Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-20

CCuDie OF ONNfS every morning, ana 10 near
from this officials lips the complete and de-
tailed account of all the wickedness enacted
IN Paris the day be ore.
The Revolution, too, was a great time for
spies, and Napoleon found reason 10 keep
up the system during the period of his cm-
plre; while some idea may be gathered
from Balz2c's novels OF the social and politi-
cal tracking and shadowing which prevailed
IN France throughout the first half of this
century. Napoleon III. improved upon all
that had previously been done in this line
to such an extent, indeed, that during his
reigu brother would suspect brother, or
wife would even suspect her husband OF
being in the pay of the secret police.
The third republic is no freer than were
any previous French regimes from this deep
faint of what the French call "mouchar-
disc" l boldly maintain, speaking from
data known to myself, and which shall some
day see the light IN more adequate form.
that never &c ore at any period OF Frances
history has the reign of snydom been so
widespread and absolute in Paris as now.
There has been latterly much discussion in
the worlds press of the extraordinary de-
gree 10 which
OFFICIAL ESPIONAGE
obtains in Russia and very interesting de-
tails have been forthcoming on the subject.
Now l am in a position to affirm that in
Paris-I do not say throughout the whole of
France-the meshes of the detective net are
woven even more closely round the entire
population than has ever been the case III
St. Petersburg. Evidence OF this fact
might easily be found in the secret history
OF the B0ulangist conspiracy. From rrst to
last every detail of this movement was
known TO the police, more than th-ee-fourths
of the Boulangists being informers.
The Nrnr1 al n Paris Stotinn
YOU are in the midst OF spies. You are
driven to 4 hotel in a cab; in half an hour
the cabnan will furnish the police with anv
particulars he may have been able TO gather
concerning your position, destination, busi-
ness, etc. Arrived at your hotel you be-
come the object OF scrutiny as close as it is
secret on the part of divers persons who,
though attached to the place in the capacity
of manager or cashier or even porter or
''boots," are in reality enrolled soldiers of
the great detective army.
And here l may mention special charac-
teris:ic of the French detective system-its
faculty of recruiting adherents in all classes
of society. French spies ior the most part
are not simple spies ard nothing more.
They have trade or occupation of their
own, TO which they seem wholly and solely
devoted, while yet assiduousiY pursuing
sub rosa their spying operations.
on EVERY HAND.
But let US. though not spies ourselves,
continue 70 dog the steps of our unsuspect-
iEg stranger In Paris. He has dinner at
his hotel, served by a garcon, who, as a
matter Of course, is in the pay of the police
and will subsequently, report to lnem what
conversation he oVerhearS during the meal.
He then Sailies forth. primed with glass or
two of line champagne, for an evenings
amusement of the true Partisan sort. First,
he repairs to one OF the brilliant boulevard
playIouses. A few stalls away from him
sits gentlemanly-looking man, with steady,
observant eyes. who glances now and again
al our friend in such 4 way as to make the
latter think, 81 wonder where l have seen
that man before" He never has seen him
be.ore, but Il doesn't enter his head for
moment to suspect the man of being what he
really iS-a police spy.
The play over, there is Just time for half
an hours stroll under the horsechestnuts, in
the Jardin de Paris. Here nine-tenths of
the attendants are either spies or scampS, or
may, indeed, be both at once; Tor French
police authorities are not very soueamish in
choosing their instruments, and seem, in
deed, to have 4 sort OF preference for scoun-
drels over others. Their theo y runs that
the greater villain a man is the better spy
he will make; moreovtr, the most efica-
cious means o. keeping man under spy
surveillance Is to hav. him become spy
himself, for spies spy upor each other quite
as much as on the rest Of manki1r.
NOT ALL OF ONE SEX.
But to return to our foreigners. .e efinishes
up the evening by turning into the Cafe
American for supper, where ne has for next
door neighbor a charming young woman,
with whom he enters into conversation She
mas 4 sweet smile which displays two rows of
glitteriug teeth, and puts many questions to
him concerning France and the French.
Naturally enough. our visitor imaSiDes this
Is all done out of that bright easy Gallo
politeness he admIres so much; for how is he
10 know that every word he has said in re-
ply will come TO the ear OF the police not
later than the following afternoon.
II our friend be fond of sport he will soon
be finding his way to the race courses near
the capital and into the baccarae clubs With
which Paris abounds; aud here lie will be
hourly in contact with police spies in great
er number than there are racers on the course
or cards in the pack. And so the game goes
on in every sphere of Paris life and society.
To parody the Ancient Mariner" it is
Spying, spying everywhere, and not soul
to trust"
Not only the French Government but the
entire fabric OF French society seems to be
based upon espionage as its chiefand firmest
foundation. One topical detail for the ac-
curacy OF which l can vouch NAV 90 further
than any amount OF mere assertion to throw
light on the workings of the spy system in
France. There are of course in Paris, as in
ali other capitals of the world. number OF
recognized correspondence OF fforeign Journals
viii it be believed that to the person of
eaeh one Of these correspondents, no matter
what nationality, English, American. Rus
sian CT Spanish, Or how insignificant: the
journal with which he is connected, de-
tective is specially and
SEPARATELY ATTACHED
with the mission of rendering Il full and
true account of everything mis- journalist
says and does. That such surveillance
should be put upon the representatives of
great political organsis perhaps well enough.
One can understand at n pinch why the
Times and Standard representatives should
be shadowed. But why the same honor
should be extended to the correspondents of
every little sheet that publishes weekly
Letter from Paris is more than one can
understand, and the fact altogether is
eminently characteristic of the compre-
hensiveuess OF the spy system in France
Ii any one monument or ediice may be
called the heart OF Paris, it is neither legis-
lative palace, nor cathedral, nor even ex-
change. 1t is the Prefecture de Police. In
that large white stone building on the Boule-
ward de Palais. almost opposite the splendid
holds between his fingers all the skeins of
the vast web in which the whole Paris pop
ulation resident anu transient is entanGled.
L. l. IDz1s- IL Il