The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-01
rRI41 oF4 Russ1ANspYISPAR1s

A special dispatch TO the New YORK lines,
dated Paris, August %, says:
I have lust returned from most painful
spectacle-the first trial by court-martiAl here
Of the Prusslan spy recently arrested. The
trial was held in building situated opposite
the military prison, in the Rue Cherche, Midi
Faubourg ST. German, and was conducted be-
fore the Second Council Of War. M. Simon
net. the Imperial Advocate, prosecuted.
at l2 o'clock the prisoner was escorted by
gensdarmes and soldiers, and introduced be-
fore the court, which was composed OF seven
officers belonging to different branches of the
service. In reply to questions from the presi-
dent, the prisoner stated that his name was
Karl Herdo, and that he was 4 native OF
Brandebourg, and lieutenant In the Fitly-
fourth Regiment, forming q portion OF the
Third Prussian Corps dArmee. The prisoner
is a tall, handsome young man; small In frame,
but of an intelligent appearance. He spoke
French fluently, with 4 slight German accent.
He is q man evidently belonging to the higher
class Of society, and justified the presidents S
allusion to his distinguished manners. He
preserved throughout the proceedings the SELF
possession which he has manifested since his
arrest.
The prosecution produced no witnesses, the
only evidence against the prisoner being tne
reports sent up by authorities ct Glen. small
town on the banks Of the Loire. where he was
captured. in the act Of taking notes and draw
ings. A revolver, n quantity OF cartridges, q
portfolio. railway indicator. carte de yislte
and porlemonnaie were found upon the
prisoner when he was arrested. The principal
documents from the military authorities report
that the prisoner acknowledged to the Com
missary of Police of Glen, who arrested him,
that he had sent two letters TO Berlin. descrio-
ing the state OF public feeling IN France; ana
giving data OF the conformation of the bank
OF the Loire, and the pecllliarities of the road
leading from Bourges to Paris. The Police Com
miss&ry reported the prisoner as possessing a
minute knowledge of the country. and the
relative strength of both armies. He had
formed a calculation with regard to the
strength of the French army, fixing the num-
ber OF men at 2SS,000, and b0asted that the
Prussian army vas nearly 5000 strong. he
also admitted that the French army was lite
rally infested with Prussian spies. On being
subsequently interrogated by the Sub-Prefect
of Glen, the prisoner almost acknowledged
himself spy. He came from London to Bor-
deaux, and from Bordeaux to Orleans, and so
to Glen, where he confessed that he had no
real business.
A letter from the commandant Of the Cen
darmerie to his superior officer stated that the
prisoner openly admitted that he was spy
sent by the Prussian Government, and that he
ana Belgium. He had also correspondent In
Paris. In the course of his examination by
the president to-day, he denied all the
above confessions, and declared that he was
not engaged in any correspondence with the
enemies Of France, and that he only visited
France on his way to establish himself in Swift
zerland. He further alleged that he had
quilted the Prussian service four weeks before
the declaration Of war, and that all the letters
he had written were familiar ones, addressed
to his family-Such as tourists ordinarily write.
He explained his presence at Glen rs arising
from the fact that money was due to him
there.
Upon hearing this statement, the Imperial
Commissary called for sentence Of guilty
from the court, stating that it was time to rid
France of spies by whom the enemy had been
put into possession OF facts highly important
IN the prosecution OF tine war. 4 young advo-
cate defended the prisoner, affirming THAT he
was simply hot-brained enthusiast, who. in
correspondence with his family. had given de-
tails regarding the route Of the armies. and a
description OF the river, already well known
to the Prussian authorities.
After ten minutes deliberation the tribunal
agreed unanimously on the prisoners cnpa-
bility, and adjudged him to be visited with the
punishment Of death. The trial was over in
less than two hours. ana the prisoner Will
prooaeiy be shot on Wednesday.