Part 6

The enterprises must be recounted out of their actual sequence. The first he claimed to have had little part in--the project of an uprising in India which its sponsors hoped would repeat the Mutiny of 1857--but with a more successful outcome. Captain Hans Tauscher, the New York agent of the Krupp steel and munitions works, was in Berlin when war broke out. He reported for active duty to Captain von Papen, in New York, as soon as he could cross the Atlantic, and one of his earliest services was the purchase of a large quantity of rifles, field guns, swords and cartridges, which he stored in 200 West Houston Street, New York. On January 9, 1915, he shipped a trainload of arms and ammunition to San Diego, California. There it was loaded into a little vessel, the _Annie Larsen_, which had been chartered by German interests, and the _Annie Larsen_ put to sea, ostensibly for Mexico, where revolutionary arms were in demand. Her real destination was a rendezvous off Socorro Island with the _Maverick_, a tank-ship which had been bought in San Francisco with German money. The _Maverick_ was to trans-ship the arms, flood them with oil in her cargo tanks in case she might be searched, and proceed by way of Batavia and Bangkok to Karachi, a seaport in India which is the gateway to the Punjab. There she would be met by friendly fishing vessels who would land her cargo, and if all went well, there would be a massacre of the garrison of Karachi, and hell would break loose over India. The effect of such an uprising upon Great Britain’s sorely tried military condition of early 1915 would have been incalculable. The native troops in France who were helping to stop the breach until England’s great armies could be trained would have to be recalled, the semi-loyal tribes would have seen their opportunity, Germany would hardly have hesitated to throw a Turkish force at the northern passes, and altogether it would not have been pleasant for the integrity of the British Empire.

The _Maverick_ and the _Annie Larsen_ missed connections at Socorro. The _Annie Larsen_ wandered about the Pacific for some weeks and eventually put into Hoquiam, Washington, where the United States seized the arms. The _Maverick_ blundered from Socorro to San Diego, to Hilo, Hawaii, to Anjer, Java, by way of Johnson Island, then to Batavia, Java, where she was received with disappointment by a German agent and where she was finally sold. The filibuster ended in flat and costly failure: the arms cost not less than $100,000 and probably $150,000, the freight to the Pacific Coast some $12,000, the charter of the _Annie Larsen_ $19,000, the purchase of the _Maverick_ involved hundreds of thousands, not to mention the individual fees of the numerous agents employed.

We knew in a general way of this plot, though it remained for the tireless efforts of United States District Attorney John W. Preston in San Francisco to unearth the details. In a raid which had been made on the office of Wolf von Igel, von Papen’s secretary, at 60 Wall Street, New York, agents of the Department of Justice had found von Igel’s memoranda of correspondence in arranging the expedition through the San Francisco consulate. But Chakravarty said that the revolutionary end of the project had been handled by another Hindu, Ram Chandra, and denied that he was guilty of any part in it. Ram Chandra had negotiated with the German consuls in Seattle and San Francisco, and through them with Tauscher and von Papen. Chakravarty supplied the names of Hindus who had sailed on the _Annie Larsen_, said that there had been Filipinos and Germans aboard as well, and added that the Filipinos had been transferred to a German ship, and had later escaped from her in a motorboat while she was being pursued by a Japanese cruiser. But, he said, he had nothing to do with it--it was Ram Chandra who was the real agent.

It was this Ram Chandra who was editor of the Hindu revolutionary newspaper _Ghadr_ (Mutiny) published at Berkeley, California. He succeeded to the editor’s chair in 1914 when his predecessor, Har Dayal, out on bail after an arrest for ultra-free speech, had fled across the continent and the Atlantic Ocean to Berlin. There Dayal established the Hindustani Revolutionary Committee, collaborating with, taking orders from, and financed by the German Government, under the direction of Herr Wesendonck of the Foreign Office. Ten million marks had been placed to their credit, and German consulates throughout the neutral world had instructions through their parent-embassies to render all possible assistance to the revolutionary project, and to spend whatever money might be necessary, charging it to the account of the Indian Nationalist Party. Three hundred thousand dollars was invested in China and Java. Hindus were sent through Persia and Afghanistan into India with German credit to foster unrest, and Afghanistan itself was full of spies trying to break the Amir’s promise, given to the British Government at the outbreak of war, that he would maintain strict neutrality. It was this same Har Dayal who conferred with Chakravarty when the latter made his visit to Berlin in December, 1915. The reason for this visit to Berlin came out very soon, and that will lead us in turn to the second of the German-Hindu plots hatched in America.

