A BEAUTIFUL SPY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1919, Page 10

A BEAUTIFUL SPY.

"BELLE OF NORWAY." WOMAN'S REMARKABLE CAREER. Fascinating stories have come to light concerning the exploits of the women spies whom the German Government despatched to Great Britain during hostilities. Numerous female agents of the enemy and neutral nationality were captured, but only half a dozen or so were convicted of espionage at the Central Criminal Court, London, and sentenced to be shot or sent to penal servitude for life.

The (Daily Express is able to give an account of tie adventures of a young .Norwegian who deceived the Ambassador of a friendfy Power and tried to smuggle military secrets through an official and uncensored despatch bag to the head of the German Secret Service in Holland.

She was petite and pretty looking, little more than a schoolgirl, and friends admiringly described her as "the belle of Norway." The woman came to London early in thro war, and specialised in obtaining information regarding arsenals, munition factories, aeroplane works, and the movements of troops. She was favored with introductions to notabilities, arid was ■welcomed in Government and [political circles. Her radiant features I and fascinating manners proved irreI sistible to those whom she met at social functions, and she enjoyed a measure of freedom and hospitality experienced by few of the Kaiser's emissaries. "The beDle of Norway made the acquaintance of young staff officers and employed the charm of her personality | to the fullest advantage in her treacherous mission. The fair spy's ambition [was to get behind the scenes at the War Office, and she all but succeeded in her quest. She sought a post as private secretary at a critical stage of hostilities, but by a happy stroke of fortune the appointment was given to an English girl. She frequented fashionable hotels after she had been foiled in this attempt, and became familiar with important State officials and the secretaries of various Legations. Beauty conquered the discretion of one youthful diplomat, and he went perilously ' near to betraying the neutrality of his country and seriously compromising his Government. The affair caused -a great stir at the War Office and Downing Street. She was taken into custody and summarily interrogated by the Director of the British Intelligence Department. Her record was minutely examined, and the Government found that it had harbored and befriended a most dangerous German agent whose activities ,eclipaed even those of "Mata Hari," the Sodum roge dancer, who was shot by t&o

French. The woman was tried at the Old Bailey, and when the judge pronounced the capital sentence she collapsed in the arms of a warder. This is how the censor told the world of the fate of "the telle of Norway":— Press Bureau Communique—November, 1915.—A woman was tried at the Central Criminal Court recently on a grave charge of espionage, was found guilty and sentenced to death by being shot. The Bentence was commuted to penal servitude for life.