 1915
just after he left Baltimore to so 70
Norfolk. CHfted States agents rRided
his apavtrr ents and found incriminat.
ing docurn ents German naval uni
form and several uniforms bearing the
Insignia OF American army Officers.
Wore American OffIccr'S Uniform.
Unaware that he was trailei everv-
where by secret agents ~ the United
States. he paraded about in the gu'se
Of an American officer. visiting can
comments munitions factories and
aviation centers. proclaimfng widely,
but with assumed discretion that he
sas working on snectal mission.
Sporrrar has brother, Frederick
III. <. Sporrran. here
Tint The rer~Ha0 lieutenant IT, or
was, TT the head of the sny s,-af on, in
-" f'"'f-d ST fes rs INDEBTED by
documents found IN his uossaes'o- at
the time OF his arrest Auonr these
we're statements attest'nr the ta~t that
he had been ra'd enormous sums by
Court Won FernstorH formerly Ger
.-4s- ambassador. ara CaDtatn pov-
I'd, the attache who was deoortad
f,egore America entered the war.
Tried 60 Blow Tn Aviation Field
Magazine.
Among other thinps The prisoner
is said to have adm tted o. previous
attempt 10 blow uo the Langley avig-
sion field magazine severabweeks avo.
iHtfstI. ftet sftttfHn~F OF trfPTTup-
ton. hut because OF a hitch in his
own plans
Ann'hcr story of the ar~ess.
lie vent b. ferry from NORFOLK to
Old Point last SaturaaV sust h4fnre
noon. and Of course. was t~a'led. he
wac admitted TO the aviation eernn
and saiuted By the cadets aud ether
:1ailitarv men. He was given carte
blanche to go where he n!@aeed On
hts f'srec'ai mission and d'd 80 fin-
aliy vending his way 10 an out the
way spot ia the explosive n1aEazf- e
shed, Here, after assuring himself
that he was safe. he planted fuse
and had lighted 4 match, when IA
heavv hand was laid on his shoulder.
The hand. was hat Of 8n army Officer.
jrsf behisd whon d brace OF special
agents.
The match dropped and went out.
Sporrman. remaining perfectly cool
was led to an officers room where he
Nxe searched and manacled,
The papers found IN his Baltimore