Dark Invasion: 1915: Germany's Secret War and the Hunt for the First Terrorist Cell in America (37 page)
Authors: Howard Blum
I
’ve put in enough days at my desk staring at a computer screen to come to realize that setting off to write a book, like embarking on any new love affair, can lead to some pretty rocky times. And, providentially, to days that zip by like a joyride, too. In writing this book I was particularly fortunate to be able to reach out, in both stormy and sunny weather, to a lot of people for support, advice, and comfort.
Lynn Nesbit has been my agent forever (or so it seems), and her friendship and wisdom are pillars I lean on. And in her office, I could always depend on Stephanie Koven, Lenore Hoffman, Tina Simms, and Hannah Davey.
At HarperCollins, I benefited from Jonathan Burnham’s enthusiasm, Claire Wachtel’s precise and authoritative editing, and Hannah Wood’s many kindnesses.
I was also encouraged and guided in my work on this book by Rick Horgan and Nathan Roberson, who gave the manuscript several insightful reads. I owe both Rick and Nate large debts.
Bob Bookman, as he has for so many of my previous books, took the manuscript in hand and smartly guided it through the perils of Hollywood. It was Bob who brought this story to the attention of Warner Brothers, Bradley Cooper, and John Lesher, who will be producing the film based on this book. And now I can look forward to seeing Bradley’s portrayal of Tom Tunney. Alan Hergott, still the wisest man I know, and Cindy Granta were also there to help in this complicated process.
At
Vanity Fair
, both Graydon Carter and Dana Brown were kind enough to read early versions of the manuscript and offer support.
And throughout the long process of writing, I leaned on my generous sister Marcy as well as a lot of friends who were there to rush to the rescue when things got sticky: Ken Lipper, Beth DeWoody, Susan and David Rich, Irene and Phil Werber, Sarah and Bill Rauch, Ed Koch, John Leventhal, Bruce Taub, Scott Silver, Pat and Bob Lusthaus, Bob Mitchell, Betsey and Len Rappoport, and Claudie and Andrew Skonka.
My children were another blessing. I’m immensely proud of Tony, Anna, and Dani and all they’ve accomplished. And, not least, I’m so very grateful to Daisy and Ivana.
The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific entry, please use your e-book reader’s search tools.
Page numbers in
italics
refer to illustrations.
Abarno, Frank, 55–58, 60–61,
61
Abteilung IIIB, 37–41, 69, 162, 257, 258, 269, 410
purpose of, 37
training and assignments, 38–39
in U.S.,
see
Abteilung IIIB network in America
Abteilung IIIB network in America, 38–41, 47–51, 59–60, 61–151, 162
Albert papers fiasco, 340–49
approached by Muenter, 279–80
Baltimore network, 378–84
Black Tom plot, 231–32, 411–12,
413,
425
cigar bombs, 176–98, 215–16, 232–33, 261, 362–76, 380, 383, 402–3
funding, 49,
49,
50, 59–60, 71
germ warfare program, 266–72, 353–58, 375–88, 389, 396, 402–7, 409–11
Huerta affair, 225–29, 389, 417
Koenig notebooks, 393–94,
395,
396–402
Koenig sabotage campaign, 125–33, 140, 155–65, 175, 185, 209–10, 229, 282, 391–402
Manhattan Front, 147, 153–239
Muenter (Holt) operation, 279–331, 402
National Peace Union and, 221–23
New York base, 70–78, 82, 87, 93
