TRAPPING A SPY.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 April 1919, Page 2

TRAPPING A SPY.

OCR SECRET SERVICE TURNS THE TABLES. The '-'Sunday Chrcniehp^' is able to i<ii!>li.--h some account of how the German espionage system, upon which, millions of pounds sterling had been spent, was wrecked by the wonderful secret service which Great Britain ; ullt an in a remarkably short time alter the outbreak of, hostilities. The story starts in the early days of the war. Spies had been very busy, and the British service had not got mro its full stride. In several ways messages bail been leaking through to Germany, and everybody concerned in Great Britain was on his mettle. Hien came a quiet hint from a certain quarter that a man had come to England who would well repay watch-l-g- As a matter of fact, however, he managed to keep his address <a> secret, and eluded the vigilance of those set to watch him. But the authorities knew by what means lie intended to get the information out of the. country, ,-and they waited quietly until operations were These came at last! Tvj-n a certain official source the military » t arhorhies were informed that "Mr Spy" had been trying to send a letter to a neutral country. The letter was quite an

ordinary one, and was to the effect

that the writer had obtained a position in a leading r*usic hall, and was making good money. Ho .also enclosed a sheet of music to show his friends the. kind of work he was doing. Quite harmless and quite ordinary! But even if it was harmless, it gavo the authorities the address of the man they wanted to watch. From that hour they never left him. The first thing th.?.t happened was the discovery that the man was not working at the music hall at all! OUE CHEMISTS GET BUSY.

It was known by this time-that Germany had in time of peace experimented with and perfected « series of invisible inks fcr use when Der Tag should come. These inks were cunningly contrived, and were perfectly proof against most reactions. English chemists, experts at their work, took the matter in hand, and in an 'amazingly Ish'ort fc)f timle they had discovered a. meaos of reaction. This was applied, and behold, on th e piece of music were discovered certain marks between the dots which represented notes of music. They were in code, but German codes have no terrors for English. Secret Service men. The code was soon read, and it became clear without doubt that "Mr Spy" was sending to a neutral coun'ry for transission to Germany details t ' the anti-aircraft defences, and the positions of munition factories in and about London. As soon as that terrible fact became established "Mr Spy" was "collected" by the military authorities, and placed in a building from which he would be unable to communicate to his German masters.

JB'ut, it was argued, why should Germany be robbed of her Spy, who was useful to her, and who was expected to write and tell her about perfidious Albion's air-craft defences"

And so it came to pass that when "Mr Spy'' was gathered up and placed in safety, the British authorities appointed a certain'official as his official successor. £3O FOE A LIFE.

Working in "Mr Spy's" name, and giving his address, he wrote to the

address in the neutral country, and kept on telling them that he had a good job in a well-known theatre in London, that he was earning big money, and that he was enclosing a sheet of music in order that they might see exactly the kind of work he was doing!

On that sheet of music -was tho secret report of a British Secret Service agent! Germany wanted reports tyidlv, so the authorities sent them to her nicely cooked up, and of the very nature she hoped to receive. At tho end of the month "Mr Spy's" wages were sent on to him : —£30! Imagine the ridiculous inadequacy of such a

sum! £3O for risking cue's life every day in the week. No wonder that the German spy system fell to pieces when paid for at that rate.

In course of time th e necessity to use this expedient passed. "Mr Spy" was then tried and sentenced to death. Owing to various circumstances, however, his sentence wa« reduced to penal servitude for life.