TRAPPING A TRAITOR.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9026, 13 December 1907, Page 1

TRAPPING A TRAITOR.

The story of the arrset of Lieutenant Ullmo, of the French navy, on a charge of treason, might have come from the pen of a sensational novelist. Until recently the Lieutenant was an officer on the destroyer Carabine, attached to the Mediterranean squadron, and while the vessel was in commission her code signal books were stolon The secret police sought for the thief in vain until an anonymous letter from Toulon put them on the track. The writer announced that he had the missing books in his possession, and if the Government would not give him £(5000 to restore them, lie would sell them to a foreign Power. Suspicion fell on Ullmo on account of his way of living, which was considered too extravagant for a lieutenant on half-pay. Suspicion having been confirmed by a cleverly planned correspondence with Ullmo,' an officer of the Ministry for Marine wrote accepting the offer of £6OOO for the stolon books, and appointing as a rendezvous a lonely path several miles from Toulon. Ullmo took the bait eagerly, and stipulated that the Government emissary should meet him alone and unarmed. The Ministry selected for the task of trapping the lienteunat a boxing instructor from a military school noted for his hitting powers. He went alone to the meeting place, but earlier in the day three detectives hid near by. The meeting of the traitor and the emissary was highly dramatic. When the latter approached Ullmo covered him with a revolver and said “Don’t come any closer. Hand over the money and I’ll give you the papers.” The other threw up his hands and replied coolly, “Don’t talk nonsense. You see lam not armed. Put your revolver in'your pocket, and let us have a chat.” Ullmo hesitated, but complied. No sooner had he put his revolver away than the boxer, who had come close to him, hit him a lightning-like blow which stretched him senseless on the ground. To tie his hands and feet was the work of a moment, and when the detectives came up they found him secure. When he recovered consciousness he fought desperately, and it needed all the efforts of ins captors to subdue him. The stolen books were found in his bag, and copies at his house. It is not certain whether photographs have been sent to foreign Powers, but it is known that photographs were taken. It was another case of “cherchez la femme” The young man was in love with an actress and found his pay and his allowance insufficient for both.