New York Police Bomb and Neutrality Squad investigation of, 113–23, 125–33, 155–65, 171–210, 228, 243–63, 279–333, 339, 359–76, 391–412, 420–21
operational shape of, 69–78
passport forgery scheme, 88–90, 91, 112, 283
recruits, 38–39, 73–77, 81–83, 94, 144–46, 171, 279–80
rudder bombs, 233–34, 247–59,
259,
260–63
Secret Service surveillance of, 339–49, 388–91
shipboard fires and munitions plant explosions, 91–95, 100–102, 121–23, 179, 183–98, 215–16, 232–34, 244, 260–63, 330–31, 402, 411–13, 421
TNT sales to, 198–208, 247–63
von Rintelen sabotage operation, 142–47, 167–98, 209–35, 243–46, 265–66, 330–33, 359–61
Welland Canal operation, 80–83, 86, 91, 162–64
West Fifteenth Street safe house, 82, 87, 95, 233, 265, 411
whorehouses as operational cover, 82
Wilson’s growing awareness of, 339–40, 344–46, 348, 385, 388–91, 415, 419
See also specific operations
Aetna Powder Company, 321–22, 344–45
Ajax, H.M.S., 184
Albert, Heinrich, 70–71,
71,
72, 82, 139, 163, 337, 340–49, 416
background of, 70–71
briefcase with papers lost by, 340–49
Allies, U.S. wartime loans and arms shipments to, 40, 111, 133–40, 183–84, 187–90, 211–17, 222, 257–63, 274, 330–31, 384
American Federation of Labor (AFL), 219, 222, 223
American Oil and Supply Company, 345
America’s Cup, 289
anarchists, 20–22, 100, 186
Brescia Circle, 23–27, 43–45, 53–58, 60–61,
61,
101, 116, 118, 186
St. Patrick’s Cathedral bombing attempt, 15–17, 56–58, 60–61,
61
Ancona, 262
anthrax cultures, 267, 353–58, 376, 381–82, 386–87, 404–6, 421
anti-espionage laws, 228
Antwerp, 143
Arabic, 260
Archangel, 184, 216
Archibald, John, 388–89
Argentina, 137
Arizona, 417
arsenic poisoning, 11
Asquith, Herbert, 136
Associated Press, 307, 310, 313
Atlantic City, New Jersey, 409
Atlas Line, 92, 93, 233, 370, 372, 373
Australia, 107, 137
Austria-Hungary, 31
World War I, 31, 48, 211
automautograph, 5
Bacillus anthracis. See
anthrax cultures
bacteriology, 355–56
Baldo, Frank.
See
Polignani, Amedeo
Baltimore, 81, 233, 352, 378–84, 404
von Rintelen network, 378–84
Baltimore Harbor, 378–80
Bane, Donald, 307
Bankdale, 369
Barnitz, George, 16–17, 97, 116, 158–59, 187–88, 192–208, 244, 247–54, 282, 364, 393, 420
as Herr Deane, 364–70
Fay investigation, 201–8, 247–62
Muenter (Holt) investigation, 283, 309, 319, 320, 322, 326
Barth, Henry,
118,
119, 123, 360–68
Hoboken investigation, 360–65, 367
Becker, Ernst, 363, 370,
370,
372–73
Belgium, 48, 104
German invasion of, 50–51
World War I, 48, 49 50–51, 111
Belgrade, 48
Bellevue Hospital, New York, 403
Berlin, 30–33,
33,
34–38, 47–50, 90, 91, 103, 104, 133, 146, 168, 171, 172, 227, 228, 257, 258, 267, 331–32, 388, 390–91
society, 34, 37
Bethlehem Steel Company, 389
Bethpage, New York, 285
Bielaski, Bruce, 109,
110
biological weapons, 266–72, 353–58, 375–88, 389, 396, 402–7, 409–11, 421
death from, 403–4
Dilger operation, 353–58, 377–84, 404, 409–11
failure of, 271–72, 353, 376, 381
history of, 267
investigation, 375–76, 386–88, 391, 396–97, 407, 409–11
manufacture of, 355–57
subway threat, 385–87
used on horses, 267–71, 382–84, 389, 405–6, 409
in Virginia, 404–6
See also
anthrax cultures; glanders cultures
Bismarck, Otto von, 30, 38
Black Hand, 20–22
Black Tom plot and explosion, 231–32, 411–12,
413,
415
Boardman, Robert, 309–10, 314
Bode, Eno, 233
Boer War, 99
Bomb and Neutrality Squad.
