The German Spy in America / The Secret Plotting of German Spies in the United States and the Inside Story of the Sinking of the Lusitania

by John Price Jones

FORCING WAR IN THE UNITED STATES

Throughout all the crises arising between the United States and Germany over the submarine campaign, German agents constantly kept in view the possibility of a war between their country and this nation. They prepared for it.

“Before I left New York,” confesses von der Goltz, “I had some conversation with Captain von Papen about the war, and while speaking of the end of the war Captain von Papen said: ‘Should things start to look bad for us, there will be something happen over here.’ In connection with other statements of his, he speculated on America joining Germany, or on a possible uprising.” The significance of that remark was shown two years and a half later when on January 31, 1917, three days before the break between the United States and Germany, an order went forth from the German Embassy in Washington. Immediately the machinery of every German merchantman interned in American ports was wrecked. The damage was $30,000,000.

Here again Captain von Papen’s and Captain Boy-Ed’s advice and orders were involved. It devolved upon Captain von Papen not only to keep in thorough touch with the development of American military affairs, but also to study constantly the topography of the United States, the plan of cities and their surroundings from a military viewpoint. Upon him fell the task of stationing German reservists in the various cities and towns where, in case of hostilities, they would be valuable to the German cause. German efficiency and foresight came to the front in connection with these plans. There were under consideration at one time when the crisis between the United States and Germany was acute, military plans to start a reign of terror in America.

First of all, Captain von Papen and Captain Boy-Ed supervised the purchase of ground near New York and Boston, which was to be used for the construction of concrete bases for big guns in the same manner in which the Germans prepared in Belgium, England and France prior to the war. There is absolute proof that German representatives spent money for this purpose, and that they caused to be built foundations that could be used for big guns for the purpose of making an attack upon New York City, for instance. But that was only a part of the scheme.

When von Papen and his colleague Boy-Ed were recalled, it was announced by the State Department that the reason was “improper activities in military and naval affairs.” A brief summary of Captain von Papen’s activities shows that he violated the courtesies extended to him as a diplomatic agent in secretly sending code messages by couriers; that he handed out money for fraudulent passports; that he schemed in military enterprises against Canada; that he plotted with Ambassador Dumba to start strikes in American factories; that he plotted in connection with other criminal activities in this country, such as blowing up factories; that he was a promoter of seditious enterprises; and that he and his associates schemed to start war between the United States and Mexico.

When he set foot upon the gangway of the steamship Noordam, homeward bound, he said: “I leave my post without any feeling of bitterness, because I know full well that when history is once written it will establish our clean record, despite all the misrepresentations spread broadcast.” But at the moment he handed out that statement he was carrying under his arm a portfolio which was a veritable diary of his payments to law-breakers. Again he gave proof of his expression about “stupid Americans,” because he thought he could make those “stupid Americans” believe him, and that he could sneak the proofs of his law-breaking past the British at Falmouth. Again the stupidity was on his side.

CHAPTER IV
VON IGEL AND KOENIG, TWO OF THE KAISER’S FAITHFUL WORKERS

Wolf von Igel, von Papen’s Man Friday and custodian of his secret documents, was hustling about his private office on the twenty-fifth floor of 60, Wall Street, on the morning of April 19, 1916. He was hurried. His full, grey eyes glistened with excitement and he curled his stubby moustache as he glanced upon heaps of papers carefully arranged on the long council table and on the floor. Then squaring his stocky shoulders, he turned again to the big safe, bearing the seal of the Imperial German Government, and swinging back the heavy doors, extracted another bundle of papers which he ranged among the other sheets with military precision.

“It’s eleven o’clock and Koenig should be here now,” he said in German to another employé of von Papen’s who was with him. “These papers must be packed up at once.”

He paused and then began a mental inventory of each stack of papers to make sure none was missing. All these documents—there were hundreds of them, and their weight, as revealed by a government agent, was seventy pounds—had belonged to von Papen. They revealed the inner workings of the German spy system in America and a great part of the world. They told many of the details. Those papers, connecting the German Government with violators of law in America, were a vast responsibility for any officer of von Igel’s age. Naturally, the young man was keyed to a high pitch of excitement; for hitherto they had come from the safe only piecemeal, and to permit daylight to reach so many at one time was almost a little more than von Igel’s nerve could stand.

Perhaps he had a presentiment. In fact, secret agencies had been at work to instil in him a feeling of uneasiness. Von Igel, stopping again and again to twirl his moustache, knew that von Papen and Captain Tauscher had been indicted on a charge of plotting to blow up Welland Canal. Word also had come to him that still more ominous events were portending and the idea—by stealthy prearrangement—had been given to him to ship all the documents to Washington, where they would be absolutely safe. Therefore von Igel was both busy with his packing and intensely perturbed.

“A man to see you, Herr von Igel,” announced a stout German attendant. “He refuses to tell his business except that it is important.”

Von Igel was gruffly directing his agent to make the stranger specify his name and mission when the door was flung open. In dashed Joseph A. Baker, of the Department of Justice, in charge of Federal Agents Storck, Underhill and Grgurevich.

“I have a warrant for your arrest!” shouted Baker, who had a warrant charging the German with complicity in the Welland Canal enterprise. Von Igel eyed the intruders for the fraction of a second. With one spring he reached the safe, and swinging the doors shut, was turning the combination when Baker leaped upon him bearing him to the floor. Then followed a battle of four Americans against two Germans, the attendant having been quieted by the flash of revolvers.

“This means war,” yelled von Igel. “This is a part of the German Embassy and is German territory. You’ve no right here.”

“You’re under arrest,” said Baker soothingly, as he pulled a revolver.

“You shoot and there’ll be war,” answered von Igel, while Storck and Underhill grappled with a third. “I’m connected with the Embassy and you can’t arrest me.” The first skirmish was quickly ended by von Igel, realizing the importance of the documents entrusted to his care and straining every resource to outwit his captors, he fought again and again, facing revolvers and braving fists to reach the telephone to call for the help of the German Ambassador and prevent the officers from gathering up the documents. But he was unsuccessful. As the agents led him from the office, they met Koenig, von Igel’s associate, and von Papen’s agent in many enterprises just entering. Koenig, who was already facing three charges growing out of his activities, was rendered speechless by the sight of von Igel in custody and some of his documents in possession of the government.

The mass of documents—it makes no difference whether the Secretary of State, for reasons of State or of law, orders their return—not only set forth the secrets of Germany’s activities in this country; but they also told what part von Igel and Koenig played in the invisible war in America. They show how both men were errand boys, carriers of cash and of messages for von Papen and Boy-Ed.