Quick Facts
Biography
Albert Kaltschmidt was a German immigrant who became a wealthy industrialist in the United States. During World War I, he was the leader of a pro-German Empire group. This lone wolf group (Independent of Imperial Germany's spy network) was able to bomb a Canadian factory in 1915. He was arrested for an attempt to bomb Detroit factories, and was convicted of conspiracy in 1917. Kaltschmidt spent nearly four years in prison, after which he was deported.
Business career
In Detroit he became the President of the Marine City Salt company. He was also elected secretary of the local Deutcherbund.
WWI
In May 1915 he called a meeting of fellow pro-Germans including Walter Scholz, Charles F. Respa, and his brother-in-law Carl Schmidt. There he told those assembled that it was their duty to the Fatherland to sabotage munition production that was being sent to Allied nations fighting the Central Powers.On June 21, 1915, Kaltschmidt was able to connect gave Charles F. Respa 156 sticks of dynamite and introduced him to a night watchman, William Lefler, who was employed as security at the Peabody Overall Co factory in Walkerville, Ontario.
On June 21, 1915, Respa was able to bomb the Peabody factory, but a bomb placed at the Windsor Armoury failed to explode, saving the lives of 200 soldiers who were stationed there. On March 7, 1916, Respa was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 1917, ring leader and President of the Marine City Salt company, Albert Kaltschmidt, faced charges in America for attempting to bomb the Detroit Screw Works. Others charged were William M. Jarosh, Richard Herman, and Fritz A. Neef, general manager of the Eismann Magneto company.
Sentencing of Kaltschmidt and his co-conspirators
Detroit Judge Arthur J. Tuttle sentenced Albert Kaltschmidt to four years in Leavenworth, and $20,000 fine ($456,800 in 2024). His co-conspirators were also sentenced to:
- Fritz Neef, two years in Leavenworth, and $10,000 fine.
- Ida Kaltschmidt Neff, three years in Detroit house of correction, and $15,000 fine.
- Carl Schmidt, two years in Leavenworth, and $10,000 fine.
- Mary Schmidt, two years in Detroit house of correction, and $10,000 fine.
- Frank Franz Respa was acquitted.
Aftermath
Kaltschmidt was released from prison in February 1921, after which he was deported. In 1927, he was allowed to return for two months for business purposes. At the end of his two months, however, Kaltschmidt failed to report to federal officials. An article by the Detroit Free Press reported that, "Quicker than you could bat an eye, he was arrested by Government agents and booted out of the country."
Bibliography
Notes
- ^ West 2013, p. 146.
- ^ Dimmel 2016, p. 56.
- ^ R. R. Bowker 1916, p. 21.
- ^ The Detroit Times, May 22, 1917, p. 1.
- ^ Daily Capital Journal, December 22, 1917, p. 1.
- ^ "Article clipped from Detroit Free Press". Detroit Free Press. 1921-02-19. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ "Article clipped from Detroit Free Press". Detroit Free Press. 1940-06-30. p. 50. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
References
- "found guilty of plots against United States". Daily Capital Journal. Salem, Marion, Oregon: v. December 22, 1917. pp. 1–12. ISSN 2163-8535. OCLC 42946548. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
- "Kaltschmidt and four others tried to wreck screwworks, is charge". The Detroit Times. Detroit, Wayne, Michigan: Detroit To-Day Co. May 22, 1917. pp. 1–8. ISSN 2688-9390. OCLC 9977557. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
- Dimmel, Brandon R. (October 15, 2016). Engaging the Line: How the Great War Shaped the Canada–US Border. University of British Columbia Press. ISBN 9780774832779.
- R. R. Bowker (1916). Information: A Digest of Currect Events - Vol II 1916. R. R. Bowker.
- West, Nigel (December 24, 2013). Historical Dictionary of World War I Intelligence. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810880023.
