Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-16
Official Interest Turns
Largely Upon Trial
of'Spoermann.
QUESTION OF MILITARY
OR CIVIL JURISDICTION
Secret Service Net Gathers In
Brother and Acquaintance
in Baltimore.
HIS r1AsCEE is CONFIDENT
Says She Has known Him Three
Years, and Is Sure He Can
Provo His Innocence.
LEY A,.oci.t.d rrcs.. ]

Prove His Innocence.
fBy Associated Prcs5.
WhSiIIEGTON. January i5.--Much
interest was displayed today in the
case OF Walter Spocr!nann. the alleged
German SPY arrested AT tho new army
aviation depot near Morrison Va.
but. go far a. could be learned. the
only. official report was that sent to the
raval Intelligence bureau By the officer
who made the capture. who gave no
details as 10 tn. circumstances OF the
charge preferred.
The War Department was without
Official information. although spoer-
mann Is reported TO have been caught
within tho limits of the aviation
depot.
Official Interest turned largely upon
the question whether Spoerrnann would
be brought before a civil court or
be turned over to military tribu-
ral, rhcrc the sentence upon con-
vtction of spying would carry the cx-
treme penalties. Cases OF this char
actcr como under one OF three legal
codes: the espionage act. the articles Of
war or the articles for the sovernnc";
Of tho navy Both the military and
naval codes were lefi intact in the
espionage act, and both carry the death
penalty for spying IN zone of opera
lions. sentence UP 20 thirty year.
and a $1,000 nne is allowed under the
act
UNDER ARTICLES OF WAR.
DEATH Is SPY'S PORTION
The cishtv-sccond article Of war.
under which the army derives authority
10 deal With charges or espionage.
states that any person who in time OF
xar sl,a! be found lurkin: or acting
as spy in or about any OF the fort!a-
cations. posts. quarters or cncau'pmcnts
Of any OF the armies of tho United
states or elsewhere -..dl, be tried BY a
general court-na-tial. and shall upon
conviction. suffer death
Under the regime Of Secretary slim
son IL was held that the eighty-second
article could only apply in the actua!
conc Of military operations. Recently.
however, military authorities broad
cned the Interpretation OF the term TO
make Il include all the territory Of the
United States, even il 3,ooo miles from
the actual battle ground This inter
prctation is said TO be based on tho
fact that now the entire nation lights
var3. and not armies only.
SUSPECTED GERMAN SPY
Is TAKEN TO BALTIMORE
SpocrNann was taken to Baltimore
to-day. He was rushed from the rail.
road station TO the United States mar
shals Office, and thence lodged in jail.
TWO hours previous 10 his arrival
MIS- brother. Frederick II. c. Spoer-
mann. who was arrested last night,
was sent TO jail also.
Another man. Marius Arsch, OF Bal
;iporc, was taken into custody to-
day by Federal agents, and there was
4 considerable display OF activity and
conferences at the Federal Offices, with
rumors that other suspects were bcin:
hasscd.
.Arsch. it developed, held some papers.
belonging 10 Lieutenant Spoermann.
lie himself volunteered tho information
20 the Baltimore police. and he was
taken in charge by United States ON
GERS Until the papers were seized
Little. apparently. of any inc-iminat-
ing nature was discovered among the
napers. Arsch explained that lie had
s been acquainted with Spoernlann for
some time. and that Spocrmann left a
suit case containing papers with him.
Al that time. Arsch said, he was work
ing In IL lunchroom. and Spoermann
merely asked him 10 take charge OF
the suit case.
There is secrecy among tho govern
mcnt officials as to tho number ar.
rested In connection with the Spoe--
mann case. though reports Indicate
seven or eight men ar. In custody.
ffANCEE Of ACCUSED MAN
CONFIDENT OF HIS INNOCENCE
Miss May stoop. fancce OF Walter
Spocrmann, says she is confident
Spocrmann can prove his innocence.
Miss Stoop is an American girl and a
violini3t. Her home is IN Baltimore.
But she is now in Washington. She
is about twenty-five years old
In statement tonight she said she
had known Spocrmann three years. and
had bccn engaged to him a year They
intended to marry when the war was
ended. she asserted.
II was dumfoundcd when 7 read
that Walter had been arrested and
'G2yged with being spy" said Miss
Stoop, although on account OF him
being German have been opposed
10 his being employed around camps.
! told him 80 several times while we
were discussing stories in the news
papers about spies and plots, but he
said that he liked the employment.
"I saw the statement that Mr.
Spoermann had landed in this coun-
try on German boat at Newport
II. l., about a year ago. the U-53. and
rat he WAS a. German naval officer.
J know that he has been in this coun-
try for six or seven years. II was
also said that Walter had received
largo sums OF money. ! don't believe