Chakravarty got bail from a surety company without much trouble. Two or three days after his arrest he called me up on the telephone and said that a man named Gupta had threatened him. “He says I must give him $2,000. And there is another man named Wagel. He is a Hindu. He wants $10,000 from me, otherwise he will do me harm. He already has had $7,000 from the German Government in Mexico. He has demanded $20,000,000 of Count von Bernstorff to finish up the revolution in India.”

“Wait a minute, now,” I suggested. The figures were going to my head. “Where is Wagel?”

“I do not know,” Chakravarty answered.

“Well, where is Gupta?”

“He is a student at Columbia,” replied the little man.

“All right, doctor,” I said, “we’ll not let any harm come to you.”

Detectives Coy and Walsh at once got on the trail of Gupta. They found him in his dormitory room at 73 Livingston Hall, Columbia, and brought him to headquarters. “I saw of Chakravarty’s arrest in the paper,” he said, “and I thought I might be arrested if he implicated me.” Gupta knew full well he would be arrested, for there was jealousy between the two, and he went on to reveal why.

Heramba Lal Gupta was then thirty-two years old. Since his boyhood in Calcutta he had been all over the world, and had studied in the United States. In the spring of 1915 he had several conferences with Captain von Papen in the city in which the military attaché conceived such confidence in the young Hindu that he gave him $15,000 for expense money and sent him to Chicago to confer with Gustav Jacobsen, an ex-German consul. With him went Jodh Singh, another Hindu who had migrated from Brazil to Berlin and thence to Captain von Papen, and an art collector named Albert H. Wehde. They were joined by George Paul Boehm and a German named Sterneck, and two plans were arranged. Gupta, Singh and Wehde were to proceed to Japan to establish connections and obtain assistance for fomenting Indian revolt. Boehm and Sterneck were to go to the Philippines, pick up a third plotter, Chakravarty’s lawyer-friend Chatterji, proceed thence to Java to meet two escaped officers of the destroyed German cruiser _Emden_, and thence to the Himalayan hills north of India, where Dr. Frederick A. Cook, the Arctic romancer, was on an expedition. There they were to overpower the Cook party, Boehm was to assume the explorer’s identity and travel about the hills spreading sedition among the native tribes. This wild plan failed completely, as the Germans never kept their appointment in Java. (Gupta believed in preparedness to the extent of taking Boehm to several shooting galleries in Chicago and practising pistol firing with him.)

Gupta, Singh and Wehde set sail from San Francisco in the _Mongolia_ and landed in Yokohama, September 16, 1915. Gupta immediately got in touch with various prominent Hindus. Although their conferences were enthusiastic and the prospect of obtaining Japanese arms for the revolution was good, his work was hampered by the discovery on the part of British agents that Gupta was in Japan. He was notified within a week of his arrival that he must leave by the next steamer: the next steamer was bound for Shanghai, a British port; the order was equal to delivery into the hands of the British, and death. A Japanese friend came to his rescue. He took him to his house, followed by the police. By a subterfuge the police were distracted long enough to allow the Hindu to slip out the back door, jump into an automobile, and flee to the interior of the country. There he was hidden for six months, between the flimsy walls of his friend’s house. It was May of 1916 before he could escape, smuggled out in an eastbound vessel, and it was June before he returned to New York. There he found that the following order had been issued from Berlin:

“Berlin, February 4, 1916. To the German Embassy, Washington.

“In future all Indian affairs are to be exclusively handled by the committee to be formed by Dr. Chakravarty. Dhirendra Sarkar and Herambra Lal Gupta, the latter of whom has meanwhile been expelled from Japan, thus cease to be representatives of the Indian Independence Committee existing here.

