The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-31
Spy SUSPECT KILLED
| AS HE FIGHTS GUARD
Struggle on Lonely Jersey
Beach Follows Mysterious
Signals.
BRAVE TAR EXONERATED
Brooklyn Man Accused in
Draft Case Says He Tried
to Shield Woman.

A seaman of a Naval Reserve patrol
which was assembled from Philadelphia
and Atlantic City to guard the beach
at Ocean City, N j.. killed a man Thurs
day night after reports had been made
Of ~ sterious flashes of light.
The cead man was identified yester-
day as Thomas Ellis OF Trenton. ". j.
He resisted after arrest on the beach
by Thomas Meehan OF the Naval Re-
serve. He wrested the sailors rife from
him. Meehan recovered 1t and shot
Fills through the heart. The man was
instantly killed.
The beach at Ocean City Is a stretch
Of coastline that Is exceptionally lonely
after nightfall. The coast guards have
reported recently that flashes of light
they believed to be signals have been
seen there.
Meehan Explains Shooting.
At the coroners inquest yesterday
Meehan testified that he was stationed
near the waters edge with orders TO
arrest any one who approached. He ar
failed to give a satisfactory reason for
his being on the beach. Ellis sprang
upon him. the sailor testified. and sue
ceeded in gaining possession OF his
rife. Meehan regained the weapon, he
said. and when Ellis sprang at him
again he shot him.
The coroner exonerated Meehan. Ellis
was about 55 years old.
United States Comm issioner Reif-
schne !der in Brooklyn yesterday held
Olaf p. Peterson. sailor on the steam
ship Oiivant OF the Cuban Line. In $500
bail for a hearing on September IL. He
was charged with bringing letter into
the country In violation OF the trading
with the enemy law.
George V Christmann, %. an expert
machlnist employed by the Sperry Gyro-
scope Company Of Brooklyn. and Mrs.
Gertrude Marks, "a, were arra.gned be-
fore Judge ChatHeld in the Federal Dis
trict Court in Brooklyn yesterday. They
were charged with conspiring TO violate
the selectlve service law
Sought to Protect Woman.
It developed at the hearing that
Christnann. rather than cast a stain on
the woman to whom he was supposed
to be married made false statements in
his estionn alre According to Henry
J. Wenxel, counsel for Christmann. Mrs.
Marks has a husband who disar pcared
some time ago and Christmann has n
wife from whom he separated in 1913.
Christmann and Mrs. Marks have been
living with her parents at 4s5 wlcks
street Richmond Hill. The parents be-
lieved they were married
Wenzel declared that Christmann tried
| to enter tho aviation section OF the
Naval Reserve but was rejected
Judge Chatfield said he would give a
decision IN the case on September I. He
| ordered that in the meantime Christ
| mann submit to an examination TO de-
ter1nine whether he Is fit for army ser
vice
DIR. / Edward Gluckman and DR.. u
| d. Greenfield certified to Sheriff J. Ryle
| Flavell OF Essex county. New Jersey
yesterday that Franz Rintelen, the Ger.
man paymaSter and bomb plotter Of the
early months of the European war. is
not suffering with tuberculosis, RinteleT
was transferred from the Tombs prsor
| because of his health. He has improves
much since he entered the county jail
| at Newark