Armgaard Karl Graves

Armgaard Karl Graves
"Dr. Armgaard Karl Graves, photographed in his office in New York since his arrest." (Nov. 1916)
Alias(es)	Paul W. Graumann, Paul Gunther, Paul Peter Gunther von Kanitz, etc.
Born	possibly Max Meincke 1877-1882 Switzerland or Germany
Died	Date of death unknown
Spouse(s)	Helen Gunther

Armgaard Karl Graves, also known as (or accused of being) Louis Clement Van Norden, Paul W. Graumann, Paul Gunther, Paul Peter Gunther von Kanitz, etc., was a German (or Swiss) "double agent" for the German Naval Intelligence and the British Security Service before the start of the First World War, later emigrating to the United States, where he engaged in black mail, extortion, swindling, and scams of all character, resulting in his deportation in 1937 and subsequent disappearance.

Selected Bibliography

• Graves, Armgaard Karl (1914), The Secrets of the German War Office, London: T. Werner Laurie, Ltd., https://archive.org/details/secretsofgermanw00grav 
• Graves, Armgaard Karl, "How I Became a Secret Agent", Fifty Amazing Secret Service Dramas, Odhams Press 
• Graves, Armgaard Karl (1915), The Red Secrets of the Hohenzollerns, New York: A. L. Burt Company, https://archive.org/details/secretsofhohenzo00gravrich 

Reading

• Boghardt, Thomas (2004), "Armgaard Karl Graves", Spies of the Kaiser: German Covert Operations in Great Britain During the First World War Era, Palgrave Macmillan, p. 60-63 

Press Coverage

Arrested as a Spy in Scotland (1912)

• "ARREST IN GLASGOW. ESPIONAGE CHARGE AGAINST A GERMAN.", Evening Standard (London, England): 22, 12 Jul. 1912, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120780053/arrest-in-glasgow-espionage-charge-agai/ 
• "THE LETTERS OF A SPY. CORRESPONDENCE READ IN SCOTTISH CASE. VERDICT AND SENTENCE.", The Times (London, England): 8, 24 Jul. 24, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120780178/the-letters-of-a-spy-correspondence-rea/ 

Released from Prison (1913)

• "MINISTRY FACES STORM IN PROBE OF GERMAN SPY, Evades Demand for Reason in Secretly Releasing Convicted Man. COMMONS IN WILD UPROAR, Parker and Others Press Fight to Clear Up Strange Diplomatic Scandal.", The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 6, 12 Jun. 1913, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120780345/ministry-faces-storm-in-probe-of-german/ 

Book Promotion (1914-'15)

• "Russia Will Join Germany, Says Ex-Spy Of The Kaiser", Fairmont West Virginian (Fairmont, WV): 1, 12 Sep. 1914, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092557/1914-09-12/ed-1/seq-1/ 
• "Dr. Armgaard Karl Graves Will Tell About the Real Causes of the War", Harrisburg Telegraph (Harrisburg, PA): 8, 9 Jan. 1915, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038411/1915-01-09/ed-1/seq-8/ 

Blackmail Charges (1916)

• "SPY DEFIES FOES TO PROSECUTE HIM", Daily Telegram (Clarksburg, WV): 1, 16 Nov. 1916, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85059715/1916-11-16/ed-1/seq-1/ 
• "REAL NAME OF SPY IS A MYSTERY: Dr. Armgaard Karl Graves Refuses to tell American Authorities His Right Address. BLACKMAIL CHARGE, Wife of German Ambassador Mixed Up In Trouble — Claim Graves Wanted $3,000 For Letters.", The Alexandria Times-Tribune (Alexandria, IN): 1, 6 Dec. 1916, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120783368/real-name-of-spy-is-a-mystery-dr/ 

Florida "Buried Treasure" Scam (1921)

• "SPY PROVED ONLY A COMMON SWINDLER", The Ocala Evening Star (Ocala, FL): 1, 18 Nov. 1921, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120783589/spy-proved-only-a-common-swindler/ 

Panama "Buried Treasure" Scam (1924)

• "SAVE DIPLOMAT IN 'BURIED GOLD' SWINDLE PLOT: Panama Police Trap Ex-Milwaukeean.", Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL): 5, 2 Aug. 1924, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120783786/save-diplomat-in-buried-gold-swindle/ 

Predictions and "Disappearance" (1925)

• "Famous Wartime Spy, Who Foretold Death of German Chief, Vanishes: Dr. Armgaard Karl Graves, Who Was Concerned In German Plots, Disappears.", The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 1, 12 Mar. 1925, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120784382/famous-wartime-spy-who-foretold-death/ 

"Fire Murder" Arrest (1928)

• "GERMAN SPY IS HUNTED IN 'FIRE MURDER': Armgaard Karl Graves Sought as Mysterious 'Dr.' Clement", The Minneapolis Star (Minneapolis, MN): 1, 3 Mar. 1928, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120779455/german-spy-is-hunted-in-fire-murder/ 

Another "Buried Treasure" Scam (1929)

• "SELF-STYLED SPY AGAIN IN TROUBLE; THIS TIME IT'S 'BURIED TREASURE': Dr. Armgaard Karl Graves, Famous for Activities During War, Jailed in Los Angeles for Grand Theft.", Spokane Chronicle (Spokane, WA): 4, 27 May 1929, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120781997/dr-armgaard-karl-graves-famous-for/ 

"Kaiser's Personal Spy" Comes to Grief (1935)

• "The 'KAISER'S PERSONAL SPY' COMES to GRIEF AGAIN: Dr. Armgaard Karl Graves' Strange Career of Adventure and Fraud Runs Into Another Prison Sentence as a Result of His Plan for Recovering 'Buried Gold.'", St. Louis Post-Dispatch Sunday Magazine (St. Louis, MO): 1, 7, 13 Jan. 1935, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120782453/the-kaisers-personal-spy-comes-to/ 

Deported to Germany (1937)

From March through May 1937, Graves fought against deportation to Germany, stating that he feared he would be shot if returned, and achieved a small success in having the orders for his removal stayed in April, at which time he was taken off the ship transporting him, but was finally deported in early May after his appeals had been exhausted.

• "GOVERNMENT CANCELS GRAVES' DEPORTATION: Parole Officer Says German Can Remain", The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN): 13, 10 Mar. 1937, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120785080/government-cancels-graves-deportation/ 
• "GERMAN TO BE DEPORTED Following Prison Sentence - Has Many Aliases, Officials Say.", The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, OH): 30, 7 Apr. 1937, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120785225/german-to-be-deported-following-prison/ 
• "Buried Treasure Fraud Expelled From Country: Dr. A. Karl Graves Released From Pen To Be Deported To Germany", The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD): 16, 9 Apr. 1937, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120785409/buried-treasure-fraud-expelled-from/ 
• "Kaiser's 'Spy Chief' Here for Deportation", Daily News (New York, NY): 10, 12 Apr. 1937, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120785359/kaisers-spy-chief-here-for/ 
• "EX-SPY FACING DEATH IN REICH SAVED BY U.S.", Daily News (New York, NY), 15 Apr. 1937, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120785625/ex-spy-facing-death-in-reich-saved-by/ 
• "PRISONER IS DEPORTED To Germany - Predicts Firing Squad on Return to Country", The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, OH): 12, 2 May 1937, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120784754/prisoner-is-deported-to-germany/ 
• "Dr. Karl Graves, German War Spy, Finally Deported", The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY): 8, 6 May 1937, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120785938/dr-karl-graves-german-war-spy/