“(Signed) ZIMMERMANN.”

Gupta, in short, found himself displaced. His expedition had been a failure. Chakravarty had had his job for nearly six months. He tried to negotiate with Chakravarty for a restoration of some of his lost prestige, but the little man would not have much to do with him. In January, 1917, the French secret service intercepted at the Swiss border a letter postmarked New York, November 16, 1916, and addressed as follows:

“Mr. Albourge “Hotel Des Alpas “Territel “Montreau, Switzerland.”

The letter was in cipher, and was seized and returned to French agents in the United States, and by them turned over to the American authorities for investigation, at about the time when diplomatic relations were broken off with Germany. Search here disclosed little. The letter was typewritten, and the only clue to its message was a hint suggested by a sub-address on the back of the envelope:

“Mr. Chatterjee”

who was apparently a Hindu. (This, by the way, was the same Chatterji who persists in cropping up in the wings of this story from time to time). Now there is no “Hotel Des Alpas” in Montreux; the name of the inn referred to is the “Hotel des Alpes.” Again, the name “Territel” was apparently a misspelling of “Territet,” and “Montreau” probably meant “Montreux.” When we captured Gupta we found in a memorandum book not only the address cited above, but the _same misspellings_--pretty conclusive proof that he was the author of the letter. This address was later found with the same misspellings, in the mailing list of _Ghadr_, the revolutionary paper published in California. Thus little errors combined to forge important links.

The code of the Gupta letter was a popular and scholarly volume by an American author: Price Collier’s “Germany and the Germans,” published in New York in 1913. The letter was so written that the words which contained the meat of each sentence were carefully enciphered. The letter said, for example:

“... I do not believe there are very many men including 98-5-2 98-1-1 98-1-9 98-4-1 98-5-8 98-3-3 ------ ”Who can show much better results a- long the line of 97-1-3 97-1-11 97-6-5 97-8-4 -------- 132-1-1 -------- “Undertook”

Turning to page 98 of “Germany and the Germans,” we see that the second letter of the fifth line is _b_; the first letter of the first line is _h_; the ninth letter of the first line is _u_; the first letter of the fourth line is _p_; the eighth in the fifth line is _e_; and the third in the third line _n_. Sum total: B-h-u-p-e-n--a Hindu name. On page 97, the first few lines read:

“am willing to concede that perhaps even an emperor has been baptized with the blood of the martyrs, and feels himself to be in all sincerity the instrument of God; if we are to understand this one, we must admit so much.

“In certain ...” etc.

Thus 97-1-3 is _w_, 97-1-11 is _o_, 97-6-5 is _r_, 97-8-4 is _K_; total w-o-r-k. 132-1-1 is _I_. Our translation reads therefore:

“_I do not believe that there are very many men including Bhupen, who can show much better results along the line of work I undertook._”

Four columns to the typewritten page it ran on over seven sheets of foolscap, and wound up with a plea in plain English which showed that Gupta was angry:

“Seems no action taken yet. If want work, change methods completely. I insist the man in charge is not only useless but spoiling the work; important workers wasting time for want of coöperation and funds while that man is squandering money. Do not care what you decide, I inform you as it is my duty but you don’t seem to pay any attention. This is my last warning for the cause. Again I appeal to you to think more seriously and not spoil the work by leaving it in the hands of irresponsible and insane person. I again tell you that no one is willing to work with him because he does not understand anything, secondly he spends money in a ridiculous way, thirdly he does not do any work. Think seriously and reply.”

