The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1921-01-01
300 SPIES IN
AMERICAN ARMY
Amazing Story Of German Es'
.. pionage During the War
Is Disclosed. q"
DESERTER MAKES CONFESSION
Former Officer Tells of Being Sent
From Germany With Other Cadets
to Enlist in the United
States Army.

New York.--An amazing story'tsof
German espionage during. the war.
was disclosed when John Willet, for
mer captain in the Forty-eighth Univ
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. !.
Wilet admitted he had absconded
with $4,000 of his company's funds at
Camp Sewer on November 2S, 1918,
few weeks after the armistice, and de-
serted. @
1t was thiss pffense and not any slrs-
pieion of his SPY role which resulted
in his arrest here when Hugh j. Han
nigan. formerly a first LIEUTENANT 10
the Forty-eighth, recognized the de-
serter on the Street and hailed a po-
liceman.
Hints al Treascl, in Washington.
You would be surprised how many
higSl 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 rest-
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
.eTnor's island.
|. Confronted by two ex-lieutenants of
the Forty eighth infantry, Sidney. +.
| Howell. lawyer. and Francis Hatch,
Willet began to respond to Questions.
AS TO his pedigree, he. said he was
horn III Germany and educated there
n was trained for spy work when
was boy and later when was d
cadet in Il 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 Aniegjgan army.
| 0ther groups went to the French army
and TO the British. About 300 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.
81 enlisted as q back private in AL
bany soon ,after my arrival in this
country. Within very short time. my
ability as soldier was recognized and
| was promoted.
MY heart was nearly broken when
| discovered my regiment probably
would not he sentsto France. would
have died for my. country gladly. SO.
Is days after the armistice, i,took the
company fund money and left camp. =
"rm telling you this freely beeanse
might as well be'dead. Life does not
matter much to me-
Willef said that after he. deserted
Camp Sewer he started travelling. He.
toured the Pacific coast.
In Chicago about a year ago be. mar
rled an American girl named Craw-
ford it is said. 80 !.
Willet recently opened mail orGef
business in this city u1rtief the name
OF Crawford.