Rintelen was returned to the United States in 1916. He was convicted in 1917 and 1918 on successive charges of conspiracy to violate the Sherman Anti-Trust law, to obtain a fraudulent passport, and to destroy merchant ships--which combined to sentence him to a year in the Tombs and nine years in a Federal prison. CHAPTER XI SHIP BOMBS Mobilizing destroying agents--The plotters in Hoboken--Von Kleist's arrest and confession--The _Kirk Oswald_ trial--Further explosions--The _Arabic_--Robert Fay--His arrest--The ship plots decrease. The reader will recall a circular quoted in Chapter VIII, and issued November 18, 1914, from German Naval Headquarters, mobilizing all destroying agents in harbors overseas. On January 3, 1915, there was an explosion on board the munitions ship _Orton_, lying in Erie Basin, a part of New York harbor. On February 6 a bomb was found in the cargo of the _Hannington_. On February 27 the _Carlton_ caught fire at sea. On April 20 two bombs were found in the cargo of the _Lord Erne_. One week later the same discovery was made in the hold of the _Devon City_. All of which accounts for the following charge: "George D. Barnitz, being duly sworn, deposes and says ... on information and belief that on the first day of January, 1915, and on every day thereafter down to and including the 13th day of April, 1916, the defendants Walter T. Scheele, Charles von Kleist, Otto Wolpert, Ernst Becker, (Charles) Karbade, the first name Charles being fictitious, the true first name of defendant being unknown, (Frederick) Praedel ... (Wilhelm) Paradis ... Eno Bode and Carl Schmidt ... did unlawfully, feloniously and corruptly conspire ... to manufacture bombs filled with chemicals and explosives and to place said bombs ... upon vessels belonging to others and laden with moneys, goods and merchandise...." Ninety-one German ships were confined to American harbors by the activities of the British fleet, ranging from the _Neptun_, of 197 tons, in San Francisco Bay, to the _Vaterland_, of 54,000 tons, the largest vessel on the seven seas, tied up to accrue barnacles at her Hoboken pier, and later, as the _Leviathan_, to transport American troops to France. Every one of the ninety-one ships was a nest of German agents. Only a moderate watch was kept on their crews, and there were many restless men among them. Every man aboard was liable to command from Captain Boy-Ed, for the German merchant marine was part of the formal naval organization. The interned sailors found shortly that they could be of distinct service to their country without stirring from their ships.