CHARMING SPY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3319, 24 October 1919, Page 5

CHARMING SPY.

HO WSHE IYVAS TRAPPED. BRITISH WO3.[AZ\I SHOT. L In “Leaves from a, Pro.vost-M.al'shal’s N-o_t.ebcok;.” to be shm-tfir published in Anlol'ica. Major C.- E. Russel], of the Anler;?can Army, tells "the .‘Stol'y«.pf discovery and execution of a woman, a British divorcee, who acted as a spy‘ for the German Government in France.

Major Russell, early in 1918, was appointed Provost-Marshal and ordered To Bardcaux. From Germans captured on the front it was learned that they were familiar with the location and number of American troops, and both the American and French Intelligence Services were suspicious that the source of information was at Biarritz.

' At the latter town was -a. large convalescent camp for ofiicers, mos-t asisiduous among the workers“ of which was a charmin-g‘ and beautiful Brifish Ewoman, whose husband, s-he let it be lknown, was fighting at the front.‘No ' suspicion attached to her until one day ‘Major Russell chanced to hear her speaking Spanish. He was surprised, ‘and the falk drifted round ‘to languages, when she boasted that she 'knew Russian. Major Russell at once telegraphed her story to headquarters lat Paris, and asked for confirmation of it. It was passed to Britain, checkled, and then reported back that she was the divorced wife of a British Army ofiieer. She had for the last Ifive years lived a questionible. life, although n-o one had been able to discover any, evidence that would warrant action being; brought against he-' , Keeping watch on the worn L-1, Major |Russell overheard her in conversation [with a lieutenant about. to r-etrru to duty. The woman asked the lieutenant if he was passing through Paris» on ,his \v:ly_ L- the front, an‘; upon his zel p.lyi:l;,r Ih-.t he was, she_"sairl——~ | “I will appreciate it if you will do -me_ a favour. ‘My husband sent me i some deeds to sign, and I must return themmto our bankers in Switzerland. French mails are very "slow, and as my funds depend "upon be 1-etdurning these , papers quickly, if you will please, take >theln,'censor ‘them for me, and mail ‘them in your Txme'ric=an post office in ‘Paris, it would save me at least two weeks in time.” ' 1 The lieutenant accepted the commislsion, but was arrested on reaching iParis by -order of Major Russell, and L his papers seized. Instead of deeds, the woman had given him a closely written message in code, which, on being deciiphered, was found to contain detailed linforniation secured from various offi:cers as. to the location, plans, and 1, strength of the Allied forces.’ ,> But it was necessary, before bringing Hhe woinanto book, that unquestionlable proof of her guilt should ‘be proicured. Major Russell accordingly in3, form-ed her that he was about to return i to the front, and asked her if he could l be of any service to her. She gave him la comniission to perform, andaslied ’,him for inf-ormation concerning several Pniatters, particularly as to the time of iarrival of an expected convoy: i A “I promised to try to get this ini formation for her.” says Major Russell, 1 and went a_way. Upon my return, with lm-any pledges of secrecy, telling her I that I might be ‘e7c>urt~mal'tialled and !shot if it were known that I ever told about the arrival of a convoy, iI gave her the date of the expected ' arrival. I also told her how we were l fooling the subs. by steering a certain ,c«ourse. The inforniation, of course, } was all false.”

At :1 farewell pai'ty at the woman’s house the Major was given a letter to post in Paris, and was told the same story about deeds,‘ money, and bankers in SWitzel'la.nd "as she had told the «Lieutenant. ' “The envelope given 1110 contained anotlier code ‘letter; we found it had the information which I had given her concerning the Admiral ’s expected arrival. This letter, with the letter which she had given to the- lieutenant, was considered sufficient evidence with which to secure a conviction, so the French placed this wonfan under arrest. “Her trial was a short one, flour with my testimony, substantiated ‘as it vs?a._q by that of the lieutenant, she was found guilty, and sentenced to be shot. One bright, sunny morning at six o’clock she was bl'ougTft out into the courtyard of the prison, placed against 21. Wall, the command ‘Fire!’ rangyiiout, and this woman paid the price. '