The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-15
Arr sted in NJ wort News AT.
ter Lively Chase by Secret
Service Agents
BROUGHT H RE ON
WAY TO WASHINGTON
Lieutenant Walter Sporrman.
OF German, Tried to Blow
Up Magazine at ) amp Nor
rlson and at Langley Field

Especial TO The Richmond Virginiaa.b
Norfolk, Va, Jan. l4.--CaGght red
handed in an attempt to blow up the
government magazine at Camp Nor
rison, near Newport New, posing as
an officer of the American army, ana
with having lA1rinIuatlng corresponds
ence in his possession, walter Sporr-
man, an officer In the German navy
is tonight en- route to Washington for
court martial proceedings and In the
opinion of local federal and naval au-
thor.ties Will probably be the first Ger
man spy to face a firing squad to pay
tho penalty of his crimes.
Sporrman's arrest was accom- 9itshe1
SATURDAY, in Newport News by an Of
fcer of the naval Intelligence bureau,
after a chase that led to Camp Mead,
Washington, Baltimore and finally 20
Camp Morrison at New port News
where the case was completed. 1t IL
declared tonight that evidence secured
from the prisoner In discriminating
documents involves n number OF per-
sons, including several women in Bal,
tu1ore, Washington, New York and
probably other cities. The nature of
this evidence the officers declined to
state, as one man wanted is missing.
Others are said to be closely watched
by secret service men and cannot poa-
sibly escape,
Most Important CAP re.
1t IL authoritatively learned that the
government considers this capture 10
be one OF the most important yet made
in the nationwide hunt tor spies since
the declaration OF war against Ger
many. 1t is confidently predicted that
he viii be convicted In a few days an
a German spy and that his execution
will quickly follow. as an example to
others who may be operating in tho
United States.
sporrman first attracted attention
in Washington by wearing the uniform
of a captain I'm the United States
army.
Secret service men trailed him TO
Baltimore, where the case was placed
in the hands of young Bahimorean
on the STAFF of the bureau OF naval ia
teliigence. This young officer speaks
several languages. including German.
In which he is expert For weeks he
kept track of Sporrnan. confident that
he was dangerous spy and anxious
to get him" E:.sn evidence TO con-
Wet him of being more than a suspt-
ctous alien. subject for internment-
Sporrman Wis ted Washingto,.. show
ed considerable activity In and an,.at
baltimore and paid flying trips to-
various army and navy posts about
the two cities including Camp Mead,
without a permit, required of ali
adens.
Came ,n U-5s. 1t IL Believed
Sporrfnan later disappeared and
The naval cficers thought that he had
probably taken alarm and left the
country. Its quarters in Baltimore
We're located. where a German ller-
terant's unifoI m was discovered ard
evidence that leads the officers to hes
leve that he came to this country IN
! the U-53 which called at Newport.
/ X L., about year ago
| A few nights ago at Camp Mo-ri-
1 son, q man was seen to strike a match
( i'm the neigh borhood OF the camps
, ammunition magazine. He was fired
upon by the guards h1t managed to
escape. But guards recognized the
man and his arrest followed the next
day
| sporrman gave as his excuse for
striking the match that he was look
/ ing for a piece of. wood out of which
to whittie a walking stick He CLAIM
ed to be employed near the camp In
civilian work. But the excuse was
too fiImsy to pass muster and he was
held pending Investigation,
The description led Washington Of
! fictals that the man under arrest was
Sporrrlan who had disappeared from
+ Baltimore and the young officer was
flushed 10 Newport News. An In
tercepted letter to woman whose
name has been withheld settled tho
Identification. In this letter he de-
cIared he would take no more chances
and would leave certain work to
hers The prisoner was brought TO
Norfolk for examination. HI speaks
eight languages and converse In Eng