In order to show why Gupta was upset and also in passing to show how innocently he had coded his letter, we shall quote it in full, with those words in italics which had to be decoded months later:

“Dear _Chatto_: Am back from _Japan_. Had lots _trouble_. _Thakur_, real _name Rash Behari Ghose_, splendid worker in _India_ still in _Japan_. Sent report twice, besides messages through _German_ sources. Went to _Japan_ as planned. Am surprised to hear from _Tarak_ you said I had no _right_ to go to Japan. See my reports submitted to the committee. Before leaving _Berlin Shanghai_ authorities also wanted me for important work. This I was told at _German Embassy_ so cannot understand why you failed to know anything about me. Have sent two reports since my return. Hope you got them. _Tarak_ said you were not satisfied with _my work_ and _Bhupen Dutt_ said that such incapable men as _I_ should not have been sent to America. _Bhupen_ before leaving _America_ said to _Chakravarty ‘Gupta_ nothing but _adventurer_; should not have been sent,’ and as usual everybody knew and it naturally prejudiced men _I_ had to work with. What right had _Bhupen_ to make such remarks? I don’t claim to be a very capable man. You remember I did not want to _come here_. But how _Bhupen_ measured my abilities? If no report was received how could anybody pass an opinion on unknown things? You may _criticize my_ reticence. I do not believe there are very many men including _Bhupen_ who can show much better results along the line of _work I_ undertook. Results of such work cannot be shown in _black and white_ but I challenge anybody who dares ignore the _solid work_ done through _our agencies_. Time alone can prove it. You cannot compare the _work_ lately undertaken with the _program_ we started with. If we _failed to start a revolution in Bengal_ as asked by you it has been for the best. If we _failed land arms_ it was due more to _Germans_ than anybody else. Our _men worked, suffered_. Still _suffering_. The whole plan under the direct supervision of _Germans_ of more capable _brains failed_ too. We have succeeded in laying foundation for _future work_. Our _work_ in _Japan_ has been unique. Even _Lajpat Rai_ who slights our _work_, quite often admits in three months more _solid work_ done there than any other part of the world outside _India_ in number of years. I understand _Chakravarty_ has charge of affairs. Met him. _Tarak Harish_ says he was given instruction to form a _committee_ of five including _myself_. He did not agree. Said all depended on his discretion. Fact is he has grudge against me and the fault lies with _you_. Report went to _Berlin_ concerning his _relations_ with _Mrs. Warren_. You told him I did it. I did not. Even if I did you had no business to mention my name. I like also to know how did the _committee_ satisfy itself as to the charge being false. From _Chakravarty’s letters_ only? He wanted me to _apologize_. I did not: will not. First I did not _report_; secondly suppose I did, in the interest of the _cause_. I was of opinion he had _connection with Mrs. Warren_. She came to know many things about _work_ through _him_. Am still of same opinion. I do not care how many _women man enjoys_ but he has no right to talk about serious _work to women_. I do not know what _work he_ doing. Does not give me any information. The _house_ he took with _princely furniture_ shows at once _German connection_. Some of his _pamphlets_ nothing but _German propaganda_. It may be your _policy_. We have _centres in Japan, Burmah, Manila_; regular _communication_ with _India_ through _Japanese_ sources. _Working_ but badly _in need of funds_. Started _work_ with impression _balance of funds credited_ to my _account_ would be forthcoming but no sign of it. For better _work_ need send at least one more _man_ to _Japan_. _Tarak_ going _China, Chakravarty_ told him his men would _watch Tarak_ for a month. If behaves well will be helped, given facilities. What _grand diplomacy! Chakravarty_ told me _committee_ not sure of _Tarak_ so sent him away. _Tarak_ said large _funds_ have been sanctioned. He can draw without receipt. Will you blame me (if this be true) if I fail to understand the policy? _Ram Chandra working_ in his own way. I did not interfere for _fear_ of creating divisions. Only helped getting _funds_. Have now influence over him but as _Chakravarty gone San Francisco_ I consider my duty keep quiet until hear from you. Have _worked_ to best abilities and shall work but cannot do so at the instance of people who I am sure do not know the exact nature of work _done last year_ and _half_. Am surprised at _mean jealousies_, even sacrificing _work_. Am shocked at your _faith shaken in me_ and _my work_. Hope to hear soon all regarding _work_. Remember me to all. Did not mail the first letter as waiting for information from _Berlin_.”

Followed the postscript in English already cited.

