The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-01-16

sri 81 Baltimore, Jan. 16.-Walter Spore-
mann, arrested at Norfolk, Va, will
4 face a hearing here. The prelimfn-
ary charge against him is only that
Of being dangerous enemy alien,
but from evidence tshand it is like
" he will be charged with spying,
and, If convicted, will doubtless be
shot. sga.esra,,sr,,>,sr rg,,s ,ssssssrg,r,g, e.
- The alleged Teuton agent, who
was caught trying to fire an army
magazine within the naval zone at
Hampton Roads, had been trailed
I long by persistent naval intelligence
men and justice department agents.
They followed him at social affairs
4 and in his Journeys to Camp Meade,
\ Nd, and other military points.
Though he wore the uniform of
the United States army, the men
/ dogging him penetrated the disguise
\ and finally trailed him to the maga-
zine near Newport News.
Get Money From Bov-Ed.
Documents found on Sporemann
indicated that he had an alliance
with the notorious Boy-Ed, German
military attache, that he was we'll
supplied with the kaiser's funds and
that he worked with the aid Of prom
inent persons, including one woman.
Sporemann's brother Frederick, when
arrested here last night as an senemy
alien, is said to have reyealed i'm
portant information about Walter,
. whom he disliked. +.
As officials pieced together the re-
markable tale surrounding Walter
Essporemann's activities, it s lnnsls ssllik like
this:,s *sEssss,3 *sEssc,3Ss.ss.5S s.Ss@-rr sz.s::-.s'
Coming here from Bremen IN 1910,
he established residence in this
city. Before the war he apparently
established relations with Boy-Ed, !,
getting thousands of dollars from
4 him to finance the German work. I
When the war with Germany
broke out Sporemann gathered In
several American army uniforms,
which, with a German army suit,
We're found in his room hede. But
not until some weeks ago did his
work attract particular attention.
N Trailed bv Detectives.
Then, it is claimed, his uniform
and the woman with whom he asso-
ciated, uncovered his real role. Sc At
that time he was evidently gathering
data about military stations. 4Detec-
tives trailed him constantly finally
tracing him to Newport News There
he readily found work at the aviation
field and, it is claimed: made one un-
successful attempt to blast the
magazine. Sentries fired on him, but
he returned the following day. >,
An officer making his way past
several sentries spoke in German to
Sporemann. He pretended not to un-
derstand, but when the officer men
toned a social affair which had oc-
Cured here, Sporemann$ Immediately
became friendly. The officer arrest
ed him. =.
Sporemann is an intelligent man
who speaks English without an ac-
cent
The arrest of Marius Asch threw
new light on the activities of Spore-
mann. A box of letters and another
box of bottles containing chemicals
were found in Asch s rooms. 5.
With Asch's arrest, nine persons,
one a woman, are understood to be
held Federal agents have under
surveillance a Baltimore music teach
er, whose arrest is momentariyl ex-
pected. In their possession are pho
tographs of this woman taken with
Walter Sporemann. -:
- Frederick, brother of the man ar
rested in Norfolk, was taken from
police headquarters to the United
States marshal's office. Hehe he was
questioned and detained.