Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-15
SECRET SERVICE
|. SEIZE SP0ERMANN
. AFTER Wild CHASE
Former German Lieutenant
Suspected of Attempting
to Fire Magazine.
! $50
PLOT TO CRIPPLE NAVY
YARDS NlPPED IN TIME
Such Is Opinion Of Detectives
Who Have Been Watching
Prisoners Actions.
CAME HERE ON U-BOAT 53
Among Baggage Is Found Receipt
for $4,000 OF Won Bcrn-
storff Siusb Fund 800
PLOT TO CRIPPLE NAVY
YARDS NlPPED IN TIME
CAME HERE ON U-BoAT 5s
Among Baggage Is Found Receipt
for 100000 OF Won Bcrn-
storff Siusb Fund. .a.r


heavy naval guard a suspect. who
gave his name as Walter Spocrmana
when arrested Saturday near Morri-
son. Va, was taken to Washington.
Iate to-day, where. it was understood,
he will be turned over to agents of
the Department Of Justice. According
to mcaEcr information given out here.
the alleged spy had attempted TO nrs
an army magazine at the army camp
being built near Morrison. He Is
about thirty-nvc years old and is sai6
10 have been 1T one time lieutenant
in the German army.
The arrest is said to have revealed
a widespread plot 20 cripple American
naval stations at Norfolk. Hampton
Roads and Portsmouth. Eight persons
are reported arrested by Secret Service
men, including one woman, but no. dis
closures are made. .,''-s-
II the attempt had not been frla.
tratcd 1t would have caused "A disss-
trous explosion. wrecking tho aviation
station and destroying Sevcra) hydro
planes and other flying nlachinss.teSSIt
is also believed that Fortress Aionro.
was marked fer destruction.
The arrest Of the suspect, who Is
Sdio W IldNc pOSSU at one t1nlc aStS
captain in tho United states Army, was
! the elimination of lengthy invest!-
cation of reports that the MAJ had
been engaged in &py activities sin at
least two army camps and in Wash
inston. Baltimore and other, citica. IT.
was followed for weeks by a member
of tho Naval Intelligence Bureau. .Who
posed aS a friend TO Germany. seek
ing TO draw admissions from the gus
pcct. -".'
DOCUMENTS FROM BoI-ED
FOUND AMONG RAGGAGE
Documents and letters found ION
SDoermann and in lis baggage in rooms
N baltimore, it is said, incriminate
number of persons i'll WashinGtop.
Baltimore and other cities. ls Well as
chow the prisoners connection with
the infamous Captain Soy Ed toxmcr
Ambassador Won Bcrnstorr and other
German subjects involved in plots
against tho United States. Tho ma.
turc and extent OF this cvidence IL
| being withheld for the present. bit
other, arrests are expected 10 quickly
follow. -
When taken into custody recent
inlicatcd that ho had received 100000
from the Bernstorff slush fund with
which to Gerry OH his spy work in
this country, assisted by eight confcd-
crates. s ;Ett,
He served on the German submaripe
C-53 which made it's appearances 5loff
the United States coast in October,
1916, before the United States went
into the war. Officers from tho under
sea craft came ashore, but it was4not
known that any had remained in the
country. 1t was announced at .tha,
time that the stop OF the submarine
on American shores was simply for tho
purpose of delivering papers 10 sC,aunt
Won Berna,orif Later, Captain ,Rosr,
the commander and the U-53 weroicap-
turcd by the French.
Whether or not Spoermann was con
ncctcd with the recent series OF
peculiar and disastrous fires IN Nor
folk has not been definitely determined,
the prisoner declining to say whether
or not he had visited Norfolk. In fact.
under cross-cSamination no was ar
rogant and displayed an ability to hold
his tongue. "t,f
OFFICER TELLS STORY
or SPOERMANN'S ARnEsr
The story Of the chase and final
arrest of Spocrmann. omitting such facts
ana names as might prove Injurious
to further government Investigations,
was told by the young officer Of the
bureau OF Navy Intelligence Ia whose
chorse Sporemann tonight left Cor
Washington. He declared that attcn-
! ton was first attracted to the prisoner
III Baltimore by reason of his wearing
the uniform Of a captain In the United
| states Army. Satisfied that the man
was spy he MAS allowed free rein
Visits 10 Camp Meade Washington
aud New York were noted. His ae-
sociates and friends. al! enemy aliens.
were located aud Investigated When
lie disappeared from Baltimore last
week his quarters. wcre locked. Tho
uniform of a lieutenant In the German
army and evidence that leads 10 ths
belief that he came to this country oa
the U-53, which called about a Jear aEo
at Newport. r. l.. were discovered.
Nothing vas heard of Spocrr,aan until
enc day last week. when report was