KAISER AND COUNT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1917, Page 3

KAISER AND COUNT

Secret Wirelas-s Plant in New York New You*, April 7 A pos*itiio solution to one of the mysteries of the European war—namely, bow the Kaiser in Berlin could oommanicate almost daily with Conot von Btrastorff, German Ambassador 'in Washington—was suggested tc-day, when United States georet service men under orders from Chief Willism J. Flynn called upon Mrß Hugo Reisingar at her home, 993, Fifth Avenue, opposite the Metropolitan Mu*eum (aayft a dispatch to the “San FiancigcO'Chrouicle.”)

Th 9 seoret service egents had information that Mrs Reisinger, whoso father was Adolphus Busch, the wealthy brewer of St Louts, had ft wireless plant at her borne, and that Mrs Reiairger had often received in her homo Count von BernstOfff, Dr Heinrich Albert, Germany’* commercial attache, and Cup-ebn* Karl BoyEd arid Ft-ar.z voo Papon, naval anti military ait&cbrs resoictivsiy. PLANT THERE A YEAR, Investigation showed that for more than a year a receiving station for radio messages had been established on tha roof of the Raisinger home. Several wseka ago, however, the plant was dismantled, and the entire equipment was shipped away.

The plant, k seems, was of an exceedingly coatly and powerful variety, and wae equipped with the so-called De Foret t audian detector, which m'b necessary for receiving messages from such a long distance as Nauen, Germany, the site of the Emperor’s wonderful radio station.

Mrs Reisinger, it is said, insisted that she bad caused the wireless equipment to be torn from the roof the moment that she learned’ot its existence. She o’enied that the man who operated the apparatus was a German reservist. It was learned, however, that the man who had conetrucied and listened to electric waves was Alexander Kagan, who served as butler in the Reisinger home, aud was an expert electrician and a skilled wireless operator. He recently resigned his position as butler and departed to parts unknown. CLEVERLY INSTALLED The presence of the seoret service in the Reisinger home was discovered accidentally by reporter, and inquiries were made by Chief William J, FJyno, who declined to give any information whatever concerning them there. Independent investigation in various-quartera brought oat the truth of the visit and his purpose. It was learned also that the existence of the wireless plant was known for many month?, and that the visits of Count von Bernstorff and bis German colleagues aho were kuowu to the authorities.

The reason for the remarkable equipment could not be explained by Mrs Reisinger. So cleverly wai it installed on the roof aud so neatly were the aerials strung along the house that it was praotically impossible for an observerjrcm the street to discover them. Ooe way in which the presence of the wireless equipment was ascertained was through a scrutiny made a short time ago by secret service agents as to the names of persons who had purchased the Da Forest audian detectors.