davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14
r WAS in New York when Ger
many started the war.

Of course, it did not come as
a surprise to me. Indeed, it should
not have caught anybody mapping;
that is, no one in authority, for It
was we'll known for years preceding
the actual hostilities that Germany
was preparing to seize the first ad
vantage to force a military deci-
sion. i have told you Of my visits to
Germany to obtain information con-
firming the German purpose, and
my success at the time; of the speech
/ heard in the casino of the 141st
Lithuanian Infantry Regiment by
Won der GoltZ Pacha, reorganlzer of
the Turkish army, that war with
England was inevitable; of the adj
dresses obtained from a German
secret service agent revealing the
actual headquarters of the German
spies in London, which gave us the
the dastardly conspiracies of the
Ostmarken Verein.
So when the Germans entered Bel
gium | at once wrote to the British
Embassy and offered my services as
a on-commissioned officer, citing my
qualifications and past services. |
did not doubt for a moment what
England's response would be to Ger
many's breaking of the bond, and
was ready and anxious to do my bit
In due course I received an
acknowledgment Of the receipt Of
my letter, which was told had been
forwarded to London.
Some One Was
On His Way Over
A little later l received commu-
nication from a certain official" to
the effect that some one was on his
way cover" and was coming" to
talk with me. Before the arrival Of
this heralded person l heard again
from the same official, who asked me
for information on subjects on which
/ was able to become we'll posted.
This led to much correspondence be-
tween US during the year which fol-
lowed. In fact, it was nearly a year
after my application for an appoint
ment as non-commissioned officer
that / received one day letter from
this official congratulating me upon
my appointment, the nature of which
he did not state, but advised me that
! gentleman would soon be in New
York and communicate with me.
Shortly after this / received letter
from Captain Guy Gaunt telling me
to call on him at the British Consul
late in New York. On presenting
myself in response to his note he in
formed me that I had been appointed
to assist him.
That was the manner of my enter
ing the British secret service in
America. Before me there was no
such organization here. / was Che
unit upon which it was built up.
From it's inception the intelligence
organization under the Naval De-
partment, to investigate propaganda
and German conspiracies, was my
creation. I did not have anything
to. do with espionage, except on spe-
cial occasions, when acted solely a.
a volunteer.
OF course, my headquarters were
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14

with Captain Gaunt at the British
Consulate. He was my chief. | had
several assistants. And l had other
offices, as many as five at a time, in
New York City, disguised as "real
estate" businesses. l shifted them
from time to time to different points
of vantage.
Captain Gaunt was naval attache
Of the British Embassy at Washing
ton. He had his office at the consul
late here in New York because the
shipping from this port was the
greatest and he had to be right on
the spot. His work increased to
such an extent that he had to be as
sisted. Commander Blackwood was
therefore made assistant naval at
tache. He was, l may say, one of
the finest men | have ever met, tall,
handscme-a typical sailor.
Speaking of Captain Gaunt, he is
an Australian gentleman, an ath-
lete, splendid horseman, affablc,
democratic, the beau ideal of a naval
officer. A better chief I have never
had. He is the brother of the Aus
tralian novelist Mary Gaunt.
Many Conspiracies
Going On Here
At the time I started my organi-
cation in New York about every sort
! of conspiracy imaginable to help
Germany was under way l may
say conservatively that in the years
1914, 1915, 1916, and up to the
declaration of war, the operations of
German propagandists were little
hampered by their allegiance to the
United States; at least they made it
stretch as far as they could. At the
bottom of their hearts was deep re-
sentiment stirring against President
Wilson, whom they unanimously re-
| garded as the chief obstacle to the
success of their conspiracies to help
Germany and harm the Allies. The
United German Societies, the Amer
lean Truth Society, the American
Embargo Conference, the Peoples
Council, the American Independence
League, all more or less allied or
affiliated, pursued their nefarious
purposes through a scandalous LADY,
rinth of sinister strategies. l men.
ton them now merely as an outline
in the schemes and conspiracies
which it was my duty to fathom and
balk.
The entrance Of the United States
into the war made several shifts
necessary among individuals whl
prated of their lily-white American
ism while aligning themselves with
the intense German propa0andists
For instance, Alphonse Koelble, 8
lawyer, at $50 Nassau Street, in
1916 a leading pro-German, asso-
ciated with O'Leary, Christian Reb-
han, Henry Wcismann and Sande,
and Wunnebcrg, Of the Central Pow.
crs Film Exchange, also at $50 Mas
sau Street. He resigned as secre-
tary of the general committee and
chairman Of the Manhattan Borough
Committee Of Tammany Hall be-
cause he would not support Presi-
dent Wilson for reelection. He is d
gentleman with sense Of humor
amply shown on several occasions.
In an interview in October, 1916
! following his resignation from his
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14

