The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-15
German Agent Wore an Ameri-
can Army Uniform.
Caught in Act of Blowing Up
Hampton Roads Arsenal.
WOMAN, GERMANS DOWNFALL
Federal Sleuths Trailed Him
for Many Weeks.
SpOremann Speaks English Per-
fectIy; Is Highly Educated.

Baltimore, Nd. Jan. 15.-America's
spy hunting machinery was working at
full speed today in the chase after &C
completes OF Walter Sporemann, be-
lieved leader in one of Germany's most
spectacular plots against this country
Sporemann was in charge of a naval
intelligence officer. The search for
his companions is on in Washington.
New York and other eastern cities.
Sporemann, arrestedNat Norfolk, Va,
will face hearing here. The pre-
liminary charge against him is only
that of being dangerous enemy amen,
but from evidence at hand it is likely
he viii be charged with spying and If
convicted will doubtless be shot.
Trailed by United States Agents.
The alleged Teuton agent, who was
caught trying to fire an army maya
zine within the important naval zone
at Hampton Roads, had been trailed
long by persistent naval Intelligence
men and justice department agents.
They followed him at social affairs
and in his journeys to Camp Meade,
Maryland, and other military points.
Tho he wore the uniform of the
United States army, the men logging
him penetrated the disguise. and
finally trailed him to the ma gazine
near Newport News, where, sit is
claimed, he tried to blow it up.
Beautiful Woman in Plot.
A beautiful woman is said to have
been his undoing, tho officials here
are reticent to reveal what part she
played in his detention
Documents found on Sporemann,
when arrested in Virginia, indicated
that he had an alliance with the no
torious Boy-Ed, German military at
tache, that he was well supplied with
the kaiser's funds and that he worked
with the aid of prominent persons,
including one woman. Sporemann's
brother, Frederick, was arrested last
night as an enemy alien and is said to
have revealed important information
about Walter, whom he disliked.
As officials pieced together the re-
markable tale surrounding Walter
| Sporemann's activities, it runs like
this:
From Germany Eight Years Ago.
| Coming here from Bremen in 1910
he established a residence in this city.
Before the war he apparently estab-
! lished relations with Boy-Ed, getting
i thousands of dollars from him to fl
nance his German work.
When war with Germany broke out,
| Sporemann gathered in several Amer
lean army uniforms, which with
| German army suit, were found in his
room here But not until some weeks
ago did his work attract particular
attention. Then, it is claimed, his
uniform and the woman with whom
he associated formed a combination
of circumstances which uncovered his
real role. At that time he was evil
IDENTIFY gathering data about Camp
Meade and other military stations.
Detectives trailed him constantly, fin
ally tracing him to Newport News
There he readily found work at the
aviation field and. it is claimed, made
one unsuccessful attempt to blast the
magazine. SeNries fired on him, but
he returned the following day.
Did He Star Fires?
| An officer making his way past sew
eral sentries spoke in German to
| Sporemann. He pretended not to I'M
derstand. But when the officer men
toned a social affair which had &C.
Cured here, Sporemann Immediately
became friendly. The officer, pulling
la gun, arrested him.
Officials at Norfolk QuiZZed him in
| the hope that they might ascertain
something of the fire in the business
section about two weeks ago, but
| Sporemann was silent. He is an in
telligent man who speaks English
! without an accent as well as several
| other languages.
Nine Suspects-One Woman.
With Asch's arrest, nine persons,
one woman, are understood to be
held by government authorities, sus-
plices.
Federal agents have under survsil-
! lance a Baltimore music teacher
| whose arrest is expected today. In
their possession are photographs of
this woman taken with Walter Spore-
mann.
Frederick, brother of the man ar
rested in Norfolk, was taken from po-
lice headquarters to the United States
| marshafs Office today. Here he was
questioned and detained.
Find Spy's Effects.
| Two large boxes filled with docu-
| ments belonging to Lieut.. Walter
| SpoeImann, alleged German spy, ar
rested at Norfolk and understood to
| be on his way to Baltimore for a hear
ing in the federal court, were seized
| by the police in a house in West Fay
cite street. The papers were found
| in the room of Marius Asch, 81 years
arrested At the office of United
| States Marshal Charles S. Stockham,
Asch said that Spoermann approach
| ed him the latter part of last month
and asked him to take care of two
boxes for him. He declared that he
| did 10. know the nature of the con-
tents
Asch was the second person to be
arrested here in connection with the
case. Frederick H. c. Spoermann, a
| oIOthSl VI w dIlSt SpOeIHiduL, was
taken into custody last night. He was
Technically charged with violating the
| president; proclamation by changing
his residence without notifying the
federal authorities.
Taken to Baltimore Today.
Richmond, Va, Jan. 15.-Walter
Spoermann, arrested near Morrison
Va, on the charge of attempting to
set fire to the army magazine near
there, and who was brought to Rich
mond and held in the city Jail this
, morning, is being taken to Washington
this afternoon. in charge of federal Of
ficers. presumably on the way to
! Baltimore