The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-07-20

duced as evidence with the follow
ing story:
In April, 1917, after the United
States had entered the war as one
aftermath of the Black Tom and
Kingsland explosions, Hermann and
other agents were in Mexico to plot
destruction of the Tampico oil fields
which were supplying allied troops.
The German minister, Won Eek
hardt, doubted that Hermann, Adj
am Siegel and Raoul Gerdts were
official representatives of Berlin.
Moreover the three spies were short
of funds.
To get money and convince Won
Eckhardt, Hermann sent message
to Hilken at Baltimore, via Gerdts,
repeatedly concealed in the Blue
Book magazine. The message it
self was written in lemon juice
which could be brought out under
heat. 1t covered several pages.
Whenever Hermann came to a
name he would write number like
1855, the first digit being meaning
less but the last three referring to a
page number where Hilken would
find various letters perforated by
pins, thus spelling out the name.
Part of the message read:
''Have seen 1755 (Eckhardt). He
is suspicious of me. Can't convince
him come from 1915 and 1894 (Ma-
guerre and Nadolny, who were Ger
man army chiefs). Have told him
all, references 1884 (Hinsch) and I,
1884 Deutschland submarine, which
was captured by the United States),
1895 Jersey City terminaD 3106
(KingSland) etc."
Later in the message Kristoff and
Wozniak, alleged conspirators in
both the Black Tom and Kingsland
explosions, were mentioned.
This, the court thought, proved be-
yond the slightest doubt that there
was official connection between the
saboteurs and the German govern
ment. The only refutation came in
testimony by two brothers named
Qualters, who testified they bought
the magazine from a New York
bookstore in 1881, that they recog-
nized certain marks they had made,
and that the whole revelation was
obviously fraud. Chemists and
handwriting experts discredited
their testimony, however, proving
that the pencil marks had not been
made by the Qualters brothers, also
that lemon juice would have pro-
duced different reaction if placed
on the paper after 1881.
Three years ago at a hearing in
Munich the Nazifed German gov
eminent agreed to settle 153 Ameri-
can sabotage claims on a so per
cent basis. In 1887 the whole story
was dragged out again when the
German government decided not to
ratify the agreement. Last spring,
when admissible evidence from the
new revelations seemed to be go
ing against the German government,
its agent withdrew. Following the
decision on June Is the Nazi press
stormed against the United States
and took ''try and get it, attitude.
The official attitude was that the
Third Reich refuses to recognize
the validity of this arbitration and
reserves every right of action in this
respect"
Claimants may still get about so
per cent of their demands, however.
On deposit in the United States
treasury are some $50, 1000, 900 plus
bonds issued in connection with the
case when Germany was repub-
lie. These securities are now worth
less. Total damage in the Black
Tom explosion was placed at $2O,-
600, 900; in the Kingsland case, ST.
000, 900.
Fantastic, thrilling as any dime
novel, the two sabotage tales are
now apparently closed except to his
torians.
Released by Western Newspaper Union.J