The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-07-27
FRENCH POLICE SPIES.
How the Government Manages to Secure
Information Privately.

How the Government Manages to Secure
Information Privately.
After all that has been said about the
vileness of the police system under the
empire, which rendered it almost impos-
sible for any one to be safe from espion-
age, even in private life, it might well
be supposed that the republic had done
away with this machinery for discover
ing and weaving plots so much more
suited to the age of Louis XI than to the
nineteenth century. 1t remains, how
ever, very much what it was 80 years
ago. These things DO not change in
France.
Governments go, and the forms Of gov
eminent, and these are succeeded by 9TH
ers, but the good old abuses-they must
be thought good by some people cling
to the ship with barnaclelike tenacity.
French official organization is about the
most steadfast thing in the world, al
though all French people to whom you
may speak on the subject agree that 1t
is very bad. 1t is almost as difficult now
as it was under the empire to be certain
that man whom you may meet, either
in society or out of it, does not belong to
the secret police.
All over the country there are mou-
chards-a term expressing something
stronger than spies. have been incon-
venienced by them myself in the prov
inces. On one occasion made rather
long stay in little place where there
were two hotels in fierce rivalry. One
day brigadier of gendarmes came over
from neighboring town on purpose to
make inquiries respecting me.
He did not trouble me, but he ques-
toned various people as to how passed
my time, about how much l spent day,
what sort of meals had, and whether 1
appeared to have more money than l
knew what to do with. The fact was I
was suspected of being spy in the pay
Of foreign government. AS consider
a bold front to be the best whenever
there is anything of this kind in the air,
1 got myself driven over the gendarmery,
which was about eight miles off, and
there had it out with the brave briga-
der.
soon discovered that an informer had
been at work and that the informer was
no other than the keeper Of the rival
hotel, who for years had been receiving
pay as member Of the secret police.
Situated where he was he must have
been absolutely useless in that capacity,
but at one time he must have done q
service to somebody.
1t is especially in Paris, however, that
that the secret police is supposed to be in
dispensable. Every government wishes
to be kept well informed as to all that
goes on in an enemy's camp. Such in
formation can only be obtained from
those who are willing to play the part Of
a traitor or whose position enables them
to observe what is going forward with
out exciting suspicion. They are tech
nically termed indicators" and may be-
long to either sex. When the Boulan-
gist movement was convulsing France,
the government had great advantage
over it's opponents by handling of the Sc
cret fund and the secret police.
Boulangers footsteps were logged ev-
erywhere, and somehow M. Constans
learned all that he wighed to know con
corning the plans and doings of the con-
spirators. An important point in this
system is to make the indicator" feel
sure that whatever happens he will not
be betrayed. The minister Of the inte-
rior or of justice never asks the names of
those by means of whose espionage GER
tain political information has been gath
cred.
The money given for dark services is
paid from hand to hand in cafes or other
nonofficial places by commissionnaires,
and the name of no auxiliary outside of
the ranks of the regular police ever APP
pears in book. Is it impossible for the
government to do without this abom-
Unable system, SO opposed to the ideal of
a democratic state? The Cottu-Soinoury
scandal has led to much discussion on
this question. Transcript.