The getting of explosives was, however, the most difficult part of
Fay’s undertaking. This was true not only because he was here most
likely to arouse suspicion, but also because of his relative lack
of knowledge of the thing he was dealing with. He did know enough,
however, to begin his search for explosives in the least suspicious
field, and it was only as he became ambitious to produce a more
powerful effect that he came to grief.
The material he decided to use at first was chlorate of potash. This
substance in itself is so harmless that it is an ingredient of tooth
powders and is used commonly in other ways. When, however, it is mixed
with any substance high in carbons, such as sugar, sulphur, charcoal,
or kerosene, it becomes an explosive of considerable power. Fay set
about to get some of the chlorate.
Fay’s fellow conspirators were Germans—some of them
German-Americans—and each in his own way was doing the work of the
Kaiser in this country. Herbert Kienzle was a dealer in clocks with a
store on Park Place, in New York. He had learned the business in his
father’s clock factory deep in the Black Forest in Germany and had come
to this country years ago to go into the same business, getting his
start by acting as agent for his father’s factory over here.
One of the first things in Fay’s carefully worked out plan was to
locate a place to which he could quietly retire when his work of
destruction should be done—a place where he felt he could be safe from
suspicion. After a talk with Kienzle he decided that Lusk’s Sanatorium,
at Butler, N. J., would serve the purpose. This sanatorium was run by
Germans and Kienzle was well known there. Acting on a prearranged plan
with Kienzle, Fay went to Butler and was met at the station by a man
named Bronkhorst, who was in charge of the grounds at the sanatorium.
They identified each other by prearranged signals and Fay made various
arrangements, some of which are of importance later in the story.
Another friend of Kienzle’s was Max Breitung, a young German employed
by his uncle, E. N. Breitung, who was in the shipping business in New
York. Breitung supplied Fay with the information he needed regarding
munitions-laden ships which Fay should elect to destroy.
[Illustration:
© _Underwood and Underwood._