The record-union., 1895-05-13
SKIRTED SPIES.
Diplomatic Women Who Learn State
Secrets in Europe.
Trusted 0n1oers Dragged From High
in France Notable Example.

OF all the cases of treachery that have
taken place in the French army since the
war of 1870, says the New York Journal,
there has been none of a more aggrsvat-
ing, fsgrant and altogether inexcusable
character than that charged against Cap
tain Alfred Dreyfus of the headquarters
staff, who has hitherto occupied conf
dental position in the intelligence bu-
reau of the War Department
He stands accused of having availed
himself of his position to communi-
cate to the Italian Government. and
through it to the German and Aus
trian Governments, not only all sorts OF
plans, drawings and specifications, the
secrets concerning the manufacture OF
the smokele powder in use by the
French army, the mechanism of the new
rifle and of the improved ordnance, but
also of having betrayed the entire project
of mobilization of the French army in
the event of declaration of war. This
document ls of most voluminous char
acter, and arranges for the assignment of
the various regiments, brigades and di-
visions to their various posts, Tor the pro-
visioning of the troops. for the means of
conveyance Of the latter, even going so
Tar as TO state the hours at which the va
rlous railroad trains conveying tue forces
and the war material are to start and to
arrive at their destination.
Nor was this all. For he is alleged to
have disclosed TO the Italian War Office
the names of all the French officers and
agents who have hitherto been secretly
employed IN procuring Information of q
confidential and military character in
Germany, Austria and in the dominions
OF King Hum bert, the result being that
almost everyone of them has been ar
rested and is likely TO undergo a pro-
longed term OF imprisonment imposed
by the Governments OF the countries in
which they were engaged in spying at the
time of their arrest.
If all this is true, there seems no excuse
for Captain Dreyfus, unless the rumors
be true. according to which he was an
unfortunate but inveterate gambler, for
his father is one OF the wealthiest cotton
spinners of Alsace, while his wife is the
daughter of the richest jeweler of the Rue
de la Paix, Paris. The feeling against
him is one OF intense bitterness, espe-
cially in the army, and there is unani-
nous demand in military as well as in
civilian circles for the intiiction of the
death penalty upon him. Nor is the
Government likely to offer any very
strong opposition to this sentiment, for
the trouble and expense to which it has
been put by the black treaohery of Cap
tain DreyfuS is altogether inconceivable,
the plans and projects of years having
now TO be changed and modified in their
entirety.
THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.
AS usual there is woman in the case
There always is in such instances as
these-a lady who plays the role of De-
IL, hat ~ l. IL
weak and treacherous officer. In Cap
tain Dreyfus' case it seems to have been a
beautiful and captivating Italian Mar
quise, now beyond the reach of the
French police. She got the Captain COM
pletsly infatuated by her charms, and
after having wheedled secret of minor
importance out of him terrorized him to
such an extent by her threats of eX posing
his lndlscretlon to his superiors that she
was able to obtain from him all the SUBJ
sequent information she required.
This Marquise seems to have played
the same role as that of the infamous Bar
oness de Kaulla during the Presidency
of Marshal MacMahoD. In that instance
the dupe was not mere Captain OF the
staff but the Minister of War himself.
General de Cissy. Baroness de KauIla,
very beautiful woman, was the daughter
of an Austrian Government official, and
had married the French General Jung,
the well-known military historian, and
until recently Governor of The port of
Dunkirk. Her morals were 30 disgrace
full that the couple soon separated, and
the lady, being left to her own devices,
resumed her maiden name of Baroness
de kaulla and resorted to spying for a
living.
She managed to make the acquaintance
of the Minister of War by asking an
audience with him. for the purpose of
securing his Intervention with her for
mer husband, whose signature she pre-
tended to require for some purpose or
other. The Minister became completely
subjugated by her charms, and soon got
to be frequent visitor to her house
The latter was situated within a stones
throw Of the Elysee, and on the days
when the Cabinet councils were held at
the Presidential Palace the susceptible
old General would regularly stroll across
after the meeting was over, to her resi-
dence to share her monday breakfast.
HOW THE BARONESS WORKED HIM.
On these occasions the Baroness and
the General always remained pretty long
at the table-the cuisine was as excellent
as the wine was generous-and during
that time q couple of Prussian officers
belonging to the headquarters staff at
Berlin, and who were attached to Nine.
de Kaulla's household in the guse of
perusing the contents of The Generate 6
ministerial portfolio, which, with almost
criminal insouciance, he would invari-
ably leave in the salon during the repast.
Stenographic notes were rapidly made of
she documents contained III the portfolio,
and that same afternoon the German au-
thorities st Berlin were in possession of a
detailed report of everything that had
taken place at the Cabinet council held at
the Elysee under the Presidency of
Marshal MacManon, just three or four
hours previously.
OF course, a moment arrived when sll
this became known, and 1t resulted in
the Generals s removal from the office of
War Minister and his retirement from
the army with cloud of such heavy op-
probrium hanging over his head that it
was not long before he succum bed to q
malady which, if it cannot be called
broken heart, was certainly broken
spirit.
There was very little excuse for General
de Cissy, since he should have known
who the woman was. as only a couple of
years previously she had been literally
driven out of London by more reputa-
BILE female diplomatist Nine. de Novikotf.
The latter on arriving in London after a
stay in Russia, found Mime. de kaulia
enjoying q considerable amount OF social
prestige and currency. She had beauti-
ful house in Queens Gate. Hyde Park,
aud was welcome guest in all the diplo-
matte and official salons of the British
metropolis, the brllliancy of her con-
versation, her beauty and her perfect
taste in dress rendering her particularly
conspicuous.
Mime. de Novikoff at once informed her
friends OF the antecedents of the lady, as
well as of the fact that she had been ex-
PEELED by the Russian police from st.
Petersburg as German spy and also as a
black mailer.
Lord Granville was made acquainted