The extraordinary ingenuity shown by spies in securing the plans of
other countries' fortifications has been amply illustrated in the war,
although, of course, we know but a little part of what the spies have
accomplished.
A woman was caught at the French frontier seeking to enter Switzerland
and presumably intending to return to Germany or Austria. She was
thoroughly searched by a matron, as is customary in such cases, but
nothing was found.
Certain actions of hers, however, had given rise to serious suspicions,
and one of the cleverest officers of the French Secret Service was
detailed to examine her. He applied several tests to her. He finally
obtained what he wanted by seating her, in an undraped condition, tied
to a chair, before a warm fire.
"Brutes, you are going to burn me alive!" she shrieked as she was
forced into a chair.
"Be calm, madame," said the officer. "We only want to admire your
beautiful back."
There appeared on the ample back of this fair-haired lady an elaborate
design. To the experienced eye of the officer it represented a plan of
one of the most important French fortresses. The number of guns, their
sizes and positions were shown. The angles, sallies and extent of the
fortifications were clearly indicated. The weak spots in the defense
were made clear. This fortress had been entirely made over since the
outbreak of the war, and it was of vital importance to the Germans to
know its present arrangements.
A German spy in France, evidently a man with military knowledge, had
obtained access to the fortress, but there was but slight chance of
his getting home with his knowledge. He had, therefore, used the young
woman as an innocent looking agent.
The master spy had traced the plans on her back with sulphate of
copper. This liquid leaves no mark on the skin under normal conditions,
but when exposed to considerable heat it shows up dark blue. For
further secrecy, it is stated, the plan of the fortress was concealed
within another design in the manner described by General Sir Robert
Baden-Powell. He carried with him an illustrated book on butterflies
and from this he made what would appear to be specimens of butterflies
seen in the surrounding country. Then when he had obtained the details
of a fortress he drew them in among the complicated markings on the
wings of the butterfly. There they would escape notice by any but the
most expert "spy trappers."
Miss Sari Petrass, the beautiful Hungarian dancer, who was for some
time a great favorite in London, is reported to have been shot in
Budapest as a spy. She is supposed to have been engaged in gathering
military information in her native country for the benefit of England,
where she made her greatest artistic success.
When war began, the actress was starring in "The Marriage Market,"
a Hungarian operetta, at Daly's Theatre in London. She immediately
returned to Budapest, but instead of continuing on the stage began a
round of social activities.
She wrote letters to the British army authorities, it is charged, which
were sent by way of Switzerland in the in the care of young Austrian
officers, who had been beguiled by her charms. It is said she was
betrayed by one of her dupes in a fit of jealousy. Although an actress,
she had a high social position and was a niece of the Countess Ilka
Kinsky, one of the most prominent members of the Austro-Hungarian
nobility.
Miss Petrass, according to the report which reached her friends in
Cleveland, Ohio, was put to death immediately her acts were discovered.
When taken to the place of execution she fainted and was unconscious
when shot. The announcement of her execution was the first news her
family had of the charges against her.
The method of concealing plans of fortifications on the skin of a spy,
already referred to, has been employed with many variations. In time
of war or when suspicion of spies is very keen, it is likely to be
very useful. Then, again, women are usually called upon to carry this
kind of information, because they are less subject to suspicion and
watchfulness.
Tattooing plans on a woman's skin has often been resorted to in past
wars, but the anti-spy officers are now so keen that this way is no
longer reliable. Various forms of writing on the skin, which only
become visible under certain conditions, have, therefore, been tried.
One form of this has already been mentioned. Plans and messages are
also written in nitrate of silver, which becomes visible and black on
exposure to sunlight. The writing is also done with phosphorus, so that
it is only visible in the dark, but that lasts a few hours only.
Women have shown extraordinary ingenuity in carrying information during
the present war. One wore a large pair of pearl earrings, which, when
examined, proved to be stuffed with long messages. Another had a little
woolly pet dog, whose tail was found to be artificial and filled with
military plans. Another carried a message scratched on the plate of her
false teeth.
When it has been found impossible for a human spy to reach a fortress,
birds have been employed. Carrier pigeons are fitted with miniature
cameras fastened across their breasts by exceedingly fine wires. These
are fitted with a time lock which ensures their exposure at a certain
time.
The pigeons are released by spies at a place from which they will be
sure to fly over the fortress on their way home. A pigeon flies in
circles on its journey, and it is certain that during part of its
flight over the fortress the camera shutter will be released. A series
of pictures taken in this way will give a very complete plan of the
defenses to the enemy.
Although immediate execution follows the discovery of a spy or perhaps
even the suspicion of espionage, thousands of persons are found
willing to undertake the work during this war. It has been truly said
that the highest form of heroism is to undertake spy duty for one's
country. Nothing can be more awful than the fate of the spy caught and
executed amid the hate and fear of the thousands who surround him. Many
photographs sent from the seat of war show how the European armies make
the death of the spy terrible.
The Germans are universally admitted to be more skilful spies than
the British, and yet Gen. Baden-Powell performed some remarkable
spying tricks. He tells how he got into a new German dockyard and made
observations under the nose of several policemen:
"Inside a great, high wall lay a dockyard, in which, it was rumored,
a new power house was being erected, and possibly a dry dock was in
course of preparation.
"The scaffolding of the new house towered above me, and a ladder led
upward on to it. Up this I went like a lamplighter, keeping one eye on
the corner of the building lest I should be followed.
"Presently I found a short ladder leading from my platform to the
stage below, but it did not go to the ground. Peering quietly over the
scaffolding, I saw my friend the policeman below, still at fault. I
blessed my stars that he was no tracker, and therefore had not seen my
footmarks leading to the foot of the ladder.
"Then I proceeded to take note of my surroundings and to gather
information. Judging from the design of the building, its great
chimneys, etc., I was actually on the new power-house. From my post I
had an excellent view over the dockyard, and within one hundred feet of
me were the excavation works of the new dock, whose dimensions I could
easily estimate.
"All these duties (of espionage) are subdivided among agents of
every grade, from Ambassadors and their attachés downward. Naval and
military officers are sent to carry out special investigations by
all countries, and paid detectives are stationed in likely centres to
gather information."
The General further says that the military information that a country
voluntarily gives to a foreign attaché is usually of little value, and
therefore he must take secret means to inform himself.--(Told in _New
York American_.)