New-York tribune., 1918-03-12
Spy Suspect
Is Seized Here
In Secret Raid
Wilhelm Korthaus, Osten-
sibly Employed by Ger
man Dye F irm, Held

Just few days before Christmas in
1913, when Europe was at peace, Con-
script Wilhelm Korthaus was sum-
moned to the headquarters of his regi-
ment in barracks in Berlin and given
his military release. The Fatherland
der. A few weeks later Wilhelm Kort
haus, ostensibly a clerk employed by
the Farben Fabriken, a big German dye
concern, sailed for America.
Some of the subsequent activities
OF Korthaus were revealed yesterday
when it was learned that he is being
held in the Tombs as dangerous
enemy alien pending the receipt here
Washington.
Korthaus was arrested on a Presi-
Dental warrant two weeks ago by a
United States marshal and officers OF
the Naval Intelligence Bureau, at No
.45 West End Avenue In his room
which commands a view of warships
and transports in the Hudson. the
naval officers seized three cameras,
pair of powerful field glasses and ;
vast lot Of correspondence.
Destroyed Photographs
Just before the officers arrested Kort
haus he had been engrossed in the
examination of some photographs ant
drawings. These had disappeared whel
he was seized, and Korthaus, suave ano
smiling, explained that he had deter
mined his possession of such article,
might displease his landady and hac
destroyed them
Korthaus since his arrival in the
United States has been sending lone
and more recently to Barcelona, Spain
Eierzog is another cmploye of the Far
ben Fabrken. He fed to Barcelona
recently when the Portuguese author;-
ties became suspicious and were con-
templating his arrest.
Another of korthaus's correspond
ents was Albert KaYstedt, now in a
Canadian internment camp. The last
letter Korthaus received from this man
had been destroyed, but the authorities
found the envelope in which it had
been sent. 1t was dated January 2S,
1917. the day Germany announced her
intention to resume ruthless subma-
rinc warfare.
Still other letters found suggested
the close touch of German agents in
all parts of the world. Herzog in one
letter to Korthaus commended him for
escaping internment.
Wrote Many Letters
There was a secret hearing .ast Fri
day at which Korthaus's landady, Mrs.
Nathaniel Redden, testified that he
pounded away on a typewriter until
far into the night and then slipped out
to mail letters She told of Korthaus' S
explicit instructions that none was to
be permitted to enter his room before
3 o'clock in the afternoon. A maid
forgot these instructions one day and
entered the room. Korthaus, Mrs. Red
den said, was furious and hurriedly
gathered up drawings and photographs
upon which he was working
When first questioned in the office
of the United States District Attorney
Korthaus was clevcrly evasve and kept
dence that he had been sending reports
to Herzog, the spy, in Spain he said
they were both students of political
economy and he was keeping a promise
made before he left Germany He was
shown newspaper clippings concerning
the manufacture in this country of
high explosive shells for the Allies.
He explained his interest in this fact
or the same grounds.
korthaus lost some of his poise when
questioned by an officer of the Naval
Intelligence Bureau. Question after
question was. fired at him, and, becom
ing fustcred, the German contradicted d
himself repeatedly. He was shown evi-
dence tending to prove that he had
made reports to a Mrs. Van Schollen
in Boston. After stammerng J.. bit, he
admitted he knew this woman. and said
Providence paper had published a
story accusing her of being one of Ger
mans agents and himself as one of
those reporting to her.