The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-13

The affair made a great stir all over
France and especially in Nancy, where the
trial took place and where the population
felt extremely bitter against the culprit
On the day of the trial a large crowd
( gathered around the police court and await
ed with a menacing attitude the arrival Of
the prisoner. The authorities, anticipating
serious troubles, had placed q strong guard
outside the court house, and when the rene
gade appeared looking pale and weak he
was denounced loudly by the throng, which
pressed eagerly forward to obtain a glimpse
of him and to spit into his face If possible.
The court house was then cleared and the
traitor tried behind closed doors, only a
colonel and a staff officer being allowed to
remain. Bonnet was condemned TO five
years hard labor and fined s. COO He was
also deprived of his civil rights for ten
years.
Still fresh in memory Is the Ribault
tragedy, which occurred in MarseilIes a
year or so ago. Ribault was a noucommis-
stoned officer of marines and had been in
the Tonquiu, where he distinguished him
self. After his return from the Tonquin
he began to neglect his duty. He lived
high on the little money he had saved dur
ing the campaign. At Narseiiles he made
the acquaintance Of a German woman Of
bad character, who became his mistress
This woman was, as the trial revealed
later on, the runaway wife Of German
sergeant When RibaUlt's money was
squandered his mistress told him one day
that she knew how 10 obtain plenty oi
money if he would only do as she told him
she then con6ded TO him that she had a
brother in the German army who was d
uoncommissioned officer and who would
pay a coodly sum for new French repeat
ing infantry rife.
The Unprincipled rascal went TO the bar
racks and stole the rife Of private, but
finding himself detected be went home and
blew out ais brains The rooms which Ri
bsult and his mistress occupied were at
once searched. and numerous letters were
found revealing that thorough system Of
espionage had been carried out by the
German uoncourliss1uned officer through
his sister and with the eognizance and IN
der the direction of the German govern
uent The woman was condemned 10 two
years imprisonment
In the | Rited States the foreign spy. "a
: rule, Is a rara avis. The only nation
which ever has attempted TO establish q
system OF military espionage in America Is
the English In September, 1855 a mill
tary looking Englishman arrived II Wash
iuEtoa. he carefully studied the Wash
ington navy yard, then went TO Newport,
Annapolis, New London and Fortress Mon
roe. but he learned little or nothing Of
value. At Willet's Point he attempted 70
obtain the charts OF submarine mines aud
fixed Jorpedoes. bat was UuSucct ssfuL
documents Of this kind being PRETTY we'll
guarded. Plans Of vessels and icrD sd0es.
however. are hardly kept secret. AMI any
one applying 10 the patent Office car easily
obtain a very detailed description @ -nv
new weapon manufactured IN America for
army or navy purposes.
Is may be stated here thar az the detaile
Of the new plans for American coast and /
ha-uo- defense are n the hands Of 4 few
superior officers No suhaltern Official has-
access 70 them and no contractor receives
copies u them. 80 that the selret = Iaor
oUgtly guarded. The plans. for instance
Of the new fortifczltsons ae Sandy Hook.
Boston barber. san Frs.nCiSco an5 many
other places are. am positive, EoS known
70 more than perhaps four luGlv.F -S.s out
Of over sixty millions. However. the more s
the arLnanent,ot Uhe Unite! states becomes
Efficient, the more the curiosity Of foreign
powers VIII & attracted. and Il i there
fore reasonable 10 expect uhaE il ten YEAR
from Low the spy fever VII also have ~
vaded these shores
I.IEUT. +. pE T. CLorH