The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-04-14
Spy Hunting In Paris Before the Sur.
render

"The Besieged Resident" writing to
the London Daily Neaos, fortnight be
fore the capitulation of Paris, says
"The spy mania, which ragged with such
| intensity at the commencement of the
siege, has again broken out. Every day
persons are arrested because they are
supposed, by lighted candles and other
mysterious devices, to be in communica-
ton with the enemy. Sergt. Hotf, who
used to kill his couple OF brace of Ger
mans every day, and who disappeared
after Champigny, it is now said was a
spy, and, instead of mourning over his
wife, who had been slain by the Prus-
slams, kept mistress in splendor, like a
fine gentleman. Foreigners are looked
upon suspiciously in the streets. Very
black looks are cast upon the Americans,
who have established and kept up the
best ambulance there is in Paris at their
own cost. Even the French ambulances
are suspected, since some of their mem
bers, during a suspension of arms, broke
bread with the Prussians for it is held
that any one who does not hate Ger
man must be in the pay of Bismarck.
But this is not all. The newspapers hint
that there are spies at headquarters.
Gen. Schmitz has valet who has "a
wife, and this wife is a German. What
more clear than that Gen. Schmitz con-
fides what passes at councils of war to
his valet-Generals usually do; that the
valet confdes it to his wife, who confdes
it to Bismarck? And then Gen. Trochu
has an aide-de-camp, a Prince Bebesco.
| He is a Wallachian, and son Of an ex-
! Hospodar-l never yet heard Of a Wal
lachian who was not. Can doubt exist
| in the mind of any reasonable human
being that this young gentleman, a
harmless lad, who had passed the great
er part of his existence dancing cotil-
Ions at Paris, is in direct communica-
ton with the Prussians outside? A day
or two ago two National Guards were
exchanging their stratcgical views III a
cafe, when they observed stranger
write down something. He was imme.
diately arrested, as he evidently intend
ed to transmit the opinion of these two
military sages to Gen. Moltke. | was
myself down at Montrouge, yesterday.
when ! was requested by two National
Guards to accompany them to the near
est commissary. | asked why, and was
told that a woman had heard me speak
German. | replied that was English.
Eat We sail soon zee, said one of my
captors. i spek Anglish like an Ang'
lishman address to me the word Ang-
lish. replied that the gentleman spoke
English with so perfect an accent that
| thought he must be fellow-cOuntry-
man. The worthy fellow was disarmed
by the compliment, and told q crowd
which had collected around us to dc
prompt justice on the spy; that | not
only was an Englishman, but a Cockney
that is to say, he explained, an inhabi
tant of London. He shook me by the
hand his friend shook me 10y the hand
and several ladies and gentlemen shook
me by the hand; and then we parted
Yesterday evening, on the boulevards
there were groups discussing the trai
tors Some said that Gen. Schmit2 haC
been arrested others that he ought tC
be arrested. A patriot observed to mC
that all foreigners in Paris ought, as {
precautionary measure, to be eXtirpa
ted. Parbleu,' replied, and you may
depend upon it | rolled my eyes anc
shrugged my shoulders in true Gallo
fashion,