Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-10-01
ASHTABULA, OHIO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER |, 1870.
Prussian Spies.
TnEIR TRICKS AND DoDoEs.


One aught not to be too hard upon
the French for the panic about Prussian
spies. Charles lIarth, who was shot,
the other day, in the courtyard OF the
Military School, confessed himself a spy
when taken, and never really denied it
afterward. And there are facts enough
to prove that King William has studied
well in old Fredprick's books, who said
that the French had one spy and twenty
cooks, while he had one cook and TWEEN.
ty spies. For it is plain that the Prus-
sian system of espionage has been long
reduced to great protection. For several
years Prussians have been residing, un.
der one pretext or another, in all the
border towns aud villages, making 'hcm
selves thoroughly acquainted with the
topography, studying military positions
illing their maps aud memories with
the roads, lanes and foot-paths, and also
making themselves familiar with the
means and recouSts Of the inhabitants.
Clerks in counting houses, servants in
inns, men in breweries, students who
| passed the summer III wandering over
the hill, skeiching the scenery, compa.
nies OF scientific men, with basksts and
hammers, bent on geological picnic, all
these are recognized to-day in the per.
sons of Prussian officers entering the
French border towns and villages at the
head OF scouting parties or the victori.
ous troops. 1t is said, and see no rea.
son to doubt it, that one PrussIan Gen,
has visited, during the past year, all the
| tn nnI rtllac,.. Ill. xl,. h.. 4. -
in case OF war, in the disguise of an old
beggar match seller. Another story i,
OF a Prussian officer, who, disguised al
Il French Admiral, visited one of The
forts near Paris, was received with all
the honors, was shown over all the
works, and in parting, made Il speech
full OF patriotic sentiments TO the sol
dirrs, which was received with great ap
plause. The cheat was not discovered
until some days afterwards, when one o
the officers happened to mention tn,
matter to Minister Marine! In another
case the Prussian spy was not as success
ful. Dressed as Il French officer, he Wis
tied a tent at some Generals headuuar
ters, and dincd with his brother (?) off
GERS. Something excited suspiciou-ht
was arrested, tried and slot. The Prus
slams do not, however, rely entirely on
spies Tor iutorlnation-they get it in ev
cry way. Every German soldier has al
album containing pictures of the Frencl
officers aud soldiers, with their uniform:
carefully delneated and colored, in order
that he may know with whom he is deal
ing, by what troop he is attacked, whom
he takes prisoner, and whom he has xii
ed. The Prussians have the best map.
of France that can he procured, plans o.
the Notifications of Paris have beel
largely distributed in the Prussian army
and no pans spared to get minute intor
nation on all subjects that may be use
tu. | may remark, in parenthesis, that
the ignorance of the French subalterr
officers is not confined to geography
One General is raid, by Captain Jeanne
rod of the Temps, TO have asked if Met;
is far from Paris Aud out of Il numbe
of inferior officers who were taken pris
oners by the Prussians, only one or tw,
were able to write their names in receip
Tor small sums of money advanced them
aud were consequently obliged to max
their mark