The reader will probably be interested, even at the cost of interrupting the narrative, in the way in which this cipher code was discovered and the letter translated. By a partial decipherment by common methods of deduction, it was found to be almost sure that on a certain page of the code book--the name of which was of course not then known--the phrase “foreign legation” would appear. The cipher experts deduced, too, that the phrase “rush to a newspaper” must appear in a certain line of another page of the volume, and working further they assembled some twenty-five fragmentary words and phrases of whose position in the missing volume they were certain. The problem was to find the volume. The nature of the words and phrases suggested that the work was a recent one, probably dealing with history--and perhaps with the nature of a people. These limitations reduced the field of possibility to a minimum of 100,000 volumes, and the cipher experts set agents at work searching for such books. The caption of the letter, “Hossain’s Code,” threw them off the scent and they spent some time in scouring Allied Europe and America for such a code. There was none, for “Houssain” was merely a Hindu agent in Trinidad. Then, one of the agents hunting for the needle in the haystack found it--Mr. Collier’s book.

Gupta, it is evident, was a prejudiced judge of Chakravarty’s ability. Even when Gupta was arrested Chakravarty wiped out past scores, and went bail for the man who had blackmailed and traduced him. But Gupta was definitely in trouble this time. The evidence supplied of his trip to Japan, its purpose, and his collusion with Germans brought him to trial in Chicago with Jacobsen, Wehde, and Boehm. (Mr. Chatterji was a witness for the prosecution.) The three Germans, after a trial in which the State’s case had been admirably handled by U. S. District Attorney Clyne, were convicted and sentenced to serve five years in prison and pay fines of $13,000. Gupta was sentenced to two years, fined $200, and released on bail, pending an appeal. He jumped his bail and escaped to Mexico in May, 1918, while a number of his countrymen were being tried in San Francisco.

His escape was probably due to fear. The Hindus are a vengeful lot, and it is no more than possible that the “grapevine cable” had informed him that friends of the men on trial in San Francisco were planning to get even with him for having supplied part of the evidence used against them. Some of that evidence we found in his room at Columbia, and more in his safety deposit box in a Columbus Avenue bank. Among other items was the list of addresses in Switzerland already mentioned, and this was amplified by a letter which we found in Chakravarty’s house, from Sekunna to the little doctor, which read:

“My dear boy,

“Enclosed please find addresses from Wesendonck. Send your reports to: Mr. Director Karl Hirsch, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland.”

Chakravarty, in turn, furnished us with two more codes which were used in writing to these addresses: One which cited pages and word-numbers in a certain German-English dictionary, and a second, based on an entirely different principle. The second and third were often used in the same letter, as this fragment from one of Chakravarty’s reports will show. The letter reads, in part:

“50337069403847695228, 265-3, 331-6, 497-2, 337-10-3, 335-14, 77-11.”

The first series of figures is written in the third code mentioned, and must be deciphered by using the following square:

_1 2 3 4 5 6 7_ _1_ A B C D E F G _2_ H I J K L M N _3_ O P Q R S T U _4_ V W X Y Z

Each letter is indicated first by the digit marking the horizontal row in which the letter falls, second by the number of the vertical column. Thus “A” is 1-1, or 11: “K” 2-4, or 24, and so on. But if the Hindu wished to transfer a message in cipher, he would not stop with this simple designation of the letters, for they would recur too often and fall too readily under the “laws of repetition” by which most ciphers can be untangled. So after he had his word translated by this square chart, he added four key numbers to it, those key numbers being fixed and permanent, and being added in rotation. In order that we may find out what this word is, we must therefore subtract the key number thus:

_Message_ 50337069403847695228 (or divided into letters)

50 33 70 69 40 38 47 69 52 28 _Key numbers_ 25 11 26 32 25 11 26 32 25 11

_Result_ 25 22 44 37 15 27 21 37 26 17

Consulting our chart again, we see that 25 is “L,” 22 is “I” 44 is “Y,” and that the message deciphers thus:

_L I Y U E N H U N G_

The line we quoted above read:

“_Li Yuen Hung is now the president of China_” After transmitting the proper-name in the second cipher (as the name of course would not have appeared in the dictionary code), Chakravarty had lapsed back into the first code, as being swifter.