Evening star., 1938-12-26
(Fourteenth of q Series.}

many today II we had not smashed
the Nazi spy ring when we did.
For the ring was getting bolder
and bolder, and one of the desperate
acts 1t was plotting was to kidnap
Senta-though she is an American
citizen-and spirit her off to Ger
many for punishment. The orders
came from Lonkowski, that danger
Gus Nazi spy of many aliases and a
thousand schemes, who had sworn
vengence on her. He was convinced
that she had betrayed him.
Senta is a rather odd figure, and
her story is fascinating.
She was born in Ulm, Germany,
81 years ago, but as she grew up she
found postwar Germany too dull for
her.
Before she was %, this strong
willed girl set off alone for America
and adventure. She told me she
promptly opened an interior deco
rating shop in New York City.
Opened Liquor Store.
In September, 1885, she became a
naturalized citizen of the United
S ates, but before that she had set
herself up in another business. A
smart trader, she had looked around
carefully for business and location
which would bring in good profits.
She found them, and in January,
1895. opened good sized liquor store
at Hampstead, Long Island-right
next to Mitchell Field.
There she met LonkoWski.
At first she denied that she did
anything for Lonkowski in connec-
ton with the Nazi spy ring, but as
: confronted her with proof after
proof to the contrary, she broke
down bit by bit and confessed.
She admitted to me that she took
packages from Lonkowski to Schlu-
ter, the fake steward on the S. s..
Europa.
For a long time she insisted that
was all. But later she confessed
that she also took envelopes from
Lonkowski to DR.. Griebl.
A Package Not Delivered.
In August, 1885, Lonkowski and
his wife went to Buffalo. A few
days later Senta received a package
from Lonkowski, with instructions
70 take it to Schluter, when the
g. S. Europa next docked
Senta went to the pier and
boarded the Europa, but she couldn't
find Schluter.
Afraid to carry the package with
her any longer, she finally handed
1t to q purser with instructions to
give 1t to Schluter, and left the ship.
When Lonkowski came home few
days later he asked her If she had
safely delivered the package to
5chluter.
LonkoWski flew into a terrific rage.
shouting she had betrayed him and
ruined him. The package contained
important plans, and would be the
finish of them all, he roared, if it
went astray.
For days he kept close to the
mouse, starting when the doorbell
or telephone rang, peering out be-
hind the window shades to see if
any one was watching the house,
or coming up the steps.
But one day a letter came, and
When LonkoWski read it he was all
smiles again. He apologized to SEN
ia. explaining he had been unduly
alarmed and was sorry for the way
he spoke. The letter was from
Schluter, saying he had got the
package all right.
Captured and Freed.
Harmony reigned in this queer
household until September 27 of
the same year-1935.
That night Lonkowski went into
New York to meet Schluter on the
Europa at the pier. He had a pack
age of material with him. He was
due back no later than midnight.
But midnight came-and no Lon
kowski. At l am. his wife and
Senta began to worry. BY 3 am.
Mrs. Lonkowski was screaming that
her woman's intuition told her that
Lonkowski was captured, and that
they all would be beheaded.
Two hours later Lonkowski
rushed in, haggard and trembling
He began frantically packing and
tearing up and burning many papers
What had happened was a star
tling demonstration of how little
spy-conscious this country was. For
Lonkowski had been captured with
important spy material in his pos
session.. including photographs of
blueprints of airplanes and gun
sights, and letters to spy headquar-
ters obviously containing military
information-yet he had been let
60 on his promise to appear when
wanted!
Here is the story:
On the night of September 81,
1885, customs guards at Pier 86, from
which the Nazi steamer Europa was
about to sail, saw Yonkowski talking
to man in q stewards uniform.
Lonkowski had package under his
arm. The customs men became sus-
picious. They thought he might be
a smuggler. They thought he had
got the package from the steward
and that it contained dutiable ma
terial.
Customs Guard Morris Josephs
signaled another guard, and they
closed in on Lonkowski. They did
not bother with the steward. Not
until more than three years later
did they discover who the steward
was. Not until Josephs. on the wit
ness stand at the spy trial in New
York, was shown a photograph.
Intelligence Officer Duped.
The customs men opened the
package Lonkowski carried-and
stood puzzled. For it contained no
dutiable material. All it contained
was letters and developed films with
strange designs on them.
The customs men recognized it
was too much for them. They took
him and the papers and films to
their headquarters and turned him
over to 1t. Morgan of the Customs
Service. He, too, saw that this was
houNy,l Tho ,eto l..