Evening star., 1938-10-19
PLAN Of FORGING
ROOSEVELT NAME
REVEALED BY SPY
Rumrich Says Scheme Was
to Get Information on
Americas Navy.
ASSERTS HE EXPECTED
LARGE SUM OF MONEY
Tells of Writing Letter to
Ensign Promising Liberal
Recompense.
By the Associated Press,

procure information about the Unltec
States Navy was described in Fedora
Court today by Guenther Gustav
Rumrich. 32-year-old Army desertel
and confessed NaZi spy.
Speaking in a low, dispirited voice
as if he we're tired of his role in the
whole fantastic espionage plot, Rum
rich told Judge John G. Knox and
Jury he had expected to get lot o.
money if the plan were carried
through.
1t was his third day on the wit
ness stand testifying against Erich
CHASER, former Mitchell Field soldier;
Johanna Hofmann, hairdresser on the
German liner Europa, and Otto Her
mann Voss, airplane mechanic
Rumrich was indicted with them and
IA others, but pleaded guilty at the
opening of the trial and became one
of the Governments principal wit
nesses.
Asked About Vessels.
The stolid ex-dishwasher. who be-
came a $40 a week mail order" spy,
chewed gum as he told of a night
when Karl Schlueter, an alleged mes
senger for the spy ring, came to his
home in the Bronx with Fraulein
Hofmann.
Schlueter asked him what he knew
OF the aircraft carriers Enterprise and
Yorktown.
He said the German Navy was
now going to build some aircraft car
riers and that it would be very use
full for his superiors to obtain plans
Of these carriers construction" Rum
rich testified.
He suggested that I write to Ham,
burg and suggest that I be furnished
with some stationery that would show
tionery"
Did Not Elaborate.
"He said something about forward
ing a letter to the construction chief
of the United States Navy Depart
ment. the letter bearing the forged
signature of the President Of the
United States, but he did not elaborate
on this plan.
Il told him would try to get the
stationery. He said there would be
a lot of money in it if I could get
the plans of the aircraft carriers but
he did not say how much"
Rumrich said he wrote to the mys-
terious Sanders" as he knew his
chief in Hamburg. sending the letter
to the Dundee. Scotland, address of
Mrs. Jessie Jordan, now serving a
prison term for espionage in Scotland.
'At that time there was some trou-
bic in the Far East about the bombing
Of the Panay, and papers carried a
reproduction of the Presidents pro-
test about the bombing.
White House Inscription.
"At the top was the inscription OF
the White House, Washington, D. C.
I thought it would be a good idea 70
inclose a facsimile of that message
80 they would have something to
90 by"
Lester c. DUNCAN, assistant United
States attorney. read Rumrich's let
ter, which specified the size of the sta
tionery to be sought and described it
in detail.
II shall need this stationery by
March l." wrote Rumrich. 1T will
get us the plans Of the Yorktown and
Enterprise without much expense"
Thoughtfully, however, Rumrich
requested $500 to cover his expenses.
1T is always good to have a little
cash on hand" he remarked in the
letter, which was signed Crown" his
name as spy.
Rumrich explained he also inclosed
In the letter some Polish literature
about very valuable salve for use
in counteracting the effects of poison
gas" explaining today, though, that
he did not read Polish.
Got Names From Paper.
At Schlueter's request for the names
Of American Army or Navy officers
of German extraction who might be
couple of names he got out of a
paper.
DO you remember those names?"
asked DUNCAN.
Il remember one of them," Rumrich
said. ut was Brown"
He identified list of officers, en-
ployes on aircraft carriers, which he
. had also given Schlueter, adding he
knew none of the men personally. He
had written to Brown the following
letter:
Ensign w. B. Brown, U. S. Navy,
San Pedro, Calf.
There are ways of making money.
An enterprislng young man can always
cash in without much trouble, why
don't you wise up?'
Brown was instructed to communi-
cate with him through the New York
Times, and was promised liberal
recompcnse. He was advised to act
quickly. and dire consequences were
threatened if he failed to reply.
Brown did not reply.
Rumrich related Yesterday he had
brazenly sold matters of public knowl-
edge to German officers who be-
lleVed they were buying vital defense
secrets.
Embassy Here Silent.
Officials at the German Embassy
would make no comment today on
testimony given yesterday at the
espionage trial in New York, linking
the names of German Ambassador
Hans Dieckhoff and Capt Fritz Wiede-
mann, Chancellor Hitler's personal
aide de camp, to an alleged German
spy ring.