The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1921-01-01
300 SPIES IN
AMERICAN ARMY
Amazing Story Of German Is
pionage During the War
Is Disclosed. J.
DESERTER MAKES CONFESSION
Former Officer Tells of Being Sent
From Germany With Other Cadets
to Enlist in the United
States Army.

g. ~ . j. zg- s 10 ~. s =
New York.-An amazing story of
German espionage during the war
was disclosed when John Willet, for
mer captain in the Forty-eighth Uni
ted States infantry, confessd he was
really Hans Willers, a cadet in the
German army until 1914, when he was
sent to this country with 800 other
cadets to joint the American army and
become United States officers.
Willet admitted he had absconded
with $4,000 of his company's funds at
Camp Sewer on November %, 1913, a
few weeks after the armistice, and de-
serted.
1t was this offense and not any sus-
picion Of his spy role which resulted
In his arrest here when Hugh j. Han
nigan, formerly. a first lieutenant in
the Forty-eighth, recognized the de-
serter on the street and hailed po-
liceman.
Hints at Treason In Washington.
you would be surprised how many
high German officials held jobs in
Washington during the war, Willet
told Detective Sergeant O'Leary. The
prisoner made this statement after he
had narrated how he came here and
what he would have done had his regi-
ment been sent to France.
Il would have led my men to-
slaughter, and could have been use
full to my own country in many other
ways" Willet declared, according to
the police, in explaining why he and
others were sent to the United States
to enlist in the American army. Willet
was taken to Fort Jay prison on Gov
ernor's island. -.
Confronted by two ex-lieutenants of
the Forty-eighth infantry, Sidney P.
Howell, a lawyer, and Francis Hatch,
Willet began to respond to questions.
AS to his pedigree, he said he was
born in Germany and educated there.
Z 81 was trained for spy work when
! was boy and later when I was a
cadet in German military academy"
the detectives quote Willet as saying.
when the World war began in 1914
! was selected to join band Of cadets
who were to come to the United States
with orders to join the American army.
Other groups went to the French army
and to the British. About 800 others
came over here with me. / knew my
military training soon would be recog
nized and that promotion would fol-
low, so enlisted as private the first
opportunity got. had no citizenship
papers-I did not need any.
Enlisted as Buck. Private.
II enlisted as buck private in Al
bany soon after my 2rrival in this
country. Within very short time my
ability as a soldier was recognized ard
I was promoted. t-r.sa
my heart was nearly broken when
discovered my regiment probably
would not be sent to France. would
have died for my country gladly. So,
Is days after the armistice, took the
company fund money and left camp.
I'm telling you this freely because
/ might as we'll be dead. Life does not
matter much to me-"
: Willet said that after he deserted
Camp Sewer he started travelling. He.
toured the Pacific coast.
In Chicago about year ago he mar
ried an American girl named Craw-
ford, 1t Is said. -
Willet recently opened mail order
business in this city under the name
of Crawford. 2l,..s2