The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-04-06
CONFESSIONS OF
Won PAPEh'S TOOL
WERNER HORN, WHO BLEW UP
vANCEBORO BRIDGE MPLI-
Gates EMBASSY ATTACHE

NEW YORK., April 8. - Werner
Horn, the German reserve officer
who tried to destroy the interna-
tional bridge at Vanceboro, Me-, was
a type of German that is all too sell
dom found. He had been led to be-
lieve by the infamous Won Papen that
he was performing an actual mill
tary operation against an enemy
of his country. and was told that by
tying the German colors to his sleeve
he was transformed from a criminal
into a German officer on military
duty.
Further than that he could not
bring himself to sign his name to a
lie ION his honor as a German Off
cer," and SO his attempt to blow up
the bridge led him into the hands
of Canadian justice.
Horns confession is a most inter-
esting document. 1t appears in
print for the first time in the Worlds
Work for April, just published. The
first paragraph reads:
81, Werner Horn A., after having
been advised hat my extradition to
Canada has been asked for by the
government Of Great Britain and
that anything l may say will or may
be used against me in an e~xtradition
nr0randfnn hu tho TInffnl Otafoo N~ a.
a prosecution by the United States If
it shall be found that I have violat-
ed any Of the laws Of that country
and that l may decline to talk at all
or to answer any particular ques-
tions, do voluntarily, willingly and
without any promise other than that
my case will be dealt with by the
United States fairly, impartially and
in accord with law, make this state
ment."
He then states that he was a Ger
nan lieutenant in inactive service,
and that he was employed on a cof-
fee plantation in Central America
when the a began. Two hours
after the call to arms reached him
he was on his way. He travelled to
New York, back to Galveston, to New
Orleans. and finally back to New
York before finally giving up eff
forts to secure passage to Europe.
In New York he met Captain Won
Papen. who, by skillful lying. made
Horn believe 1t was his duty as a
soldier to blow up the Vanceboro
bridge, over which munitions were
being shipped to Halifax.
In debating his confession, Horn
repeated a story which he had told
previously, and which had set posses
securing the Maine woods in search
of Tommy" an imaginary Irish &C
complete. Horn said this man had
met him on the Canadian side of the
bridge and had given him the explos-
ives with which the bridge had been
damaged.
When Horn had finished his con-
fession the officer to whom he had
dictated 1t added this sentence, II
certify on my honor as a German Of
ficer that the foregoing statements
are true"
The officer then asked Horn to
sign the statement. The German
was nonplussed. He fumbled the
paper, ran his fingers through his
hair, finally pushed the confession
back, grinned sheepishly and said,
Tommy"
You mean" replied the officer.
that it's all true except the part
about Tommy" Horn said that that
was exactly what he meant. The
officer then erased the period and
added to the sentence so that it read,
Il certify on my honor as a German
officer that the foregoing statements
are true except as to 'Tommy'-that
l did not buy the nitro %glycerine. but
received it in New York and took it
with me in the suit case. I cannot
say from whom I received it,"
This Horn signed and later, as a
result, he was turned over to Cana
dian officials for trial and punish
ment.