HUN SPY SYSTEM.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1918, Page 5

HUN SPY SYSTEM.

REVELATIONS IN ITALIAN COURTMARTIAL. '/ USED WOMEN AS DECOYS. An extraordinary revelation of the German spy system has just been made m the city of Genoa, Italy, showing how a group of German business men and engineers were able to keep the War Office in Berlin familiar with every de r tail of the commercial affairs, building', manufacture, and finance of that great headquarters of Italian industry. The story that, follows is taken from the published accounts of the milifauy trial. In 1896 the Allegemeine Elektrieitrets Gesellsehaft of Berlin, the "AJU3.," which is the largest electrical concern in Germany, corresponding to the T General Electrical Company of America, formed a Company in Genoa under the name "0.E.G." with a capital of 3,000,000 lire (about £I2Q#)G) f or supplying electric light and power. But the sale of electricity was only a blind. The O.E.G. was a spy on a magnificent scale. Profits were merely incidental; it did not matter if there were none. What really was important was obtain|ing detailed plans of every business and manufacturing concern in and around Genoa.

To this end tie directors and their employees made friendß with all classes of persons, but especially with those in positions of civic or military authority; they married Italian women,- and gave their Bisters and daughters in marriage to Italians. They obtained Italian citizenship, took an active part in chic affairs, and some of them performed services that were rewarded with Italian decorations.

At the head of the correspondence department of th« O.E.G,'s offices was a German adventuress named Frieda LiebenthaL She had been engaged to a certain Izzi, a petty officer in the Italian Havy, but their marriage had been postponed until such time as he should be out of the, service. To please her the director of the OJsjGL used his pull with the officials of the Navy (o have this Izzi transferred* to the hydrographie offiee at Genoa; thus the long delayed wedding took placo. After Italy's / declaration of war against Austria, Koeirigsheim obtained for tie O.E.G. a contract for supplying power for tho construction of artillery, thus getting full details of the work. He made frequent trips to other cities on electrical business and everywhere collected military secrets. When Italy declared war-on Germany the German members of the O.E.G.'s directorate departed for Germany. Those who remained declared themselves citizens of Switzerland, and the company was baptised as a purely Italian company. But the company continued to get all its materials from Germany, via Switzerland, the maker's name having been removed.

Koenigsheim and Ampt gone Johann Locker became the active head of the concern. His right hand man was Johann Saameli, the chief accountant. Together they spent the night following Koenigsheim's departure in burning the documents in his office and the phonograph (records he had left behind. Besides the Ltebenthal woman there was another in the offices who played an important, probably innocent part iu the work of spying. Her name was ibuisa Martin. She was young and pretty. The prosecuting attorney called her "the enchantress of the 0.E.G." She used to receive five or «ix love letters a day from the officers at the front.

The prosecuting attorney said lie belived she was merely a vain flirt, a tool in the hands of the> conspirators to keep them informed of many; details of the situation at the front. At his request she was acquitted. But this group of spies over-reached themselves. The disaster to the Italian arms at Caporetto went to their heads. On October 27 last, when news that cast all Italy into mourning arrived, they assembled at the Swiss Clubhand became boisterously hilarious as case after case of champaign waa opened.

Their arrest soon followed. The court-martial took place in March, and on the 29th of that n?onth Kocnigsheim, Ampt, Hess (an engineer), and Martell were sentenced to be shot in the back for high treason. Frieda ■Liebenthal was sentenced to 20 years in pritlon, Locker to 13 years, and Saameli to 10 years, all for complicity in communicating with the enemy, and Huber was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sabotage. Unfortunately the four arch-conspira-tors— Koenigsheim, Ampt, Hess, and Martell—are not likely to be stood face Ufa. wall an* shot, for they had made good their escape to Germany. The others have begun, serving their sentences.