The sun., 1919-03-29
WEISGERBER SEES
PLOT TO GET SECRET
Captain Refuses TO Testify,
Fearing Questions May
Bare Fuel Formula.
PROSECUTED, HE SAYS
Antagonistic Interests Are
Blamed as Disloyalty
Charges Are Denied.

Capt. Edwin c. Weisgerber refused to
take the witness stand in his own behalf
IN his trial by court-martial at Gov
ernors Island on charges Of disloyalty
yesterday, but submitted a statement to
the court In which he said that the
charges against him were the result of
opposition from interests who wish to
get control Of the synthetic sasolene
which he claims to have invented. Capt.
weisgerber said he feared that on cross
examination he might be compelled to
reveal the formula Of his invention.
Describing in his statement the effort,
which have been made to gain posses
sion of his secret, he said.
Every effort has been made 10 ex-
tract from me the formula for this fuel
and many subterfuges have been adopted
by those seeking to gain this informa-
ton. ! have been constantly watched
and my purchases of chemicals have
been closely followed by persons having
Interior designs. After l entered the
military service l continued many ex-
periments on various substitute fuels
and did my utmost to aid the Govern.
ment of the United States in develop.
ing fuel which might be an improve
ment upon gasolene in internal com
bustion engines.
During all Of these activities on my
part i have been compelled to meet the
open and bitter antagonism of fuel in
terests which sought to prevent the com
petition OF a fuel which they did moi
control"
Capt. weisgerber denied he ever tried
to sell the formula to the British Gov.
eminent, and stated that the British
officers who conferred with him and &c
whom he submitted a sample were sc
impressed with II that one OF them has
since made application for the foreign
rights to the invention. He did not deny
that he had made the remark attributed
TO him by Capt. Belcher with regard &c
obtaining promotion for himself and
Major Zimmerman, but insisted that the
remark was made in a Joking way and
asserted that he had never had any pun
pose TO obtain promotion by dishonorabls
% questionable means.
His suggestions relative to standard
ization of gas equipment, Capt. Weis
gerber stated. were made after a con.
ference with Capt. George r. Malone
head of the Welding School and an au.
thority on the questions at issue, and a,
tHt tukktbNlOl VI AldJOT
This testimony was corroborated by
Capt Malone. who said that he called the
attention of Capt Weisgerber to severa
points in the memorandum OF sugges
lions which in his opinion were i'm
practicable or dangerous. and that Capt
Weisgerber replied that his part in the
work was not of sufficient importance e
Justify any further consideration being
given to the matter.
Capt. Malone. who has recently beer
discharged from the army, also swors
that he had never noticed any action Of
the accused officer which might be con
strued as unpatriotlc or disloya.
In closing the case for the Government
the Judge Advocate admitted the charge
and specifications regarding the attempt
OF the accused to sell TO the British Gov.
eminent fuel compound containinl
substances dangerous to machinery or &C
the operators of II had not been sus.
tained and this charge was accordingly
withdrawn.
J. Lowrie Humes of Pittsburg closed
the case for the defence and pointed out
that the Government has not been able
TO produce evidence that Capt. Weis.
gerber had been guilty OF q single dis.
loyal act or Of disloyal intent