The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-09-14
THE EXECUTION OF SPIES
The Escape Of the Physician who Wrote the
Secrets OF England In Lemon JuIce-Ths
Execution Of Lieut.. Harth In Paris.
EN.n.,l !. Nil


Secrets OF England In Lemon Juice-Ths
Execution Of Lieut.. Harth In Paris.
From ne PdH Nan Gazette
The execution Of spy is happily such a raro
occurrence in the present day that the shooting 1
Lieut. Hartn In Paris on Saturday last reads moro
like pare out OF romance than a reality; yet we
have before now in England found 1t necessary to.
sentence spies to death. On the lat NJ June 1T5s
DR.. Florence IIcnsey tried at the Court OF Kings
Bench In Westminster Hill on an indictment 1pt.
high treason. II appeared In the course OF this triar
that soon after the declaration OF in 1855 he be-.
came a pousioner to France and agreed for tOCg
Of the state OF affairs 10 this kingdom But differ
euce afterward arising about bis salary, which ne
represented rs too small, considering, as he urged
that he belonged TO club In the Strand from which
he could gain great intelligence, and where they
always drank French wine at dinner" the CORES.
pon'enc was discontinued until January, 1TbL
when 1t was agreed that the doctor should receivs
% guineas a ninth, on condi,ion OF sending intellt
genee every post, but that he should fooriet ruines
for every omission.
He received, however, no more tan one payment
the reason eiven being that his Intelligence was no.
thing but extracts rom newspapers, His plan was
to write a common letter In ink, aud between cacn
line the secrets OF England In emon juice. II hap
Jesuit aud chaplain and secretary to the Spanish
Ambassador at the Hague. from who our residens
relating 10 England even before he mad received an,
account thereof from his own Court. This led 70
inquiry, and TO Twenty-Five Of DR.. Hensey's letten
From these letters 1t apDeared that he gave tho
French the first account OF Admiral Boscawen's sail
ing to North America and OF the taking u the Al
code and Lvs also OF the sailing OF every feet aud
its destination. aud OF tile difficulties relating TO
raising m2ney &c For this offence !, he was sen
drawn and quartered at Tyburn. The sentence.
however was never carried into effect; for. after
several reprieyes, the doctor pleaded his Majesya
pardon" at the bar OF the Court OF Kiurs Bench,
the 9th Of November, 1852 being understood that
since Ills trial he had made important revelations.
In 1903 Mr.. Hammond, formerly pilot OF tho Sst-
urn, Frencbman b. birth but for many years In
receipt OF pension OF ESQ per snnum from the Brit
ish Government for Information he Obtained for
them wss arrested In France as spy, aud shot by
order OF the Frenc Governments He had been
sent from the Saturn on board L'Agle, Capt Wolfe,
to reconnoitre the French coast. He landed at q
purt Loi lent, and had been on shore IL days.
He was preparing TO come on In boat wien ne wss
stated that the unortunate spy was beheaded and
his body dragged through the streets By tho popu-
laco.
The Prussisn spy, Lieut.. Harth, was shot on Sat-
urday morning In the great square OF tue Ecole
| Mihtaire. Cen Trochu thou hit OF publicly an
nouncing the hour fixed for the execution. but, on
| consideration 1t deemed better not to attract
e5Swa o 10 id sr, Sas 1 onned nv Rail" s pro-
testaut clergyman Of Lille that bis last hour had
| come. A few minutes aterwari the prisoner WIS
placed IN u cellular carriage Snd. guarded by twelve
| gendarmes, was taken TO the Eco'e Miltare.
Considerable body Of TT IoDs OF all armsgrenldiers,
| lancers. guides, aud cuirassiers-was drawn up on
| tie parade ground. The Colonel iant aad
| Major and Captain Of tie STAFF were present:
Whea harth got on. o the ce'lulr earris age ne
| A DELAY OF qu.rtor of an hour occurred, as the
prisoner arrived on the ground at 5'45, and the eI-
| ecuuon wss ordered for ri, precis ely. Tie was
placed with his back to a wall In sort OF in
| the bsrrsck-ysrd used for shoeng horses. The fir
ing party consisted of two serse1uts, two corporals
and si1 soldiers OF the Forty -secon regiment Two
| non-commssioned oficsrs with loaded rifles were
stationed bebiud the peoton reserve in case OF
| need.
Harth begged at drs. that his hands might not be
| tied, and that his might not be 0andaged but
| he ultimately consented He also asked that ae {
soldier, he might be allowed to give tue word Of
command to Ore. The cstrar OF the court martial
| read the sentence Of DEATH aud during momer ury
pause the prisoner In firm voice cried Pres. lt
fire |" Bat this wis not the s.nal which the hiring
| party had been told to walt for.
The last liable ofthe judgment had scarcely been
| read whom the onicer commanding the peloton
| drew his sword Then tue soldiers out their rifles
TO their shoulders Ooue is the French worl Tor pre-
sent), and took Deliberate aim Tie oficcr lowered
| his sword. and In an instant Harth fell, seyera
bullets striking him almost In the same place, ant
making an enormous hole in the region OF the heart
Neverthele less although the prisoner Nas quite dead
| ono OF the sergeanls in waiting came u2 to tn,
| corpse and lodged bullet in his head. Tho body
with the clothes on just as the man te was placed
| In conn and taken 70 tho Mont PArnasse Ceme
| lery for intormpnt.