WHAT A TRAITOR COST RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2568, 16 September 1915, Page 5

WHAT A TRAITOR COST RUSSIA

EVERY SECRET KNOWN TO THE GERMANS Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. September 15, 11.15 p.m.) London, September 15. The newspapers have published dotails of the detection of the spy officer Melfeoyedoff, interpreter on the staff of the Tenth Russian Army, who was hanged for espionage in connection with the operations on the \istula and the Niemen at the beginning of the war.. His confession led to tho ayest of numerous German agents outside the army. Melsoyedoff's 6pecial duty was to watch the Tsar's personal safety. He asked to be attached to the Grand Duke Nicholas's staff. Documents which were found on a Bavarian officer's body at the Yser showed that some spy_ in Russia had communicated information of the Russian movements, enabling these to be countered. The Grand Duke Nicholas, suspccting the spy's identity, concocted a military order, care being taken to communicate it only to a small group of suspects, with the result that that which was expected happened. Tho Germans showed a knowledge of the order, and took military action, whereupon Melsoyedoff was cornered by the Grand Duke, confessed, and betrayed his accomplices. i He had been for a decade in Germany's pay, and had revealed Russians every military and political secret, his treason bringing, him millions of roubles, of which an infinitesimal fraction only went to his subordinates. . On. one occasion he withheld from General Rennekampf a special.order for twenty-four hours, and thus saved a Germau Army from inevitable disaster.