The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-11
SECRET SERVICE STAR
THE DARING WORK OF CAPT,
WHITNEY IN PORTO
RICO
HE BRAVELY RISKED HIS LIFE

the Country of the Enemy--FOr
Two Weeks the Neck of the Sol
der Was I'm Constant DANCER
On Miles staff.
NEW YORK. Sept. 1O.-Among the
American soldiers who have returned
to New York from Porto Rico Is Capt.
Henry H. Whitney, an adjutant OF
Miles staff. In the glamour that has
surrounded the commanding general Of
the armies OF the United States, Can't
whitney has been obscured, but he
mas Won distinguished honor as being
the only military spy on the American
SIDE during the recent war.
! capt whitney Is q model hero; his
deeds have all the fire of romance Of
the old school, his actions are the acme
or the drawing room repression of the
new schools His trip through the
Western part OF Porto Rico was filled
with narrow escapes. 1t is as thrilling
| as any tale Of adventure, yet he never
I drew his pistol, never had to fight his
way to liberty, and all that he did
was done quietly by pure nerve and
! bluff
How does 1t feel to be spy?" he
was asked
do you know" was the answer, cts
|
nerve and big bluff"
"EXctt!ng?"
"Splendidly so, and fascinating. SO
! fascinating that you can't do without
! 1t. 1 don't play poker because I know
If | did I should do nothing else"
Capt. Whitney is small-the smallest
man on Gen. Miles staff. His height
is about five feet nire and he does not
weigh more than 140 pounds. He has
! soft blue eyes that look squarely but
not fiercely, and his features are as
! delicate as a woman's. His voice is low
! and finely modulated, and he chooses
| his words with precision. His manner
! is the perfection of cordiality, and his
laugh Is warming and true, so that one
who hears wonders how he could lie
and laugh in that way-but that is
his bluff.
BAD FOR MORALS.
This business Of being a spy" he
said, us bad on the morals. 1t makes
a fellow hate himself to stand and hear
his country traduced and to join in the
vituperation. You feel like warning
your friends not to trust you"
Capt. Whitney was sent to Porto
Rico by Gen. Niles. He was dispatched
there secretly TO make maps Of the har-
bors and Notifications, to discover
whether mines were in the harbor Of
Ponce, and last-and it is doubtful If
a more difficult task could fall to
spy-to discover the genuine feeling Of
Porto Ricans toward America. This
must he do, and not allow even the
one questioned to know that 1t was be-
ing done.
81 was in Porto Rico two weeks.
entered the country disguised as an
English sailor. l had a three weeks
growth Of beard, which hid my face,
and l anticipated no trouble in land
ing, though was ready for any emer-
| gency. The Spanish officers searched
the boat thoroughly. 1 learned the
next day that the officers were hunting
an American spy. A girl told me-
| American spy" I said to her, with
a laugh. IF we catch one Of those
pigs we shall hang himP
AYE, aye said the girl, and
bought some cigars from her."
Capt Whitney smiled. He has a
pleasant way Of smiling, and one
thought Of the pleasant Irritation he
had with the dark-eyed senorita who
was telling him how near he had come
! to death and how close the officers
were on his track.
IF you had been caught how long
would you have had, do you think, to
repent Of your past sins?'
Perhaps until SUNRISE" and the spy
did not smile.
by the way, you speak Spanish flu
emily, Of course-like a native?" was
Not bit. Just enough to get
along"
Yet he covered 200 miles of the west
ern part Of the island and got all the
information he was sent to get.
Il was at the next town and I want
ed to find out how the natives regard
ed US in that part Of the country It
might be useful, you know in case we
landed near there. The Porto Ricans
are really friendly to the United States
very friendly, after their fashion. 1
found 80 many who were anxious to
be annexed if they were sure the
Americans could protect them that I
grew bit careless.
See here said one, I believe you are
a newspaper correspondent
Il accepted the role boldly and said:
We'll, what if I am?
There is an order to imprison all
newspaper correspondents, and the
authorities are on the watch for them.
said my informant, so 1 dropped news
paper work quickly
Capt Whitney was also an English
officer. This honor, too. was thrust
upon him, and he was made to play the
part of Britisher with violent anti
American sympathies.
For two weeks the ignominious death
Of a spy was always on either side of
the road within which he walked YET
Harry Whitney is as young as when
he graduated from West Point. presi-
dent of his class, in 1892. There is not
a nerve that has weakened under the
strain.
MILES PLAN THE RESULT.
There was long delay about getting
out Of the island. The small boat miss
ed him at first. He was likely to re-
main In Porto Rico and be captured
But he did get away, and the fruit of
the information that he gained is Gen.
Miles campaign
Are you in large part responsible
for that plan?"
"Oh, the reports will show enough.
They will show the information 1 fur
nished."
Yet 1t is nearly certain that Gen.
Miles followed his young staff officers
advice. Capt. Whitney fully explored
that part Of Porto Rico invaded by Gen.
| Miles.
Whitney's chance came in this wise:
He was appointed military attache to
Buenos Ayres, and last April was Sc
lected to go on a secret mission to
Cuba and Porto Rico Time dragged
and delays became dangerous. Car
ranza'S spies were watching him. Then
one day he received permission to go.
He did not wait for details, but drew
his own money from bank, spent 1t.
borrowed from a consul and went on
III ~ !, t.