El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-05-12
SPANISH SPY
COMMITS
SUICIDE

George Downing, Who Was Arrested
by Secret Service Officers in Wash
ingtOn. Cheats the Court Martial.
WASHINGTON, May II --"George
Downing" who was arrested by secret
service officers here on the charge of
being Spanish spy, and has been held
in military confinement since the
night of May Z, committed suicide this
morning by hanging himself in his
prison cell at the Arsenal.
The story of the detection and arrest
of this man, who has now in effect con-
fessed his quiet, is q most interesting
one. Downing was apparently about
33 years of age,5 feet inches in height,
of athletic build, AID Bohemian in ap-
oearance. Chief Wllkie, of the trea-
sury secret service, who conducted the
case, tells the following story, as given
IN Washington dispatches.
"Downing is an Englishman by birth,
out is naturalized American, and
was formerly chief yeoman on the
cruiser Brooklyn. His discharge from
that ship dates about two months ago
Our Information sh ws that on last
Friday he had a conference with Lieut..
Carranzas, who was naval attache
If the Spanish Minister Polo, and
who was then at Toronto. He furnish
ed Carranzas general informa-
tion about the navy and particularly
disparsging manner of the American
navy. After ons and a half hours Ia k
he came to Washington at the direc-
UiOn of the lieutenant He left Toronto
F. dav afternoon for this city, coming
via Niagara Falls, the eh;gh V. llej
and the Is ltimOre and Ohio railroads.
Before leaving Toron to Carranzas gave
Downing an address, apparently .ha'
of residence in MOnlreal. TO whi, b
be was to send all the Information h.
obtained. Downing arrived here yes
terday afternoon AID went directly to
9I6 E Street, where ne had stopped no
longer than a week ago. When he left
he told the landlady he was going to
Virginia. Shortly after aching his
rooms be went out again to the post-of-
fee and dropped a letter into the box
for The address in Montreal which had
been given to him.
81 should say tight here that our
officers recognized Downing as soon as
he arrived at the railroad depot, SID
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 promDtly inter-
cepted at the post Office ami its contents
examined. 1t contained a statement
as to certain m alters in Wash
ipgton, said the writer would soon be
able to forward some important infor-
nation about the Holland su omarine
boat, gave a summary OF the steps for
the relief of Admiral Dewey, and pro-
missed data as to the movement of the
American GOLFERS or coaling ships.
D owniug also said he inten led to go t,
Norfolk (Which place he hoped to
reach Tue sday J and expected to Oh
tain important in 'orma;ion. The
letter was signed simply
with the init as G D.
I'VE were we'll satisfied by this that
the man was spy, and we set about to
secure his apprehension. We commu-
ncated with A sistant Secretary
Meiklt john, of the wsr department., to
whom we gave a summary of the infor-
nation in our rr ssess'OD, and then
Judge Advocate Gem raj LIE Der, the
army, ADVISED that the n be arrested
and turned over to the military author
it es.
''Downing returns d to bis room dur
ing the evening after dining and read
ing the news bulletins. Accompanied
by Capt. Sa= e. of the 9Th artliery. a
corporal and privats, by my own Off
GERS ard by a policeman, we we i to
Downing's house, wherein secur, d
him without trouble. He offered no
resistancS, bu. appear frightened
and much surprised at what was
taking place He was hanccufTed to
the private, who, arcompa MED by
Capt. Sage and the Corporal, took h i'm
to the arsenal, where he is under
guard We rave turned him over to
the military authorities for their dis
position AS l said before l think
there is no doubt of the man's guilt.
sufficient in my judgment TO justify the
nnnalft, of the law