GERMAN SPY MANIA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1299, 30 November 1911, Page 4

GERMAN SPY MANIA.

A'. "KIDDLE OF THE SANDS." Spy: fever has apparently beconio epidemic in Germany, and details of a fresh interesting case aro .supplied by tho"T.igcblatt" (writes the Berlin .correspondent of the "Morning Post" on October.,l9). According to information received by this journal' the officials at the -observation station of Hornuni, on the North Sea ■ island Sylt, noticed at tho-eiid of September "an individual" setting up a.curious three-legged apparatus among the .sand dunes and sceminglv taking photographs of the surrounding landscape. This procedure naturally, f-o it is stated, produced great excitement, and the consequence was that the police authorities of Westcrland, the chief town on the island, were, informed by telegraph Of the mysterious incident, and a full .description of f 'tho individual" ' and his' 'e'xtraortlintry apparatus sent to them. The/Burgo- . master of Westerland took the matter up with commendable zeal, and ordered a police sergeant and a. detective to watch tho suspicious person. The. strenuous efforts of tho two officials were crpwnod with success, for the 'suspicious individual was discovered quietly walking down tlw main street of Westerland, and offered, no oppisition when told that he must consider himself under arrest. The prisoner declared that he was a harmless visitor from Bremen who was seeking recuperation from the sea breozes of Sylt and employing his leisure in taking photographs of the scenery. This statement, says the "Tngeblatt," could naturally not be credited, and the tvo rtficials returned in the first place with the prisoner to his room in a local-hotel, wnero they confiscated the photographic apparatus and nlates they found-there, nnd then told him he must aceommny thorn to the Burgomaster. Tho zealous police sergeant stuck tightly to his side on the way to tho Ilathaus. while the detective took charge of the confiscated Dhotoirniphic: apparatus. At the Bathaus ,tho Burgomaster submitted the prisoner to .a ffarehinsj examination, demanded to iee his-napors, and ordered the plates found in his room to be developed. As not a tittle of evidence that he w.is a spy was found, tho prisoner was gracious-, ly set at liberrv.

five'-"Ta,whlatt" observes that o.rory German must 1» filled with pride when he loams-thpt the eye of the law penetrates even the sand dunes of Sylt, but that he, must find it. to say the least, awkward to be arrostet' in tho open street and to be conducted to his hotel by a cohceman in uniform when he believes he is merpl? «>njnvinj,' hk holiday. Vothing good, it adds, comes of over-zeal and-of er.-aefreratal fear of espionage, and German tourist.'! should, therefore, bear in mind that they run preat risk in photosranliinir <l<«i!at<* and dunes on tho fJiores of the North Sea. "At Leinzig on October 19 a frold-bealer named Georec Kroher was sentenced by the Tni-ncTi.il Court lo six years' penal f-orvitudo ou ii charge of espionage. The trial ■ wa.4 hold in secret. The prisoner wns ohfli-jred with endeavouring to convev nluns of the forHficnfions of Metz to the trench Intelligence Bureau.