Tammany Offices, he is reported to
have said: "Tammany would be
tickled to death to have me REMAIN"
Fancy Tammany "tickled to death" =!
He was so unfortunate as to be
robbed of several letters that re-
vealed some of his pro-German &C
Invites.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14
Next Week-Smugglers

Me9 ma' and rar materials smuggled into Ger
amy from this country long after the ror ras IN full cg
ana nothing but rnor has been told of this east and dma
ing troNc Nef ceeh mr. Paenas gires startling facts Also
ne tells how the British themselves made profitable the
German machine.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14
They Meant Bloody
Business on Border

Although the Germans had planned
and prepared big things to happen
along the Detroit River, some of
those plans We're abortive, and
others were frustrated by the activ-
ity of my agents. Undoubtedly they
had meant business, and bloody bust
ness!
The topography was excellent for
their purposes. The countryside for
several miles back from the river
was largely occupied by Germans
thrifty, prosperous farmers, who
were outspoken in their allegiance to
the Fatherland. They were anus
ingly suspicious of strangers, before
whom they kept very mum; but
among themselves they talked freely,
with practically no attempt at con-
cealment. Many sturdy Germans
were brought into the district during
the two years following the outbreak
of war, and almost every farm had
taken on some hands of the sort.
Owing to the large German popu-
lation there were, of course, a num-
Der of societies, fraternal and social.
The principal fraternal society was
the "Arbeiters," formed few
months after the war started. 1T
had over three thousand members,
and they lived all the way from St.
Clair to Algonac
There was an abandoned building
in Oakland, little town adjoining
st. Clair, and practically just across
the creek from Marine City-an old
salt shed that belonged to a man
named Albert Kaltschmidt, indicted
in connection with a plot to blow up
the Welland Canal. He was presi-
dent of the Marine City Salt Com
pany and lived in Detroit. United
States government officers arrested
him last April and took him before
the commission at Port Huron on
the charge of preparing a military
invasion of Canada and for hav-
ing dynamite stored in his house in
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14
Operations Had to
Be Under Cover

