New-York tribune., 1919-01-21
Aid of O'Leary
Is Indicted ON
Treason Charge
Jay Willard Robinson, of
Summit, n. J., Accused of
Acting as a German Spy
Sinn Fein Idea Involved
Invisible Messages ON Col
lars and Handkerchiefs
We're Carried Across Sea

Jay Willard Robinson, the Sim Fein
agitator and alleged agent of the Ger
man government, who is said to have
been associated with OLeary, Victor
lea, Vessels and others, was indicted
yesterday by the Federal grand jury
for treason. The punishment, on con-
viction. is death by hanging, accord
ing to the United States Criminal
Code.
The tndicting instrument charges
that between April g. 1917, and June
3. 1918, Robinson gave comfort and
aid to Germany by acting as a spy in
the United States and in Holland. The
Indictment, which was drawn by George
w. Taylor, Assistant United States
Attorney, was returned to Judge
Learned Hand in the Federal District
Court. Robinson is already in custody,
charged with violation of the espion-
age act. He will be brought from the
Iombs tomorrow to plead to the
treason indictment before Judge Hand.
Messages in Invisible Ink
The document returned by the grand
Jury contains copies of correspondence,
which was SEM to this country from
many sources to Robinson. Many of
the messages we're written in invisible
INK and were conveyed to Robinson, it
1t SAID by neutral sailors and Aneri-
cans OF Teutonic sympathies.
AN amazing part of the German
scheme to KEEP open avenues of com
munlcation is shown in that part of
the indictment which deals with the
delivery of four soft white collors.
three white handkerchiefs and one
wnlte tie to Benjamin L. Benson. q
naturailzed American in Stockholm.
These articles, which were to be given
to Robinson, contained supply of a
new invisible writing fluid used to the
Serman secret service. Mr. Benson.
however, Informed the American au~
thorltles of the plot, and acted under
their instructions in accepting the
messages and ink for delivery in Amer
1ca. His patriotic work was highly
praised by the Federal authorities YES
terday.
The indictment charges that, in the
furtherance of a plot to free ireland
6y aiding Germany to crush Great
Britain, Robinson. on April 1e, 1917.
sailed from, Halifax for Rotterdam
carrying with him secret correspon-
dence to the German Foreign Office
from O>Leary, Nine Marie K. de Vic
torlca, Hermann Vessels, Alias Carl
Roedlger, and John Ryan, the fugitive
Buffalo attorney.
Contents of Messages Secret
=, The nature of the messages sent by
Nine. Victorica and Vessels, who are
described In the indictment as Ger
man spies, Is not revealed, but the
Indictment does reveal the fact that
me mlsslves from O'Leary and Ryan
~ere IN the form Of inquiries to the
German Foreign Office on the atti
tude OF Germany on the question of
the freedom of Ireland.
federal Prosecutor Taylor explained
mat while in Rotterdam Robinson also
arranged with Frank Richards. the
American who directed the German
Naval Intelligence Service, to engage in
SPY activities for Germany after his re-
turn to America.
we returned to New York in June.
and 1t IS charged, brought verbal mes
sages ., o. instructions to Nine. Victorica
ana vessels and oral and written ans
"ers to the OLeary and Ryan INQUIRIES
On tne question of Ireland. Mr.. Taylor
e'ated they were in substance to the cf
ecu that while the imperial German
,s9sStHnent was In sympathy with Ire.
iana nght Tor freedom, it thought the
hest course was to defer action until
peace. ''''''
Registered Under an Alias
Inc indictment says that when Rob
lnson arrived here June 20. 1917 be
registered at the Hotel Navarro AZ r
q; Young, of Chicago. That day. II is
charged, he communicated Germanv,s
Tnswer to the inquiries of OLearv and
fsyan TO them and then proceeded to his
IGSiqence, 33 Beauvoir Street, Summit,
>, lhe Indictment charges that from
Id tlme on robinson acted as a spy
1or Germany in carrying out tho con,
splracy formed with Frank Richards q
ana sent communications CONTAINING
.ras'er OF military value to Eric Erick
;1n ;9 ana three other German agents
iuentned as De Long, Milton and
PROSECUTOR Taylor said that shortly
IeeI hopinson returned to this conn.
lly t. ehe french Secret Service notified
baa 0Saee department that instructions
nao neen sent German AGENTS in
Holland, Spain and Sweden TO- sfnrs fnr,,or IN IN
~ 70 Robinson. DR.. Bishofr n
se department of Justice. was as
nsheo TO the case and annrohon5oI
sopit'son at Poughkeepsie whora ha
pathizers. ~ "'"" rem SYM
o Ierman agents, it is said comnnn;
vaeed with Robinson in code and ",,,u'ti. bm 4h =
use o,2 OF invisible ink urging Gnu anG 0y ine Inc
;,.st n,;5uet'ng him TO do many thing 1 ~ ,n, II,
fhe in the fnr1 fUpStrgct t, the war preparation
adeouate n e",sea nrsdis state. The letters said
niin with firms in South Amer;ca -r,' Iol
messages also gave him ant authos;. aoa. me
hire neutral help to aid ;o,rry in ca %
out The Generalization campaign ''e
Fire in ,,