Evening star., 1934-03-20
Americans Held in France
Say They Were Sent
by u. S. Ring.
BENEFIT FOR PRISONERS
FOR EVIDENCE INDICATED
Russia and Germany Are Claimed
to Have Been Benefciaries
of information.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PARIS, March 20.-Magistrate
Andre Benon declared today Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert Gordon Switz of East
Orange, N j., had disclosed that an
international spy gang operated in
New York and sent them as agents
to France.
Benon said that Switz, a former
salesman, had uncovered the gangs
operation and the part he and his
wife played in its work.
He said they came here on a pay
Of 5000 francs-about S335-a month.
The examining magistrate, who has
quizzed the American couple since
their arrest last December, indicated
the Americans would benefit from
their revelation by referring to Article
10 of the new French espionage law,
which lightens the punishment in
cases where voluntary" information
is given.
Document Is Awaited
The judge said 10 inspectors had
been working on the case since last
June.
He said their inquiry has already or
will in the future reach the entire
world and touch virtually all coun-
tries
Benon said he is now waiting for
documents supposed TO arrive from
Finland which he believes will re-
veal that the organization for which
the SWltzes are alleged to have been
working apparently was founded in
1920
The examining magistrate said
Switz told him the names of all the
members he knew in the organization.
and the duties Of each.
Benon, who has conducted the in
vestigation throughout. said the big
| break in his probe came through
/ seven arrests today following Switz'
disclosures.
Reich Faces Switz.
The high light of the break was
| when Vatroslas Reich, a Rumanian-
born naturalized French chemist at
tached to the National Institute of
Biology, was brought face-to-face
with Switz several days ago.
Reich declared he met Switz
through Bercovitz, one of the alleged
| leaders of the organization in which,
| the magistrate said, Switz also ap-
| peared to be a leading member.
Benon asserted Switz found it ex-
| ceedingly difficult thereafter to an
swer questions and finally gave out
the information which led to today's
arrests including that of Reich.
Switz. who is a licensed airplane
pilot in the United States and France.
received packages and letters through
| the American University Union here.
The last parcel. supposed to contain
documents. arrived after Mr.. and Mrs.
Switz were arrested and police OBJ
tanned it from the union.
M KIotz lawyer for the Switzes,
said their spy ring revelations were
made because long reflection in prison
had brought them to an understand
ing of the real significance of what
they had been doing
They did not seek leniency through
telling what they knew Klotz as
serted. but rather did they realize
the real import of what they were
doing for the first time. which con-
vinced them they should make certain
revelations"
Police in U. S. Aiding.
Investigators said Germany and
Soviet Russia had beeh the bene-
| of
as a vast international espionage syn
dicate.
Police of the United States and
England have been cooperating in
the investigation of the spy ring. it
was explained. and it is largely
through their efforts that the tangled
skein of the mystery of the so-called
plot finally is commencing TO be un-
raveled.
Police voiced their charge as de-
velopmentS came thick and fast fol-
lowing a seven-hour questioning OF
the Americans in a secret session be-
fore Judge Benon which did not end
until shortly before last midnight.
| Court officials said the pair made "a
full confession of whatever part they
played"
After the examination of the
Switzes the magistrate announced he,
had signed warrants for the arrest of
persons whose alleged connection with
the hand had not been suspected be-
fore the Americans were questioned.
Police said, they expected the round
up to put 25 persons in prison when
it is completed.
Girl Student Is Sought.
The new prisoners are Col.
Dumoulin, alias Charras. retired
French Army officer and proprietor of
military publication; NJ Aubry, en-
gineer at an army powder factory,
Continued on Page 2, Column 81