The record-union., 1897-01-10
WOMEN As SECRET AGENTS.
The Career Of the Infamous Baroness
Kanda.
The Fate of Nations Sometimes in
the Hands of UnsCrupulous
Female Spies.

| Paris that the French Government is
about to reopen the case of ex-Captain
Dreyfus, having recently come into pos
session of new evidence Of a nature TO
raise doubts as to his guilt of the crime
for which he was court martialed, de-
graded and sentenced to Imprisonment
for life at Cayenne, comes the announce
ment of the death of General Jung. He
was one of the most clever and capable
| officers of the French army, military
historian of European fame, who some
fifteen years ago was charged with the
same offense as that with which Cap
tain Dreyfus was charged, namely, of
having sold to the German Government
the secret plans of mobilization of the
French army. More fortunate than the
Captain, General Jung-who was at that
time a Lieutenant-Colon of the head
quarter staff, and whom I call to mind
as short. thick-set man of high color,
with a long, pointed mustache, a very
honest pair of eyes, a modest and quiet
manner and an agreeable voice-was
able>completely to clear himself of all
suspicion, although not without bring
ing about the expulsion of his wife from
France and the disgrace of General de
Cissey, one of the heroes of the great
Franco-G German conflict of 1870, and as
Minister of War intrusted with the all
! important task of reorganiZing the
French army. So favorable. indeed was
the impression created by Colonel Jung
upon the court, upon the Government,
and upon his fellow citizens of every
| a. g L.
ing regarded as traitor of the deepest
dye he became an object of universal
sympathy, Gambetta especially inter-
esting himself in his behalf. 1t was due
to the powerful support of the latter
that he was subsequently appointed to
one of the principal positions on the
headquarters staff, and at a later date
Military Governor of Dunkirk. In fact,
there is no doubt that had Gambetta
lived longer the General would have
risen still higher in his profession than
he did, as the statesman had the high
est opinion of his military capacities and
talents as strateGist.
The career of the Generals wife is
not without interest just at the pres
ent moment, when a London paper Of
large circulation gives expression in
print to a charge often made in conver-
sation in Europe, to the effect that for
eign Governments find in American
women the most efficient recruits for
their secret service. With the excep-
tion of the United States there is prob
ably not single one of the great Powers
which does not maintain a highly paid
- ~
addition to it's regular staff of Embas
sadors, ENJOYS, Secretaries and at
taches. Although not officially accred
tied to the various countries, the lead
ing men of which they are destined to
influence, the services of these agents
are rated by the Governments which
employ them as being sometimes of
value far superior to those of any male
diplomat. Though they are paid out of
the secret service fund which is at the
disposal of every European Govern
ment-even that of England-their
names do not appear on any of the pub
lished civil service lists, and are known
with any degree of certainty only by
favored few The most delicate and in
tricate pieces of work are often intrust
ed to them, for which they are far bet
ter suited than men. The talent for in
trigue which is acquired by the sterner
sex, only after years of labor and ex-
perience, seems to be innate in the femf-
nine character. Women possess de-
gree of tact and intuition for which one
can search fruitlessly In men. Their
powers of persuasion are incompara
/ re fa
reaching character, and in difficult sit
uations whence a man could emerge
only with the help of a lie Of a coarse
and discernible texture, the woman will
escape under the cover Of an artistic
piece of intricate embroidery on the
f1imsiest and most diaphanous ground
work of fact.
AN AMERICAN WOMAN'S S SERVICE.
While there is no doubt that in clev-
erness, self-possession, powers Of adapt
ability to every circumstance, and,
above all, of charm and grace, Ameri-
can women are particularly fitted for
work Of this kind-tribute to their quail
ities in this respect being accorded by
the frequency with which European
diplomats seek their wives among the
fess that 1 know of but one single in
stance of an American woman playing
the role of secret agent for a foreign
Government, namely, that of Russia.
The lady in question lives at Paris,
just off the Champs Elysees, and her
husband bears an Italian title of Mar
quis, though it is impossible to speak
with any degree of gertrude of his ma
tionality or antecedents. She sees little
of her own countrywomen, but her
handsome salons are crowded with
French and foreign officials and states
men, who are presumably ignorant of
the fact that her reports and those of
her husband dissect them for her en-
ployers at st. Petersburg, and describe
the incidents with which they are asso-
ciated with an eXactitude that would
startle them to the last degree.
With the exception of this American
born woman, 1 know of no single
authentic case of a daughter of Uncle
Sam being employed as secret agent by
a foreign Government, although there
is an American woman in London who
has as many firm friends as she has
bitter foes, and who is alleged by the
latter to derive a portion of her some
what mysterious resources from the Sc
oret service fund of the Russian Gov
ernmert The charge is based on the
alleged discovery of some compromising
correspondence in dressing bag, which
she had forgotten at a country house
where she had been spending a few
days and which was naturally found
by titled lady, who happened to be