The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-01-02
GERMAN SPY MADE
TORPEDOES DEFECTIVE
Arrest of Paul Henning OH Treason
Warrant Resulted in Startling
Disclosures.

New York, Dec. 9.-Microscopic
defects in the delicate mechanism of
torpedo horoscopes, the "brain of the
torpcdo"-defects apparently dcliber-
atcly done-havc been discovered in y
number of the apparatus turned out
by the e. w. Bliss Torpedo works in
Brooklyn and an arrest was made to-
day. These horoscopes were intended
for the United States navy and an
investigation is under way to deter
mine whether any of the torpcdocs
now carried by American naval YES
sells are equipped with faulty parts.
Emery and other particles, it is al
legged, were introduced into the parts
OF number of the torpedo "brain,"
some parts were cracked and scratch
ed others improperly fitted and still
others lacking the required govern
mcnt stamp. 1t is claimed some of
the gyro wheels, the product of high
ly skilled and intelligent workman
ship were cracked and otherwise mu-
tilated, the insidious work being done
III such way as to render the de-
fects difficult of detection without the
use of microscope.
Arrested for Treason.
The man Under arrest is Paul Hen
ming, 43 years old, naturalizcd Ger
man, living in Ozone Park, Il Brook
lyn suburb. He was Il machinist fore
man in the Bliss plant and had charge
Of the gyroscopic department. The
technical charge against him is trca-
son IN that he aided the imperial
German government in turning over
to the United States defective me-
chanlsm. The charge is punishable
III event of conviction with death or
five years Imprisonment and a fine of
$4,000. Hcnning was arrested today
on an indictment handed up by the
December federal grand jury. Ar
raigned before Justice Vecdcr, he
pleaded not guilty and was held with
out bail until January 2.
The prisoner came to the United
States from Germany in 1908, ac
cording to Il statement issued today
by United States District Attorney
France and was naturalized eight
years later. He has four sons, one of
whom, Carl 20, is now intcrncd on
Ellis Island. He was taken out of
the works Of the Sperry Gyroscopc
Works, also of Brooklyn, last Decem-
Der and no explanation was made in
the case
The elder Hcnig is a highly skilled
craftsman with considerable inventive
genius, it was said today. At the
present time he has a gyroscope pat
ent pending at Washington.
The specific charge on which the
indictment was found was that on
November 13, last, Hcnig delivered a
box containing torpedo gyroscopc
parts, which were defective and which
contained emery.
Discovered by Naval Officer.
Conscious devotion to duty on the
part of Lieut.. Francis D. O'Shca, u.
S. N, was the direct cause of the dis
covery Of the alleged plot, according
to Mr.. France. Lieut.. O'Shea who has
had nine years experience with tor
pedoes and was the torpedo officer
aboard the U. S. S. Memphis, when
she was lost in the West Indies, was
detailed to the Bliss plant as an in
spector during the summer and be-
came dissatisfied with the way inspec-
tlons were made. He kept a close
watch on Henning's department. Hen
ming had been foreman for five
years for the company and was be-
lieved to be above suspicion.
Requisition was made upon the de-
partment for five boxes of extra gyro-
scopic parts, which were delivered in
creased vaseline and placed in glass
jars. Lieut.. O'Shea opened the jars
and every bearing was disasscmbled
and thoroughly examined. The micro
scope told the tale and from then on
Henning was under suspicion and
watched by the navy intelligence bu-
reau and by deputy United States
marshals.
1t was stated this afternoon that
there is no ground as yet to suspect
a widespread conspiracy to render the