ITALIAN SPY TRIALS

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 23 November 1917, Page 1

ITALIAN SPY TRIALS

HOW THE POPE WAS HOODWINKED. [Rome Correspondent op the London, , 'Times.'] The lull text of the verdict in the recent espionage trial -would, seem to show that the part played by Mgr Gerlach in the story is less important than had been commonly rumored, though the trial will always be associated with his name. -The available evidence at least went to indicate that his main function was that of j>ayraaster to some of those who were working for German money, and that he served when necessary as a channel for not very important info rmation. He was not in any sense the head of tlhe espionage organisation. It is not thought that he his the intelligence necessary for such a post. Rudolph Gerlaoli, or Von Gerlach (apparently he had.'no right to the prefix which he used), comes of a Bavarian family, and was born in Baden 32 years ago. His first profession was the army, but. his career as an officer lasted only a few years. The story goes that he found life rich in irresistible temptations, and.' that he very r.early "went round, the corner" altogether. In any event, he left the army for the Church, and came to Rome to study at the Accademia. Dei Nobili Ecclesiastici. He finished his studies in the summer of 1914, but was still at the Accademia when Cardinal della Cfaiesa came to Rome for the Conclave that ended in his election to the papal chair. The Cardinal had himself studied'at the Accademia, and had often stayed there on his visits to. s Rome. He did so on this occasion, and made the acquaint.-n<;e of Gerlach, with the result that when he was installed at the Vatican he appointed the ex-officer Cameiiere segreto participante" and* Keaper of the Wardrobe. , . A LUCRATIVE POST. Tales sprang up quickly of the influence exercised over the Pope by the young prelate, and these tales commanded a wider credence when Gferlaoh remained at the Vatican after Italy's.entry into the wax. It was very well known that Gerlach had been in olos2 touch with the various German agents whose duty it was to preach neutrality to Catholic circles in. Rome. Tho" chief of these wee Baron Franz Stockhammer, formerly Councillor- at the Prussian Legation to the Holy See, Herr Ensberger, tlhe leader of the German Centre party, and Mgr Baumgarten. During the period of Italian neutrality Mgr Baunigartjen had- been the representative in Italy bf Herr Erzberger's organisation for propaganda in Catholic circles. As things were comiinji to a' head Herr Erzberger came to Rome, and tihe Hotel de Russie, where lie'"stayed, was the scene of many an anxious consultation. The German intrigues came to nothing. Italy declared war against Austria and broke off relations with Germany. Bulow, Mulilbdrg, Stockhammer, Erzberger, Baumgarten—all the protagonists—packed their trunks and crossed the frontier. Gerlach remained; .vouched- for by the Pope. He was, no doubt, presumed to have lost his nationality in becoming a Vaticaai official. In point of fact; he took over Mgr Baumgarten's work. He supplied pro-German propaganda and paid for its publication. In particulars he subsidised two newspapers of. little importance—' La Vittoria.' a recently founded Roman daily w*hic!h. never had an independent existence and was read by very few people, and ' II Bastone,' a weekly paper which was supposed to represent clerical interests. The funds supplied to him for propaganda work were ample, aud at was, no doubt, understood that he should retain a handsome proportion for his personal needs. Previous to his appointment as paymaster he had been notably impecunious, but lie lost 110 time in changing his mode of life. He refurnished his apartment according to his own adefis of luxury. He bought- a Lancia motor for £BOO. He invested in industrial shares and Treasury Bonds to the amount of £B.OOO. It is certain that he made much more' money than he was worth. CONVEYING NEWS TO THE ' GERMANS. '

To suborn, the Press' was his chief task, but he also acted as a channel for communication to and from the headquarters of the German espionage i organisation for Italy, which , had been* established in Switzerland Tinder the direction of Baron Stockhammer. . It is not quite clear to what extent he served to transmit news, or what means he employed. The verdict of the Court states explicitly that he had his own-private means of communication, and rejects the suggestion that he was allowed the free use of the Vatican diplomatic post' bag. How he conveyed his information is not stated in the verdict, . . but the fact that he did send news was plainly "established by the evidence. He was one of the channels for the information sent to' Stockhammer by Arcbita Valente, the secret service mail who began by working for both aides, but eventually came under the suspicion of the Italian authorities. At first—that is to say, from November. 1915, to March, 1916, Valente used to travel backwards and forwards between Italy and Switzerland, and supplement iiis conversations with his employers by messages-in the agony columns of the ' Gioniale d'ltalia.' ~\o doubt he realised that his journeys might give rise to suspicion, for in February, 1916,: during his third visit to Switzerland, he asked Baron -Stockliammer to suggest a means of exchanging letters. According to Valente, Stockhammer indicated that he might try and make use of " ecclesiastics residing in . Italy." , Valente then hinted: to Gerlach and his instrument Ambrogetti (they were evidently already / in toucfc), and Stockhammer agreed that it might be worth while trying this channel. Shortly after this the Italian Legation at Berne and the Military Intelligence Department reported Valente's meetings with Stockliammer and with Pomariei, the former correspondent of 'La Vittoria' in Berlin, who was Valente's " opposite number" in Switzerland. , Pomariei and Valente were m.n-ked down as suspect, but they were given sufficient rope to hang not only themselves, but any ' others who might be involved. Stock- * hammer was evidently careless with his * papers, or at least not sufficiently careful j to outwit those who were searching for i, further evidence. Letters addressed to r him were found—the verdict naturally i- does not say how—which sufficiently n proved the guilt' of, Pomariei, Valente, ■r Geilach, Ambrogetti, and the two news' »- paper men, (Jarcea and Nicolosi-Raspn ir gliesi. The skeleton of the plot lay clear and little by little the details were fillet Q in. Valente proved a useful witness, fo le he ended by making a clean, breast of al his doings, and thereby, no doubt, Bave<

his skin. Ambrogetti also, though reticent Oil some points, furnished useful corroborative evidence. A REFLECTION OF THE VATICAN. Pomarici and Valente were really the chief villains of the story whose last chapter has just been written. Gerlach was less culpable than the others. For they betrayed their country to the enemy for money; he could claim that if he betrayed his Church, it was for his country, and that if he took money, it was only a just remuneration for his patriotic services. He betrayed his Church. It wasknown in Vatican circles long before the crash came ; .but the.Pope would not hear a word v against the man he had chosen for a post iri his household. Attempts were made to warn him, but they had no result. ■ It was only 'when he was shown the evidence that he was convinced. Though the verdict of the Court expressly acquits the Vatican of any connivance at Gerlach's activities, the blow to, the Vatican is very severe. No doubt the Pope was attempting to vindicate a principle, as well as following a personal inclination, in not sending Gerlach - away, when Italy went to war. He chose his ground badly, and his mistake recoils upon the Church of which he had been so recently elected Head.