“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.
WHO WAS VON IGEL?
Concerning young von Igel there is much mystery. At the outbreak of the war he was reported to be wandering around looking for a job, willing to work for any wages. Then von Papen picked him up, paying him a salary of $238 a month. There is a rumour, too, that he is a grandson of Graf von Waldersee, one time Germany’s Chief of Staff. That he is a man of importance is indicated by the manner in which he was trusted by von Papen, Boy-Ed, and Dr. Albert. When in an automobile ride from Captain Tauscher’s home on Long Island with von Papen and Dr. Albert, he met with an injury, he was hurried secretly to a hospital. Every effort was made to hide his identity; but Dr. Albert and von Papen visited him frequently. Von Papen paid the hospital bills and charged them up to “War Intelligence.”
Almost immediately upon beginning service under von Papen, he leased the offices in Wall Street, putting down in the contract “advertising” as the purpose to which the rooms were to be devoted and never making any statement as to his connection with the German Embassy. He quickly gave von Papen every reason to trust him fully and won the respect of the reckless attaché. Though he did not begin work for von Papen until September, 1914, he had, it is charged, a hand in the first Welland Canal enterprise.