His hatred of England rivalled the
German poem Of hate! He is re-
ported to have said on one occasion:
81 love America first. Then l hate
England, and then l love Germany.
would take sides with the Japa-
nese, Zulus or anybody else against
England" Among other evidences
of humor he is reported as saying
that an emssary of the Kaiser Of
fered him a decoration and that he
thought the Kaiser was going to dis
tribute decorations extensively after
the war!
Of course, after war was declared
by the United States and the gov
eminent committed to the very
course or courses that the propa-
gandists, including many American
citizens, had worked tooth and nail
to prevent, operations were not quite
so open.
But believe it is still impossible
for a proGerman leopard to change
its spots, even with the help of the
most modern science.
| made use of several sources of
information to keep we'll in touch
with nsformations-and | had
reason more than once to congratu-
late myself on having, prior to start
ing my organization, taken employ
ment with "The Fatherland," now
called "Viereck's Weekly" and made
myself generally useful in several
departments.
Arranging an
Invasion Of Canada
To-day leading pro-German is
that particular friend of Jeremiah
O'Leary who stated that O'Leary
was given $4,000 just before his ar
rest few months ago for the sup
port and benefit of Bull"
This man was once under suspi-
cion of having arms secreted here in
New York at the time the German
mind was fixed on Canada.
Captain Hans Tauscher, Krupp
agent, implicated by Won der Goltz
(not the general, but German agent
Of whom will tell you later when
he turned informer, also fell under
the same suspicion. He was said to
have ten thousand rifles and a num-
Der OF machine guns concealed in the
Fifth Avenue Building. When he
found we were on the track of them
he did some tall work moving them
around. He was found mot guilty"
when tried here for his part in the
conspiracy to blow up the Welland
Canal. Some think it was because
the jury did not believe Won der
Goltz. Anyhow, the verdict was "not
guilty" and Tauscher went home
matching smiles with Bernstorff,
who has not beer. heard from di-
rectly since his box of papers con-
cealed in cake of ice were trailed
to ship funnel and their naked
truths exposed to the world.
had also to prevent the Matching
of conspiracies on the Canadian Dor
der
Frequent warnings came from
trustworthy sources that the Ger
mans were planning an attack on the
United States from Canada, their
idea being that German armed bat
talions striking across the Detroit
River and Welland Canal would en-
broil the United States with Eng
land, chiefly on the assumption that
the United States would assert that
England should have foreseen and
prevented such acts. Another part
of the plan was to bring United
States Germans flocking to the as
sistancc of the invaders from Can
ada and supply them with arms
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14

had been sent to them by Won Panen
very shortly after the war started.
He was the real German article, cal
culated to appeal to them sentiment
tally and martially. He was received
by Kaltschmidt with every mark of
appreciation, given a position as
bookkeeper in the salt works and in
troduced to the pro-German leaders
from Detroit to Port Huron.
In height about five feet eleven,
weighing about 100 pounds, he bore
himself very erect and had a most
military air. In fact, he was a typi-
cal German officer, with the usual
martial blond mustache and hair,
and Of naughty speech and bearing.
His English was not fluent, but it
was enough to serve young fellow
Of thirty in such a prof. German COM
munity. His wife spoke no English
at all.
The drilling Of the Germans occa-
stoned no surprise in the neighbour
hood. Following the outbreak of the
war most of the businesses moved
elsewhere, practically all except the
salt business, in which the Germans
were employed, so that there was
scarcely an unfriendly eye to watch
them. The Irish, of whom there
were many in the vicinity, with
branches of the Clan-Na-Gaels and
other orders, one of which had about
one hundred and fifty members, had
not the least thought of interfering
with them. In fact, the nationalities
are shown in good accord by the
local Church of the Holy Gross, a
fine property, with school, rectory
and convent for the twenty-five nuns
who teach in the school. Here the
pastor, the Rev. G.. j. Turnes, is q
German, but he has an Irish assis-
tant.
Point Selected
Before the War
1t is evident that Germans Sc
lected the vicinity of the Detroit
River as strategic long before the
war. In the first place, it offers
such easy access to Canada, and in
the second, it is an environment of
pleasure places, hotels and health
resorts where meetings are natural
and not calculated to attract atten-
ton. Towns on the American side
have small counterparts across tn.
stream, with invariably ferry con-
Meeting the two, and with countless
river liveries and boats plying the
river. During 1914 and 1915 the
river characters made great deal
of money out of the smuggling of the
Germans.
In addition to the unattached
smugglers, the Germans maintained
a smuggling organization Of their
own, with Marine City for chief
headquarters and Algonac, a sum-
mer resort near Detroit and a great
Sunday meeting place for Germans,
next i'll Importance. From Detroit
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14
There Was a Hitch
Between Them

