Decreed by the Dial.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8181, 14 August 1906, Page 4

Decreed by the Dial.

Pipers containing State secrets of the greatest importance— nothing less than Viceroy Alaxieff's reports on the actual strength of nil forts at Fort Arthur, the position of every ■hip of the Asiatic squadron and the intended movements of troops in case of war with Japan—had mysteriously disappeared from the private office of General Kuropatkin, the Csar's Minister of War. Anybody who is familiar with the iron-bound rules and laws K valuing the department can understand a terror which this news spread among all the war officials. If the papers had fallen into the hands of the Japanese Minister it would mean a series of crushing defeats to the Russian forces in the Far East at the very outset of the war. Every official, high or low, was trembling for his life, not knowing when detectives from the dreaded Third Department might come to arrest him on Suspicion. But one day passed and another, and though the Secret Service men were working night and day no one was arrested, and the chief reported to General Kuropatkin that he had evidence to show that the theft bad been committed by a man outside of the War Office. In fear of the terrible punishment which would be meted out to him if the affair became known, the Minister of War decided to try to conceal the theft and no report was made to the Czar, but the Chief of the Secret Service was told to follow up every clue. The papers had been kept in a locked arawer in the Minister's desk, to be read by him on his return from a tour of inspection of the military barracks in and around Warsaw. The Minister's secretary had been made personally responsible for the General's private office daring his absence. The day before the theft was discovered a young man representing a large illustrated paper of unquestioned loyalty had called npon the secretary with a letter from the editor and a permission signed by General Kuropatkin to take some photographs of the Minister's private sanctum to be used in an article in the paper. The secretary had been told to remain in the room while the pbotostaphs were taken, bat he had been calb I away by a note from a girl with whom he was known to have a secret love affair, and the photographer had been alone in the room for nearly an hour. Of course he was immediately suspected, and two hours after the discovery of the theft a detective called at the office of the magazine. The editor, howevvr, declared that the photographer was beyond suspicion and with his life promised to vouch for his presence at any time he might be wanted. Shortly afterward a heavy letter arrived at the War Department, and when it was opened it was found to contain the missing documents apparently intact. The stamp showed that the letter had been mailed at Eydtkuhuen, a station near the German frontier. The return of the papers, however, did not help quiet the anxiety of the Minister, as he did not doubt that they had been photographed by the thief before they were returned.

Aboul an hour later the yoang photographer, whose name, was Alexander Stepanoritch, Killed at ihe War Office greatly excited. "Is it true that the papers have been relarned ? " he asked anxiously, and when kid that they had, continued : •' Then I can prove ruy innocence."

The Minister told him to explain. "HI had stolen the papers, I rnnst have pot them in a letter box at Eydtkuhucn, as tbey were mailed from there. Evidently they have been pbotograped, and as they are here already they must have arrived at Eydtkuhaen with tie first mail. But to have reached there at that time they most have left St, Petersburg on the 5 o'clock express tor Berlin."

The Minister idm'lted that this was undoubtedly to. Stepanovitch then proved by several wit•esses that he had not left the War Office into! after 5.30, and to dispel all doubt he produced one of the photographs which be had taken and pointed to a clock on the mantelpiece which plainly showed the time to be 1.23. This dispelled the last doubt and with many apologies the Minister asked him to forget all the anxiety he had been put to. " Yon will, I suppose, have no objection to leaving th;s photograph with me, Alexander Stepanovitch ? " " No, not the slightest," assured Ihe young man, and with a smile of relief left the Czar's Minister of War to his own thoughts, which were of no pleasant nature. For more than an hour he thought the case over, then he pressed one of the many electric buttons on his desk.

A messenger appeared. "Go imniedi.teiy to Ivan Ivanovitch's house on Wassili Ostrow and tell him I want him to call without delay." Ivan Ivanoviteh Wodozian, an expert in chemistry and photography, was shown into Kuropatkin's sanctum. The General explained to him the whole iffairin detail and asked kirn if he could sec uiy way of unvciiing the mystery. " It your Excellency will s«nd for the jrigina l plates 1 think I set a way to catch •he thief."

The Minister promised, and in an hour 'van Iva:iovit;l'. was in of the dates.

Uf examined them very carefully, then he vent to the telephone and a.,ked Alexander tterunovitch to give him the name of the irand of the jjhites, and when he was told he -wiled, Kitislied. " I am sare I know enough now." The next morning at 7 o'clock Ivan Ivanoitch sent his card to the apartment* of Alexinder Stepanovitch. who received him very ;ordially, but he never suspected that two nen in plain clothes placed themselves outdde his door as soon as it had closed behind he old expei t. " Yon are qv.ite a smart young man, Ah ::-

tnder Stepanovitch, and you have played rour cards well ; but you have, iike many rther more experienced criminals, made lust one little miscalculation." " What do you mean, Ivan Ivanoviteh ? " turning deadly pale. " I mean just what I say. You have almost succeeded in covering up your tracks, but nevertheless I can prove that instead of leaving General Kuropatkin's office at half-past i o'clock, you really left much earlier."

" Bat all tlic clerks can sweat " /■ u Never mind the clerks; they probably never noticed the time or knew that they were lying. But I will tell you just what yon did. As soon as the Minister's secretary had been called away you stopped the clock, let it to show 5.23 and then took your photo. I have to-day experimented with the same brand of plates and have found that to take the picture it was necessary to expose the plate a fraction orer two minutes. Now, if the clock had been going when you took your picture the photograph of the minute hand would be blurred, while it stands out perfectly dear onyoar plate. Do yon understand ? " "Iran Ivenovitcb, for the lore of God do not deliver me into the hands of the Czar's police. I will oonfets everything." "Too are a traitor to the Czar and to Russia and do not deserve any mercy; but yon are young, and if yon will confess to whom yon delivered the papers I will let yon make ate of the revolver which I see yon have in readiness on your desk, that yon may escape the horrors of the dungeons of Peter Paul's farina."

WHfa a tolos trembling with emotions the |*aaf nan eeofeeeed how he had been temp-

ted to gamble by a young man connect* with the Japanese embassy, how he had lost thousands that he did not possess, and how the Japanese had offered him twice the amount of his losses if he would carry out the deep laid scheme, how he had battled with his conscience, and how he had finally consented to betray his country. • With an expression of deep pity, Ivan Ivanovitch looked upon the young man's handsome face. " You must suffor the penalty, Alexander Stepanovitch," he said, and handed him the revolver; "may God and all the holy saints have mercy on your soul." Without a second's hesitation the unhappy man pressed the barrel against his temple. A sharp report rang out. A cry from Ivan and the two detectives burst into the room. "It is all over," the old man 6aid. "He was too quick for me. Let us report to General Kuropatkin." • • • Czar Nicholas never knew that the papers were stolen, but two weeks later the Japanese torpedoed three Bussian ships at Port Arthur, using the secret signals of the Kussiun navy to get close upon the enemy. By Yiooo Toeppzb in the S.F. Examiner.