Dark Invasion: 1915: Germany's Secret War and the Hunt for the First Terrorist Cell in America

by Blum, Howard

  ———. Return of the Dark Invader. London: Dickson & Thompson, 1935.

  Voska, Emanuel Victor, and Will Irwin. Spy and Counterspy. New York: Doubleday, 1940.

  Warner, Michael. “The Kaiser Sows Destruction: Protecting the Homeland the First Time Around.” Studies in Intelligence (CIA Center for the Study of Intelligence) 46, no. 1 (2002): 3–9.

  Wheeler, Douglas. “A Guide to the History of Intelligence, 1800–1918.” Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies 19, no. 1 (2012): 47–50.

  Willert, A. The Road to Safety: A Study in Anglo-American Relations. London: Derek Verchoyle, 1952.

  Witcover, Jules. Sabotage at Black Tom. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books, 1989.

  Wood, Eric Fisher. The Note-Book of an Intelligence Officer. New York: Century, 1917.

  Acknowledgments

  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.

  Index

  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

  Friedric
h 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

  Zimmermann telegram, 416, 416, 417, 417

  germ warfare. See biological weapons

  Gibbons (E. V.), Inc., 175–77, 180, 182, 183, 211–17, 222

  glanders cultures, 267, 269–72, 353, 357, 376, 381–82, 404, 406

  Glen Cove, Long Island, 286–90, 294–304, 306–8, 311, 330

  gold, 137

  Gompers, Samuel, 219, 222

  Good Faith, 99

  Gould, Nathan, 238–39

  Grand Central Palace, New York, 250

  Grand Central Terminal, New York, 250

  Grant, John, 404–6

  Great Britain, 31, 94, 95, 102–5, 179, 332, 388

  Atlantic blockade, 40, 80, 121, 125, 274, 338–39, 359

  code breaking, 104–8

  horses, 268–69

  navy, 40, 59–60, 76, 78, 269

  rule over Ireland, 75