See
New York Police Bomb and Neutrality Squad
bombings, 15–27, 70
Black Tom plot and explosion, 231–32, 411–12,
413,
415
Brescia Circle, 23–27, 43–45, 53–58, 60–61, 101, 116, 118, 186
building devices for, 22, 55–56, 179–84, 187, 318, 362–63
cigar bombs, 176–98, 215–16, 232–33, 261, 362–76, 380, 383, 402–3
Koenig operation, 125–33, 155–65, 175, 185, 209–10, 229, 282, 391–402
Muenter (Holt) operation, 284–86, 288, 291–94,
294,
295, 297–331
New York Police Bomb and Neutrality Squad investigation of, 113–23, 125–33, 155–65, 171–210, 228, 243–63, 279–333, 339, 359–76, 391–412, 420–21
rudder bombs, 233–34, 247–59,
259,
260–63
St. Patrick’s Cathedral attempt, 15–17, 56–58, 60–61,
61
shipboard fires and munitions plant explosions, 91–95, 100–102, 121–23, 179, 183–98, 215–16, 232–34, 244, 260–63, 330–31, 402, 411–13, 421
subway threat, 385–87
of U.S. Capitol, 291–94,
294,
295, 305–6, 309–14, 318–19, 323, 327–28, 402, 421
von Rintelen operation, 142–47, 167–98, 209–35, 243–46, 265–66, 330–33, 359–91
Welland Canal operation, 80–83, 86, 91, 162–64
See also
explosives;
specific bombings and devices
; TNT
Boy-Ed, Karl, 72,
72,
73, 86, 168–69, 265, 331, 343–44, 389–91
background of, 72–73
recalled to Germany, 390–92
Breitung, Max, 258
Brescia Circle, 23–27, 43–45, 186
bombings and investigation, 25–27, 43–45, 53–58, 60–61,
61,
101, 116, 118, 186
disbanded, 60
Bridgeport Projectile Company, 344–45
British Commercial Agency Agreement, 136
British Cryptographic Service, 104–5
British Museum, 104
British Remount Department, 268
British Secret Intelligence Service, 102–8, 113, 144, 210, 226–28, 243–44, 331, 389, 416–17
Bronx County Courthouse bombing, 53–54
Brooklyn, New York, 43, 60, 123, 412
Brooklyn Bridge, 122
Brooks Locomotive Works, Dunkirk, New York, 281, 282
Bryan, William Jennings, 135, 137
Buchanan, Frank, 222
Buenos Aires, 375
Buffalo, New York, 80, 82
Bureau of Investigation, 109–10, 126, 163, 421
Burke, Frank, 340–43, 345
C, 105, 108, 113
California, 100
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 3–11, 64, 318, 321
Canada, 73, 137, 162, 163
shipping, 80, 81
Canadian Pacific Railroad, 78
carbolic acid, 345
Carbone, Carmine “Charlie,” 54–58, 60–61,
61
Caribbean, 99
Carlton, 122
Carnes, George, 286, 288
Catholic Church, 23, 53
Chenangoes, 196–97,
197,
360
Chevy Chase germ warfare lab, 353–58, 377–84
Chicago, 9, 10–11, 75, 149, 222, 321
China, 99
Boxer Rebellion, 99
chlorate of potash, 197, 255
chlorine gas, 267
cigar bombs, 176–98, 215–16, 232–33, 256, 261, 280, 362–76, 380, 383, 402–3, 421
hidden in sugar cargo, 187–97,
197,
198, 360
investigation, 185–98, 261, 362–76
manufacture of, 179–84, 187
Cincinnati, 75
City National Bank, 401
Cleghorn, Dr., 326, 327
Cobb, Frank, 346
Code 13040, 104
codes, 38
breaking, 103–8, 210, 416–17,
417
German, 38, 103–5, 146–47, 168, 333, 394, 416,
416,
417,
417
Connecticut, 344–45
Copenhagen, 144
copper tubing, 182, 184, 187
Corell, Valentine, 118, 159–61, 193, 360
background of, 118
Cornell University, 151, 237, 238, 273, 284
Coy, James, 201–3, 205, 208, 307, 309
Craigside, 260
Cressington Court, 123
Cuba, 90, 228, 373, 380
Dallas, 149–51, 273, 274, 323
Defense Secrets Act of 1911, 228
