Evening star., 1898-05-09
MILITARY SECRET SERVICE.
Assistant Secretary MeiklejOhn Has
Been Placed in Charge.

By direction of the President Assistant
Secretary Meiklejohn of the War Depart
ment has been placed in charge of the
military secret service of the government
during the continuance of the war with
Spain. Mr.. Meiklejohn will see that "A
strict surveillance is kept over every per-
sen on whom the least suspicion rests
that he is in any way connected with the
Spanish government or is furnishing any
Information whatsoever to it detrimental
OF inimical to the interests of the United
States. He will have charge of the prosecu-
ton. of all persons arrested for such Of
fenses. The entire secret service of the
Treasury Department has been placed at
bis disposal for the work in hand.
Inc nrst evidence of the vigilant work
which is being done under the assistant
secretary's supervision was the arrest of
the man George Downing in Washington
Saturday, and who is charged with being a
Spanish spy.
Charges and specifications against the
prisoner, who Is now confined under strict
guard at the Washington arsenal have
been prepared by Judge Advocate General
Lieber of the army copy of which has
been forwarded to Col. F. l.. Guenther the
commandant. Very promptly a court mar
tai will be appointed to try The prisoner.
Two charges are preferred against the
prisoner The first is that of acting as a
vised Statutes. The specifications under
this charge allege that George Downing
acted spy, the United States being at
war with Spain, and did obtain information
in regard to the military and naval opera
tionS of the United States, and endeavored
to communicate the same to a person in
Montreal, for use by the Spanish govern
ment in its hostile operations against the
United States
The second charge is that of giving in
telligence to the enemy in violation to the
4Gth article of war. The specifications un-
der this charge is that Downing did OBJ
tain information in regard n 10
and naval operations of the United States,
and did communicate the same to a person
in Toronto. for use by the government of
Spain in its hostile operations against the
United States.
Under the first charge the prisoner Is
liable. upon conviction. to suffer death,
while under the second his punishment
shall either be death or such other as the
court-martiM may direct.
The judge advocate Of the court will
conduct the prosecution. and the prisoner
will be given permiss sion to employ counsel
for his defense. II the sentence is that
|, Of death ths prison er win be shot.
Articles of war numbers As and 49, and
section 1343 Of the Revised Statutes. pre-
scribe the punishment which shall be neted
out to those found guilty Of relieving the
enemy, holding correspondence with him
or engaging In rebellion against the au-
thority Of the United States"
The War Department officials express q
desire that these should be published at
this time, in order to deter persons from
such acts who might otherwise, not know
ing the law violate them The articles Of
war and the section Of the Revised Statute
referred to are as follows:
Article 45-Whossever relieves the enemy
with money, vfctuals or ammunition, Or
knowingly harbors or protects an enemy,
shall suffer death, or such other punish
ment as q courtAmartial may direct
Article 46.-Whosoever holds correspond
ence with, Or gives intelligence to, the enc
my, either directly or Indirectly. shall suf-
fer death, or such other punishment as q
court-martia1 may direct.
Section lS4S, Revised Statutes---An persons
who, In time Of war, or of rebellion against
the supreme authority OF the United States,
shall be found lurking or acting as spies. in
quarters, or encampments Of any OF the
armies Of the United States. or elsewhere,
shall be triable by a general court-martial,
conviction thereof, sufIey DEATH