| asked him some questions also
about Mr.. Adolphus, whom he de.
scrlbed to me as a very small and
foxy individual. He had heard he
also was mixed up in the smuggling
OF arms. He said he had arms stored
IN house in Forty-third Street. and
gave me the number. l promised to
pay him $3.50 for the information if
1T turned out to be of value.
There was a diminutive Jewish
agent whom l once sent to Sander
and Wunneberg, of the Central Pow.
ers Film Exchange, at $50 Nassau
Street, and who so won their con.
tldence that they loaded him up with
film and were going to send him to
England to make photographs and
reports. He used to take letters from
them to smuggle and bring them to
me to read before sending them on
their final journey. He seemed to
me the very man to turn this case
over to. | described the Adolphus
man as Iliodor had described him to
me. A few days later he followed
him to his office, where he had his
name on the door, but where there
was another firm name in the film
business.
MIR. Adolphus was interviewing
statesmen, apparently. Ny agent
told him he was a Representative Of
the Central Powers Film Exchange
and had their films to sell. Adolphus
asked him to return when he was not
SO busy, that he wanted to talk with
him.
In the subsequent interviews Mr..
Adolphus revealed himself as Rus
sian Jew and repeated to my agents
most of the substance of his prCpa-
ganda talk with Iliodor.
There was a hitch. however. at
this iuncture. If ever there were
two Dromios, they must have been
brothers to this pair. Innocent
though they appeared to others, they
looked into each others eyes and orea
distrust. Thus, when my man men
toned casually that there were two
vacant rooms in Forty-third Street
which he thought of hiring, one to
sleep in, the other for his film .busl-
ness. Mr.. Adolphus SHE'D like thof..
oughbred. What do you know abou0
that place." he asked. "Why moth
ing at ALL" answered my man, 'eS.
cept there are two vacant rooms
there that would be very good lof
my business.
Il know all about those rooms.
said the other. "They are not vacah'
or for rent. Forget it.
The Arms Had
Been Removed
Not many days after the converse,
ton between the two Dromlos ". ms
guard was taken away from 1ns
rooms and we had our look IN. pu'
the arms had flown.
1t goes to show that mutual unae.
standing does not always breed tfu 49,
Ny little Hebrew agent handed IA
sophisticated Sander like GNU ;u.
From the first time Sander saw n.a
he believed in him for his purp9sssass
Mr.. Adoiphus also felt kina te,
feeling for the little fellows is
low feeling once he pes ,.;mS
suspicious he lost no time in nas NV
hirnself as safe as he could, and nav
vaS SAFE Gov J., L-,e,y his breed
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14


11!:1I5 EA1heTIand
5raz= agsleH5 Szss1l7aq 4as1 a9s.s
Mi s.4a@ fATHERlANp
ootonar
sh8n MI 9oaossn,
niaa yaa
4r. pilenas
pilenaa is HUH soIiod
and aosept suhacrdptions to THE FaGHERIMp and
TO receaYs
. va srsat thas yal1 sss1at ln
8anffazyfg za7f R2s1ae f9f9R1f7
knssaoap pas1l satlaa aasa5atsa hi ahs fssseas5z
of Trath and
7Aaakzaz 7as ia $4,000, zza 4s,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14
D SPYING AMONG SPIES
-, German ArSenalS in New York
GATHERED IN HEART OF CITY AND MEN
= INVASION or CANADA
"a PHENAs lc.P WlLk'Ns)

stored on the United States side.
1t was not mere dream!
During the years 1914 and 1915
the Germans were very active from
Detroit to Port Huron before my or
ganization was established-smu
Cling at terrible rate and getting
ready. l sent agents to investigate
several times! I got a report
from one set of agents, then sent an
other set over the ground and
matched up reports. There was
ample verification of the reported
German smuggling and military
preparations.
In 1916 1 brought one of my
trusted men from Marine City into
Detroit to look after the national
campaign committee of the Ameri-
can Independence League at the time
it was organized in Detroit for the
Wilson-Hughes campaign. told you
about this in 'The Passing of Mr..
O'Learv and his Bull -; how at the
time of the convention the room at
the Statler was carefully searched
by apprehensive Mr.. Schmidt and
his associates, who had warning
they were being watched, and how
they adjourned to the German Club
and held their convention there.
Despite their precautions 1 had one
of my agents present just the same.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-14

