The New York herald., 1921-08-20
$12,OO0DUGUPNNJ
RECALLS A WAR PLOT
Finders Leave Gold In Tun-
mel as Hidden by Ger.
man Lieutenant.
HE HAD FEUD WITH JAP
Staying Followed Clash of
Nationals in Former Home
Of Schnmann-Heink.
PRIEST TOLD OF BURIAL
Realty Promoter Says Treasure
Tale Has Nothing to Do !,
With His Operation.

To begin with. yu fave II on the
word Of Mr.. Robischon that the fol-
lowing story of the murdered Lieut..
Wilhelm Bestorn's gold has nothing
to do with Mr.. Robischon's plan to
erect and sell number of pretty
lodges and camps on the fringes of his
estate in the Ramapo Hills. near
SiHgac, N. J.
Repeatedly yesterday Mr.. Robischon
deplored the necessity IF the story
appearing in the newspapers. But de-
spite this he told 1T in all. or nearly
beginning with the Japanese buffers
hatred and carrying on through the
tale of German espionage, the story
of Zelda Schumann- Heink, the secret
of the lonely priest. and. finally. the
discovery on Thursday afternoon by
Joe Carpenter of the slain Lieutenant's
treasure-s12. 900 in double eagles.
Mr.. Robischon is L. w. Robischon.
head of the hosiery and underwear
corporation that bears his name at
lloO DTOduWdN. Sqi PShtOi 10 sAA0
caretaker of Mr.. Robischon's place.
Five years ago Mr.. Robischon bought
the place from Ernestine Schumanri-
Heink. the famous contralto. 1t Is
stretch of rolling land on high pla-
teau overlooking the Ramapos and In
cluding two of the blunt heads OF those
hills. 1t extends for a couple or num-
dred acres between Singac and North
Caldwell. The big house is in tune with
it's surroundings.
Diva's Daughter Explains.
You must know. Mr.. Robischon,"
said Miss Zelda Schumann- Heink.
daughter of the diva, that there's
something of a mystery about this place
of ours. There was Japanese Dutler
we had here who hated Wilhelm-Wfi-
helm Besthorn, our gardener. The but
ler's gone. We had to get rid OF him
for the sake of peace right here at
home. You see, Wilhelm is a reserve
lieutenant In the Germany navy. To
be sure he says he will never return to
Germany; that he Intends becoming an
American citizen and all that, but the
butler hated him-said that Wilhelm
was a. German spy and propagandist
But Wilhelm, who has been In Cali
fornia with US. says he knows differ
ent. He says the Japanese wants to rob
him and that other Japanese have come
all the way from the Pacific coast to
help. That sounds absurd. But then
there's talk OF Wilhelm being a Spy"
Nine. Schumann-Hein moved to her
home in San Diego. Wilhelm Besthorn
went along and continued as her gar
dener. At her behest he applied for his
first papers of citizenship. but found that
the secret service men were observing
him. Japanese in California declared
that he had been snooping around the
Pacific Ocean; that being naval man
he had taken many notes OF Japanese
marine forces and defences: that he was
operating a hidden wireless station near
the Schumann-Heink estate, and that he
was receiving $1,000 a month from the
German imperial treasury to do under
ground service in America for the
Kaiser.
Secret service men found an ingenious.
knockdown wireless apparatus just
where the Japanese sleuths said 1t would
be- But they did not find Besthorn
there. They could only continue sus-
pecting the Lieutenant and the Lieu
tenant simply denied everything when
questioned Nine Schumann-Heink as
sured the Government men that the whole
for Wilhelm's harmlessness.
Dog Finds Slain Man.
Some time between midnight ana
o'clock on the morning of July 81, 1918.
Lieut.. Wilhelm Beethorn was murdered
shot five or SIX times through the head
and body What remained OF him was
found by his dog. The murderer was
never found
Zelda Schumann- -Heink. being In the
East at the time with her mother. looked
up Mr.. Robischon again. She told Mr..
Robischon that Wilhelm had said. some
time before his death. that he had buried
$4,000 In twenty dollar gold pieces IN
a tunnel that he had scraped out OF the
side of one of the hills on the old Jersey
place.
About three years ago Mr.. Robischon
hanpened 70 be driving his roadster
toward Caldwell. 1t was raining Along
the road he came upon priest who
had a mission on the side of one OF the
hills near Singac--a lonely man who
since has left for parts not known fpy
Mr. Robischon. Robischon does not
know the priests name. But the priest
climbed into the roadster, and presently
the talk turned to the unfortunate VIII
helm and his buried treasure.
"Ah." said the ClerkyfnhHs hHcW
Wilhelm well. was his confessor. He
made his confession to me Just before
leaving for San Diego. The man feared
that he would be murdered. Later on mo
told me Of the money"
A week ago or moro Joe Carpenter and
his SON George began cutting a road be-
tween the two big Ramapos that bulk
skyward from Mr.. Robischon's acres. On
Thursday Joe Carpenters long handled
shovel uncovered Lieut. Wilhelm Bes-
thorn's buried treasure. Joe says OF IL:
'It was like this. Ny eon and I.
we're digging a road for Mr.. Robinson.
when my shovel strikes metal. scrapo
away the earth and came to a piece OF
tin or sheet iron. u give IL a knock and
off IL comes, barring a hole about twenty
inches high and pretty narrow. in
vestigate further and find a tunnel
maybe six feet long and dry as a chip.
The $4,000 is there. right where this
Dutchman put II. That's all have TO
say. Let the boss do the talking now
We'll. TO tell you the truth" said Mr.
Robischon. 'T told Joe to leave the stuff
where he found II. Ill admit II is queer
to leave II there. but nobody knows
where II Is except Joe and his son and
mo Maybe my mother-in-law. Mrs
Smith, knows, but that's all. It's the
safest place for II.
THE trouble Is that I'm likely to have
all sorts OF unpleasant visitors when this
becomes known. But It's In It's hiding
L.. a