The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-09
THIS SPY DESERVES DEATH
NATURALIZED CITIZEN SOLD
HIMSELF. TO SPAIN.
George Downing, Arrested at Wash
ington, Was In the Employ of
Spaniards In Canada.

Washington, May S-Chef Wilkie of
the treasury secret service today ex-
pressed his unqualified belief in the guilt
of the man arrested at his direction last
night as a Spanish spy. All the circum-
stances in the case many of which Mr..
Wilkie sets forth. he says. lead up to this
irresistible conclusion. The mans name
is not Rawlings, as originally announced,
but George Downing, apparently about
SO years of age, five feet, seven inches in
height, of athletic build and Bohemian
in appearance. Mr.. Wilkie tells an inter-
eSting story of the mans doings lately
and of the steps which led up TO his ar
rest.
Downing" he says, lis an Englishman
by birth, but is a naturaiized American
and was formerly chief yeOman on the
cruiser Brooklyn. His discharge from
Our Information shows that on last Fri
day he had a conference with Lieutenant
Carranzas, who was naval attacne of
the Spanish minister, Polo, and who was
then at Toronto. He furnished Car
ranzas general information about the
navy. and particularly about the Brook
hours talk he came to Washington at the
direction of the lieutenant. He left
Toronto Friday afternoon for this city.
Before leaving Toronto. Carranzas gave
Downing an address, which apparently
that officer furnished in Montreal. to
which he was to send all information he
obtained. Downing arrived here yester-
day afternoon and went directly to No.
GIG Z street, where he had stopped no
longer than a week ago. When he left
he told the landlady he was going to Vir-
ginia Shortly after reaching the house
he went out again to the postoffice and
dorpped letter into the box for the adj
dress in Montreal. which had been given
TO him.
Il should say right here that our Of
hcers recognized Downing as soon as he
arrived at the railroad depot and kept
strict watch on his movements all during
the afternoon and evening up to the time
of his arrest The letter which he mailed
was promptly intercepted at the post
office and its contents examined. 1t con-
tanned statement as to certain matters
in Washington, said the writer would
soon be able to forward some important
Information about the Holland submarine
boat; gave a summary of the steps for
the relief of Admiral Dewey and promised
data as to the movement of American
golfers. Downing also said he intended
to go to Norfolk (Which place he hoped
to reach Tuesday, and expected to obtain
important information. The letter was
signed simply with the initials g. D..
I'VE were well satisfied that the man
was a spy and set about to secure his
apprehension. We communicated with
Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn of the
war department. to whom we gave sum-
mary of the Information in our possession
and then with Judge advocate General
Leiber of the army. who advised that the
man be arrested and turned over 10 the
military authorities. Downing returned
to his room during the evening. after
dining and reading the news bulletins.
accompanied by Captain Sage OF the
Eighth artillery, a corporal and a
private, by my own officers. and by
policeman, we went to Downing'S house,
where We secured him without trouble.
He offered no resistance, but appeared
frightened and much surprised at what
was taking place. He was handcuffed to
the private, who. accompanied by Cap
tain Sage and the corporal. took him to
the arsenal. where he is under guard. We
have turned him over to the military
said before 1 think there is no doubt of
the mans guilt, sufficient in my judg-
ment TO justify the extreme penalty of
the law.