He was as usual somewhat ev,,. ,
and lean in pocket. He had infas
nation to impart that twas worth .
lot of money" He thought Ber,'
storff would give much for it
1t seems he had been doing sonu
work for the Jewish papers anss
Tag" and ode Warheit," and ths
editor of the former had made H.. '
acquainted with an interesting a.
brew, whom l shall have to call NJ,
Adolphus, but whose name is sou.
thing very different. Mr.. Adolnhr,
had professed to wish to meet r,;oa.s
for the purpose of having him writ.
a few Russian Stewardship. Adj,
plus being in the film business with
an office in Forty-second Street u.
had been very pressing, and Iliodo,
always hard up in spite of his r.
erary successes, had consented. e.
far so good.
Remember, am quoting Iliodo,,
Planning a Job
For the Mad Monk
The scenarios completed and nra.
sented for acceptance and pavment
Mr.. Adolphus said they were nh
what he wanted. He said he coua
write his own scenarios, but that bo
would pay Iliodor a great sum NJ
money if he would act in them 90
the leader of the Black Hundred,
leading in massacres of the Jews,
He told him that Bernstorff was on.
ing to pay one hundred and fftv
thousand dollars for such films.
that they were to be part of uron.
uganda to turn the tide against
the Allies, for in the background op
the scenes of massacre were to be
we'll known British and American
millionaircs melting the Black Hun.
dreds and urging them to the mas.
sacres.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-03
MOVIES TO HELP.
Will Call Attention to Baby
Weighing and Measuring
Campaign.

Through the aid of the movies, the
welfare division of the women's committee
of the Council of Defence hopes to be
able to reach the mothers of children
under 5 years of age and induce them to
have their babies weighed and measured
Films calling the attention Of the mothers
to this important part of the children $
year will be displayed in all moving
picture houses.
Today cards printed in Italian and
Polish were being distributed among the
Italian and Polish residential sections OF
the city The cards asked the mothers
of small children to bring their children
to one of the welfare stations and have
them weighed and measured.
Welfare stations have now been es-
tablshed ut the following places and will
be open at the hours stated:
Babies Hospital. 207 Washington
street, go p. m, Wednesdays and FIJI
DAYS
Peoples Settlement. Eighth and Lom-
bard streets. 80 p. m. Thursday.
Polish kindergarten, Chestnut and
Adams strcets, 10 u. m, Wednesdays.
New Century Club, l0l4 Delaware
avenue. 10 q m, Thursdays.
Old Swcdcs Parish House, 100 p m.
Mondays
Pulaski Hall. Second and JustlSon
streets. 10 A. m, Tuesdays and Fridays
Independence Fire Station, Twelfth
and Claymont streets 80 p. m, Mon
DAYS
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-03
OBITU AIRY.

John d Thompson. ST. father of John
y Thompson. Jr. the architect OF this
city. died at his home At Moore, Pa, YES
tcrdav. The funeral VIII be held at his
late home on Wednesday afternoon, and
lntermcnt Will be made At Riverview
cemetery
Iii Davis Of near Thompson station,
died on Saturday. aged - years The
funeral Will he held from his late home to-
morrow afternoon at 80 O'Clock and in
terment will be made al khenezer
Mrs Sarah c. Connolly, wife Of
Nicholas Connolly of Ill3 Grant avenue.
died at her home yesterday, and the
funeral service viii be held tomorrow
morning at Q O'Clock
Gottleih Wall. a highlv-reSpected Ger
man-american, died AT the home OF his
son. John F. Wall. 1914 Spruce street,
Saturday. aged 20 years lnterment will
be nj Columbia, Pa, tomorrow.
Ferdinand Smith. husband OF Mrs
Mary Smith. formerly Of this city, died
Thursday at his home in Hobokcn, y j
Mrs Mary Hoellc aged IS years, Of
2209 Pine street, died on May so OF
valvtllar heart disease.
John f. Crawford. aged 81 years. Of
3 South Jackson street, died Friday
OF pulmonary tuberculosis.