Detwiller and Street munitions factory bombing, 94
Deutsche Bank, 140, 228
Deutschland, 379
Devon City, SS, 95, 123
Dictaphone, 227
Dilger, Anton, 351,
351,
352–58, 377–84, 409–11
background of, 351–52
biological weapons lab and operation, 353–58, 377–84, 404, 409–11
death of, 410
lab dismantled, 410–11
Dilger, Carl, 355–56, 357
Dilger, Em, 354, 355, 357–58
Disconto-Gesellschaft, 143
Dumba, Constantin, 388
DuPont company, 22, 81, 94, 145, 167
DuPont powder mill bombing, 94
Dutch Islands, 103
East River, 192
Ebling, Herman, 375–76, 387, 391
Egan, Owen, 324
Eliot, Charles, 3
El Paso, Texas, 228, 229
Emden, 181
Emory and Henry College, 151
Equitable Building, New York, 249
Espionage Act of 1917, 228
Essex, 147
Euterpe, 262
Executive Committee, 232–33, 265
explosives, 22, 167, 344–45
cigar bombs, 176–98, 215–16, 232–33, 261, 362–76, 380, 383, 402–3
hidden in sugar cargo, 187–97,
197,
198, 360
manufacture of, 22, 55–56, 179–84, 318, 345, 362–63
Muenter (Holt) plot, 284–86, 288, 291–94, 298, 301, 308–9, 318–24,
324,
328
rudder bombs, 233–34, 247–59,
259,
260–63
TNT, 198–208, 233–34, 247–63
See also
bombings;
specific explosives and devices
Fatherland, 340
Fay, Robert, 201–2,
202,
203–8, 243–44, 359, 369, 374, 389
arrest of, 253–62
confession of, 262
interrogation of, 255–62
investigation of, 201–8, 243, 247–63
rudder bomb of, 233–34, 247–59,
259,
260–63
suitcases,
256
Felton, Ed, 383–84, 404, 405, 406
Flynn, William, 339–40, 343
Ford, Arthur, 295, 296
Fox, George.
See
Fuchs, George
France, 31, 185, 187, 198, 211
horses, 268
U.S. loans and arms shipments to, 133–40, 187–90, 257, 260, 262, 274, 330–31, 384
World War I, 31, 39, 48, 77–78, 80, 86, 133–34, 171, 187, 198, 257, 260, 268, 381, 415
Francke, Kuno, 236–37
Franz Ferdinand, archduke of Austria, assassination of, 31, 40
Frederick the Great, 146
French and Indian War, 267
Friedrich der Grosse, 182–83, 184, 215, 363, 370–73
Fuchs, George, 157–65, 185
becomes a spy, 162–64
role in Koenig investigation, 157–65
Gaché, Emile V., 146, 332–33
Galley, Felix, 281
Gaunt, Guy, 107,
107,
108, 113, 227, 243–44, 331, 347–48, 388, 389, 416
background of, 107–8
Geheimdienst, 94, 394
Gerard, James, 75
German-Americans, 74–75, 116–19, 157–61, 345, 360–61
German Club, New York, 70, 87, 128, 168–69, 265, 282, 343
German Lloyd shipping fleet, 378, 380
German Network.
See
Abteilung IIIB network in America;
specific spies and operations
Germany, 4, 29–38, 47, 74, 116, 261
ammunition shortages, 133–34, 145
casualties, 77, 85
codes, 38, 103–5, 146–47, 168, 333, 394, 416,
416,
417,
417
covert activities in America,
see
Abteilung IIIB in America
foreign service, 29–38, 86, 228
germ warfare program, 266–72, 353–58, 375–88, 389, 396, 402–7, 409–11
horses, 268–69
invasion of Belgium, 50–51
Junker class, 34, 49, 125, 141
Lusitania sinking, 337–38, 338, 339–40, 389, 415
reserve officers, 85–86, 89
ships interned in U.S., 76,
76,
77, 81, 171, 180–83, 359–60
society, 34, 37, 73
treasury notes, 49,
49,
50, 59–60
transatlantic cables, 103–4
U-boats, 40, 226, 269, 337–40, 415,
415,
416
U.S. declares war in, 417–18,
418,
419–20
World War I, 31–32, 47–51, 75–78, 85–86, 103–5, 133–40, 145, 211–17, 226, 260, 267–72, 274, 281, 337–40, 379, 415–20