The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-17
Special War Correspondence of The Call.


4 7 ASHINGTON, July 9.-The
N / Secret Service during the
NM present war has been mostly
v " employed in discovering and
thwarting the efforts Of Spain
to get information and gain
certain ends in this country by means
of secret agents. That the Secret SER
vice has been successful has been al
tested by Lieutenant CarranZa, Tor
merly of the Spanish Legation in WASH
ington and the head of the Spanish spy
system in this country. In his pup
nshed letter setting forth his hopes'
plans and experiences he referred 10 the
work of the Secret Service thus:
THE Americans are showing the most
extraordinary vigilance They have
captured my two best men" And he
might have added to his letter at that
very time: In moment one of their
men will come into this room, take this
letter and send it to John Wilke, chief
of the Secret Service of America, who
will thereby be informed officially, as II
I were to confess to him myself all that
I have done and all that hope to DO.
An illustration of how neatly the Sc
cret Service does it's work was gwen
to me to-day by Chief Wilkie hlmselt
during a conversation in his private or
fee. There was no Boosting IN the
chiefs tone He spoke in the key OF
casual talk.
The Downing case was taken up by
us and we disposed of him." Chief Will
kie began, in less than one week. 1
was warned that George Downing, a
former sailor on the cruiser Brooklyn,
had entered the Spanish spy service.
He was located on arriving in Toron-
TO- When he went to pay his first call
to the attache of the Spanish legation
my man was within earshot and heard
every word that passed between them.
He heard all of the instructions Down.
ing received, and when Downing left
the room my man met him as if by
chance and asked for match to light
his cigar. He walked with him to the
hotel Office, got a good look at him, fol-
lowed him to his hotel learned his as
sumed name, got tracing of his hand
writing from the register and later
Swallowed him to the train. Then he
telegraphed me that Downing had left
for Washington on the 5 o'clock
train. sent me a full description of him
and when the train arrived here three
of my boys spotted him. They followed
him to a clearinghouse, Wnere ne left
his grip. Then they followed him about
town and back to his house. After an
hour or so he came out and walked to
the Postoffice. When he dropped a let
ter to his Spanish employer in Toronto
through the Postoffice receiver the let
ter fell into the hands of one of my
operatives and was brought at once to
me, while the otheroperatives followed
Downing back to his boarding house. I
opened the letter and upon reading it
communicated with the War Depart
ment. which decided upon a military
arrest. Soldiers were sent for, and TAX
ing a few operatives with me, we went
to DOwning's house. He was still there
and we waited till the eXtinguished
lights told us that he had gone to bed
Then" the chief continued I'VE
knocked at the front door The mis-
tress of the house thrust her head
through the window and declined to
let us in till I threatened to break
down her door Then, very much
frightened, she admitted us. Leaving
the soldiers below 1 took two of my
men and bidding the landlady go be-
fore, went up to his door. I babe the
landlady knock and tell Downing that
some friends from Chicago wanted to
see him. She could leave the rest to
me. She did so. Downing bit at
once and we could hear him dress
ing.
1.-THE hall was dark and we stood on
either side of the door. When he opened
the door, he was in the best possible
situation for capture had he been dis